February Coffee & Conservation – Featuring Barbara Lockhart

February 17, 2026
Barbara Lockhart
North Port Conservancy

Speaker Bio:

Barbara is a University of Florida Master Naturalist with a Land Steward certification and a Florida Registered Paralegal with a concentration in real estate. Barbara moved to Charlotte County with her family at the age of 3 and grew up there. She later moved to North Port (Sarasota County) in 2002. In the years thereafter she started feeling extreme concern for the local natural environment when development began booming beyond anything she’d ever seen. This reality, coupled with the worst red tide disaster she could remember in the Summer of 2018, led Barbara to decide it was time to give back to the environment she grew up in. Neighborhood land conservation seemed to be the obvious (and possibly the only) answer to saving nature in the places she knew and loved across Sarasota/Charlotte Counties. After discussing her idea with like-minded colleagues, The Environmental Conservancy of North Port, Inc. was launched in the Spring of 2020 and neighborhood land acquisition for protection in perpetuity began in Nort Port. Soon after the “And Surrounding Areas” was added to the entity’s name to allow for expansion into Charlotte County and other areas of Sarasota County.

Presentation:

Join Barbara Lockhart for an inspiring presentation on the importance of preserving neighborhood lands for nature. Barbara will share the story behind her organization’s mission to protect small natural parcels within developed areas and explain why these efforts are vital for both the environment and the community. Her presentation highlights how conserving local green spaces supports wildlife, reduces flooding by naturally absorbing stormwater, and helps filter water before it reaches our drainage systems. Barbara will also discuss how individuals can make a difference—whether through volunteering, supporting local conservation efforts, or creating more nature-friendly spaces in their own backyards.