For What It's Earth

Dear Firefly Friends,

The iconic Big Blue Marble photo of Earth from space has just celebrated its 50th anniversary, and it’s still as stunning as it was in 1972. This photo gave humankind its first view of the planet from a distance, as Apollo 7 astronauts took frame after frame of what they were seeing. It tells a breathtaking story - our planet is astoundingly beautiful - and we are a fragile orb in a vast sky.

Back here on earth, where our view is more limited, we are still amazed at the beauty of our environment - and concerned about its preservation and sustainability.

Speaking of anniversaries, Firefly is celebrating 20 years of providing illuminating ideas and glowing results for our clients. And many of those clients have an environmental focus - making a positive impact in our little piece of paradise on the Treasure Coast and beyond.

Below is a snapshot of their work.

With awe,

Stacy Weller Ranieri

Chief Illuminatror

Keep Martin Beautiful

Martin County is beautiful -but it takes a commitment from thousands of volunteers to keep it that way. Keep Martin Beautiful is getting ready for the annual International Coastal Cleanup. We encourage you, your family, your business, or your civic organization to join nearly 900 volunteers who have already registered to participate on Saturday, September 16 to give some TLC to our beaches and waterways.

The Loxa-Lucie Headwaters Initiative

The Loxa-Lucie Headwaters Initiative is an innovative plan to create a permanently protected ecological corridor in south Martin County between the Loxahatchee and St. Lucie rivers. The coalition brings together three non-profit organizations - the Conservation Fund, Treasured Lands Foundation, and the Guardians of Martin County. The initiative has widespread support among citizens, community groups, businesses, and government entities for its efforts to preserve this precious ecosystem for future generations.

Martin County Forever

Martin County is a very special place, where Old Florida is still visible from the shores of the Atlantic to the western lands near Lake Okeechobee. But it won’t be this way in the future unless we take steps now to preserve it.

Martin County Forever is a new educational initiative with a mission to acquire and preserve important environmentally sensitive lands in Martin County and protect them - forever! 

Forces of Nature: A History of Florida Land Conservation

Clay Henderson has been a leader in the development of Florida’s signature land acquisition programs including Preservation 2000, Florida Forever, and Florida Communities Trust. He sponsored most of the environmental provisions in Florida's Constitution including the creation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and co-authored the Florida Water and Land Legacy Initiative, the largest conservation funding program in the nation’s history.

So when Clay’s new book, Forces of Nature: A History of Florida Land Conservation, came out, the Firefly Group was more than delighted to help him promote it. Henderson’s book is an exciting and encouraging tale of many small environmental victories over generations. Whet your appetite for reading his book here.

Florida Ranches Calendar

For 17 years, the Firefly Group has been the publisher of the award-winning Florida Ranches Calendar. It’s a year-long reminder that ranchers are our state’s oldest environmental stewards, and their lands are a critical part of the green infrastructure that is the foundation of Florida’s economy and quality of life.

The calendar features the stunning photographs of award-winning National Geographic photojournalist and eighth-generation Floridan Carlton Ward Jr. as well as other talented photographers and winners of a statewide photo contest.

We’re busily at work on the production of the 2024 edition of the calendar, and once again Carlton has submitted breathtakingly beautiful pictures of Florida landscapes. You can see past photos and keep track of the newest calendar by following the Facebook page and Instagram.  

And Carlton Ward Jr.’s work will also be on display at the Elliott Museum this summer. They’ll be showcasing photos from his amazing film about the endangered Florida panther along with photos from photographer Mac Stone’s Wild Everglades project. Kudos to the Elliott, and to sponsors Jackie Thurlow Lippisch and Dr. Ed Lippisch, for bringing us these gorgeous reminders of our unique environment and the threats it faces. Check out the Elliott website here, for dates and times. Don’t miss this show!

One Martin's Farm City Luncheon

The annual Farm City Luncheon has become a highlight of the November calendar. The event brings together urban and rural residents of Martin County to celebrate the important relationship between farmers, consumers, community leaders, and everyone in between who contributes to a safe, abundant food supply. 

Check out the Farm City Luncheon details here and get your tickets early, or consider becoming a sponsor. It's always a sell-out.

Martin County's M.S. POOP

It’s a name you won’t easily forget---but M.S. POOP (Martin Ship Pump Out Operation Program) is so much more than a name that makes you laugh. It represents an impactful program created and managed by the Martin County Utilities and Solid Waste Department to provide a free, convenient, safe and responsible way to remove sewage from boats.