In the Oakmont Neighborhood near Gainesville Florida, there is a 45 acre gopher tortoise reserve that is maintained by the developer and the homeowner association. This preserve houses a population of gopher tortoises and many other wildlife species. ICI homes, the developer of Oakmont, collaborated with University of Florida’s Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and IFAS Extension to install 4 educational signs that have 4 educational panels that discuss sandhill cranes, gopher tortoises, invasive exotics, pollinators, and bird habitat. Education panels are rotated throughout the year by a managers associated with the developer. Questions about the upkeep of these signs can be directed to Christina Price (cprice@icihomes.com).

iNaturalist: Residents in the Oakmont neighborhood are monitoring plants and animals in the area with the iNaturalist program (particularly the gopher tortoise reserve) and their iNaturalist project can be found here. If interested in participating in the iNaturalist project, contact Dr. Mark Hostetler (hostetm@ufl.edu).

Restoration Activities: Several residents within the community are landscaping with native plants and utilizing water saving techniques to reduce irrigation. Also, the gopher tortoise reserve is in need of invasive plant management. If interested in learning more, contact Dr. Mark Hostetler (hostetm@ufl.edu).