Founded in 2013 by a group of citizens concerned about pollution and loss of flow in the Ichetucknee, the Ichetucknee Alliance is a membership-based, federally recognized educational nonprofit organization. The Alliance regularly engages in dialogue with representatives of state water management agencies, maintains a website and Facebook pages, produces educational videos and, when possible, conducts free public educational programs about the Ichetucknee. The Alliance has also mounted legal challenges to state actions that allow continuing harm to the Ichetucknee. With the creation of this new Beloved Blue River website, the Alliance aims to document what the Ichetucknee has meant to people—and what people have meant to the Ichetucknee—over the years, and to spark new ideas and conversations about how the human/water relationship might change to provide better protections for the river system. The Alliance’s messages and activities are focused on primarily on adults and on the officers and staff members of state agencies that are charged with managing Florida’s water quality and water quantity. For more information, see: https://ichetuckneealliance.org/

Our Santa Fe River was founded in 2007 and is a membership-based, federally recognized nonprofit organization. OSFR works to protect the waters and lands supporting the aquifer, springs and rivers within the watershed of the Santa Fe River (including the Ichetucknee) by promoting public awareness of the ecology, quality and quantity of these waters. Focused on citizens of all ages as well as on the actions of our state water management agencies, OSFR has created and presented water information to thousands of people at numerous events, takes action against threats to the springs and the Santa Fe River, works with agencies and other groups to protect the Santa Fe’s natural systems, and holds a popular annual song contest that promotes love for the Santa Fe River system. For more information, see: https://oursantaferiver.org/

The Ichetucknee Partnership, through its popular costumed character Bellamy Beaver, promotes environmental and economic well being of the Ichetucknee Springshed through locally led, voluntary incentive-based programs. A nonprofit organization housed within the Lake City-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, TIP’s messages and activities are focused on children and businesses. For more information, see:
http://www.ichetuckneepartners.org/

The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute is the state’s only politically independent, science-based nonprofit organization focused on freshwater springs research and education, with the goal of enabling future generations to enjoy the springs as we have. FSI focuses on spring science by documenting conditions in springs throughout Florida (including the Ichetucknee) through the work of its staff members as well as its many SpringsWatch program volunteers. FSI’s outreach and education efforts include special events and programs such as Springs Academy classes at the North Florida Springs Environmental Center, various science-based springs outings, a Springs Field School, and Give Springs a Break for college students and young professionals. FSI has developed restoration plans for the Ichetucknee and many other springs throughout Florida. For more information, see: https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/

The Florida Springs Council is the only statewide group focused exclusively on advocacy and legal actions for our world-class springs and rivers. FSC began as a consortium of member organizations from all over the state (the Ichetucknee Alliance is a founding member of FSC) and now unites those organizations with its individual members to lobby in Tallahassee for more protective spring laws and rules. FSC takes legal actions when necessary and mobilizes whenever a spring is threatened. For more information, see: https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/