In Tarpon Springs, a grassroots effort to save a slice of Florida's natural habitat is on the verge of success, with the West Klosterman Preservation Group (WKPG) nearing their fundraising goal to protect 14 acres of land from development, the West Klosterman Preserve stands as a testament to community action and ecological conservation. "You really do start to feel like, 'I can't do anything about that.' But you can do something," Kay Carter, the group’s Chief Operating Officer, expressed in a FOX 13 News interview.
The combined efforts of county support and over 2,000 contributors have propelled the WKPG toward securing the necessary $1.5 million to match a pledge from Pinellas County, which aims to incorporate the preserve into the adjacent 76-acre Mariner's Point Management Area. Tex Carter, the president of WKPG, said in a statement obtained by WTSP, "We want to preserve this so that people really do enjoy living here and so that people who do come here have a quality of life that's worth keeping." Despite the looming December 10 deadline for the donation pledges to be ready, optimism remains high as the group musters the final contributions.
A recent sales agreement between Pinellas County and Pinellas County Schools has further solidified the prospective acquisition of the preserve, marking a pivotal step towards conservation. This union of government entities underpins a singular vision of preserving natural spaces amidst Florida's extensive developmental history. "There is a real contract between the county and the school board to buy the property now with a real due diligence period, a real estate transaction that's going to happen," Tex Carter related, according to a FOX 13 News report.
Should the funding be finalized, it will represent a significant victory not just for the Carters, but for the flora and fauna residing in the West Klosterman Preserve, including over 60 gopher tortoises, an array of birds, and other vulnerable species, "It's a rest stop for birds as they're migrating," as Tex noted, underscoring the ecological importance of the area in an interview with ABC Action News. The final closing date for the acquisition is set for April 2025, all hingeing upon this month's deadline adherence.
