Sunbridge Community Becomes First in U.S. to Achieve Homegrown National Park Designation for Conservation Efforts

SUNBRIDGE, St. Cloud, Fla., September 17, 2025 — Sunbridge, a 27,000-acre master-planned community located between Orlando and Florida’s Space Coast across Orange and Osceola Counties, has been named the nation’s first Homegrown National Park Community. The designation highlights Sunbridge’s commitment to ecological regeneration, water conservation, and climate-resilient planning, establishing it as a national model for how development and conservation can thrive together. 

The Homegrown National Park (HNP) initiative, cofounded by scientist and New York Times bestselling author Doug Tallamy, is a grassroots movement aimed at regenerating 20 million acres (about the area of South Carolina) of native habitat across the United States. The effort empowers individuals and communities to restore biodiversity through native landscaping and sustainable design. The designation celebration is set for Wednesday, October 17, 2025 from 6-7 p.m. (location to be determined). 

“Sunbridge proves that entire communities can join the Homegrown National Park movement, turning individual yards into a national network of biodiversity,” said Tim Snyder, Executive Director of HNP. “This is a powerful new model for conservation at scale.” 

Reasons Sunbridge Received HNP Designation 

• The community has set aside more than 13,000 acres for conservation, including oak hammocks, lakes and wetlands that form connected habitat corridors.   
• Neighborhoods like Weslyn Park use 75% native landscaping, reducing irrigation and fertilizer runoff by thousands of pounds annually 
• Sunbridge also supports hands-on education through the Florida Headwaters Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to conservation and environmental learning, and Voyager K-8, a public school in the community where students lead projects such as composting, pollinator gardens and an on-site apiary.  

Meeting Florida’s Most Pressing Resource Challenge 

As more than 1,000 people move to Central Florida each week, the region’s demand for natural resources is reaching critical levels. Central Florida is projected to face a 250-million-gallon-per-day water shortfall by 2035 (Central Florida Water Initiative), and Florida would need to invest $1.7 billion in water infrastructure by 2040 to avoid severe shortages (The Center Square). Sunbridge offers a neighborhood-scale solution to this statewide crisis, embedding long-term water stewardship into the DNA of its community design. 

A Naturehood Designed for Water Resilience 

Sunbridge is a living case study in how to preserve native land and water quality and reduce usage at scale. Key innovations include: 

• A Florida-native and drought-tolerant landscaping palette estimated to save between 39,000 to 146,300 gallons of water daily, while reducing nitrogen use by up to 9,000 pounds per year. 
• A goal to reduce household water use by 50% by 2030, and outdoor water use by 75% by 2040. 
• A 79% reduction in irrigation through “as-needed” watering, backed by research in partnership with the University of Florida.
• A comprehensive Lake Use Plan designed to protect and restore local freshwater ecosystems and minimize human impact. 

These innovations not only address the region’s growing conservation challenges, but they also offer replicable solutions for other master-planned communities across the U.S. 

“Being named the nation’s first Homegrown National Park Community shows what we believe at Sunbridge — that growth and preservation must go hand in hand,” said Clint Beaty, senior vice president of operations for Tavistock Development Company. “By weaving nature into daily life and protecting Florida’s unique landscapes and water resources, we are creating a community that thrives today while inspiring and sustaining generations to come.” 

What This Means for Sunbridge Residents
As part of the designation, Sunbridge residents will be invited to: 

• Register their native plantings on the HNP Biodiversity Map 
• Explore a Sunbridge-curated list of native plants for home landscapes 
• Participate in community programs that make conservation simple and accessible 

Native plants support pollinators, birds and beneficial insects while restoring essential ecosystem services such as water filtration, carbon storage and soil health. Through this partnership, Sunbridge is providing a model for communities across the United States that are seeking to balance growth with preservation.  

About Homegrown National Park  

Homegrown National Park is a grassroots movement created to regenerate biodiversity across the United States. The program encourages individuals and organizations to take simple, science-based actions that restore native ecosystems. Its interactive Biodiversity Map tracks and visualizes progress, making conservation efforts measurable, inclusive, and rewarding for all participants.  Learn more at Homegrownnationalpark.org. 

About Sunbridge  Sunbridge is the latest community from the creators of Lake Nona, Tavistock Development Company. At the forefront of the region’s next wave of connective smart growth, the community encompasses more than 27,000 acres across both Orange and Osceola Counties in Central Florida between metro Orlando and the Space Coast. Built on the success of Lake Nona, Sunbridge carefully mixes residential, recreational, business and civic uses designed to create connections to nature. Sunbridge preserves large stretches of Florida nature and gives people unprecedented access to oak forests, lakes, wetlands, and waterways. The community opened in 2020. For more information, visit SunbridgeFl.com.

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