Our History

The Holton Eco-Preserve is a community-service project of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, Florida. The preserve was made possible through the vision of the church and the generosity of Paul Holton, founder of Holton Foods, Chicago, Illinois. The preserve was dedicated in April 2003 and named to honor Mr. Holton who, until his death in 2006, gave enthusiasm and contributions to advance our quest to provide a native, Southwest Florida habitat that helps children and their families love nature and live lightly on the earth.

The Holton Eco-Preserve has a credentialed and widely experienced, all-volunteer staff, a staff with a demonstrated history of commitment to the welfare of children and respect for the interrelated web of existence of which we are all a part. Currently the staff is engaged in educational program development and in enhancing the preserve as a living educational environment.