Check out all the latest news and announcements from the Gopher Tortoise Council here!
Mark your calendars for the 43rd Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida
October 29-31th, 2021
Stay tuned for more details on our website: www.gophertortoisecouncil.org, or follow us on Facebook.
GTC Needs You!
The Gopher Tortoise Council is a volunteer-led organization, and we are always on the lookout for individuals with new ideas, skills, interests, and time to help! If you're a GTC member wanting to get more involved, here's your chance to come out of your shell. We currently have openings on our Education and Outreach Committee, and Service Awards Committee. You can also check out our website for other activities with GTC you might like to volunteer for. For example, every year we need volunteers to help with our silent auction and other events at the annual meeting (this year's meeting is tentatively scheduled for October 28-30, 2021 in St. Petersburg, Florida). If you're interested in volunteering or have any questions, please contact GTC Co-Chair Becca Cozad at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Donna J. Heinrich Environmental Grant
The GTC Environmental Education Grant was established to support educators and organizations committed to developing educational projects about the gopher tortoise and the fascinating world in which it lives. The grant also honors Donna June Heinrich, an environmental educator whose life was dedicated to conserving wildlife and their associated habitats.
Applications which contain the following will be given preference:
- Projects that reach diverse and new audiences
- Projects that focus on the importance of conservation of intact upland ecosystems
- Projects that encourage community involvement
- Projects that have matching funds
Deadline for submission of this year's proposals is September 30th, 2021. Requirements, instructions, and the application can be found on GTC's Grant Program webpage. Submit proposals or send questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The J. Larry Landers Student Research Grant
The J. Larry Landers Student Research Grant is a GTC competitive grant program for undergraduate and graduate students. Proposals can address research concerning gopher tortoise biology or any other relevant aspect of upland habitat conservation and management. The amount of the award is variable but has averaged $1,000 over the last few years. The proposal should be limited to four pages in length and include a description of the project, a concise budget, requested grant amount, and a brief resume of the student. This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to access funding for their projects!
The deadline for grant proposals this year is September 30th, 2021. Proposals should be submitted electronically in a Microsoft Word document to Betsie Rothermel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit the Grant Program page of the GTC website.