The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has awarded a $20,000 grant to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast to conserve and restore habitat for the threatened Florida scrub jay. The restoration will occur on Conservation Foundation’s recently protected 38-acre Tatum Sawgrass Scrub Preserve in eastern Manatee County, a critical wildlife corridor that is experiencing rapid development. In partnership with Cornell's ornithology lab, the Conservation Foundation will restore the land to create a scrub jay habitat, creating an essential stepping-stone between Sarasota County and Manatee County scrub jay populations. Trails will also be created for guided tours.

The centerpiece of the Conservation Foundation’s current work is the creation of the Myakka Island Conservation Corridor, a conserved landscape of more than 110,000 acres. The corridor is essential for the protection of wildlife habitat, the recovery of the endangered Florida panther and the protection of clean coastal water.