From railroad depot to park: Depot Park celebrates 10-year milestone
By Addison Gload | 9:03pmA decade ago, a 32-acre swath of land at the heart of Gainesville was an unusable wasteland. Now, it’s a lush park celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Environment
More Environment
Enterprise
North Central Florida could host the country’s next national park, just miles from UF
By Sofia Bravo | Sep. 15U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, R-F.L., proposed turning 2,800 square miles of preserved land in North Central Florida into a national park. The bill hasn't yet moved through Congress — but the public remains divided on whether the designation would help protect the land.
Metro
Newnans Lake neighbors fear proposed development could muddy its future
By Logan McBride | July 14, 2025A proposal to add 149 single-family homes to an 82-acre rezoning is being led by Adams Homes and Garden Street Communities. When the issue reached the Alachua County Commission, the planning commission’s recommendation was overruled when the commission unanimously approved the development near Newnans Lake in late May. Two months later, community members close to the property are still fighting the proposal.
Metro
Proposed housing development near Paynes Prairie puts park’s future in question
By Logan McBride | July 2, 2025When Ross heard of a new housing development proposed off U.S. Highway 441 – adjacent to Paynes Prairie – the 75-year-old was concerned about the potential environmental impacts of the project.
Opinion
Looking to the future of climate action
By Gracie Adams | Mar. 21, 2025It's easy to feel discouraged by the onslaught of damaging decisions enacted by the Trump Administration and expedited by like-minded GOP members of congress when climate-related natural disasters affect more Americans every day.
Opinion
Eco-anxiety: what is it, and how do I cope with it?
By Gracie Adams | Jan. 30, 2025In an age where most of us experience constant bad news right in the palm of our hands, it’s no surprise we’re overwhelmed with the state of the world. This feeling, pertaining to climate change is called "eco-anxiety."
Metro
Alachua County Commission aims to usher Florence Landfill to an early close
By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Jan. 29, 2025Over 25 students and southeast Gainesville residents gathered outside the Alachua County Commission building Tuesday to protest the Florence Landfill, the final resting place of local construction demolition waste since the 1990s.
El Caimán
Navegando una vida nueva: Estudiantes exploran un ambiente diferente de sus países de niñez
By Avery Parker | Dec. 3, 2024Con este cambio en sus vidas y lejos de sus familias, estos estudiantes llegaron a un lugar dónde el español no es la lengua principal y el ambiente es muy distinto. Sin embargo, todavía crean oportunidades para celebrar y participar en las culturas de sus países a través de compartiendo en la cultura de UF y de Gainesville.
Enterprise
The ‘iconic, charismatic’ monarch: a once common species may soon be endangered
By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Nov. 14, 2024In light of habitat loss and population decline, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may give monarch butterflies a slot under the Endangered Species Act by December. The species, which was once exceedingly more common than some other pollinators, has dwindled in the last two decades.
University
Santa Fe College plans to hire new energy and sustainability manager
By Timothy Wang | Oct. 16, 2024Santa Fe College is hiring for a new position to focus on the institution's environmental impact.
Enterprise
Alachua County weathers two hurricanes in two weeks, resumes recovery
By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp | Oct. 14, 2024The short-lived reprieve from Hurricane Helene came to a sudden stop when Milton swept through Alachua County. The hurricane ended hopes for a return to normalcy, forcing students and locals into a second scramble before the approaching storm.
News
How to be blue, orange and green
By Gracie Adams | Sep. 28, 2024We’ve all heard we should reduce, reuse and recycle, but what’s next?
Enterprise
Alachua County initiatives work to protect land from increasing development
By Kylie Williams | Feb. 19, 2024In Alachua County, more than 30,000 acres have been protected under similar land agreements. In January, the trust facilitated an agreement with a 550-acre dairy farm in Gilchrist County. The farm has been owned for multiple generations by the Watson family, who will receive $1.54 million through the easement.
Opinion
Plastic pollution in Florida is about to become easier
By Cayman Forbes | Feb. 5, 2024Local governments such as Gainesville have made significant progress towards protecting our environment from pollution like single-use plastics. Bans exist all over Florida, so items like plastic water bottles don’t end up in our springs, rivers and oceans.
Enterprise
Gambling revenue may be used for Florida’s environment under new bill
By Kylie Williams | Jan. 29, 2024In 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The compact provided the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights in running gambling activities on tribal lands. In exchange, the tribe agreed to give $2.5 billion of its revenue to the state for the first five years the compact is in place. Under SB 1638, 96% of these annual funds would go to Florida’s environmental resources.
