Our Story
Every meaningful environmental movement begins somewhere.
For AquaTerra Foundation, that beginning was a lake, seven canals, and a community of residents who believe that local action can make a lasting difference.
From One Lake to a Broader Vision
AquaTerra Foundation has emerged from Clear Lakes Foundation in 2026 and is established in Florida with a mission to protect vital natural land and water systems through stewardship and a vision to expand into the Caribbean.
2021
Clear Lakes Foundation was established with a simple but important mission: to help protect and restore Florida’s lakes and waterways through education, environmental stewardship, and community involvement.
The Foundation’s earliest work focused on Clear Lake and the Isle of Catalina community in Orlando. Residents and volunteers began organizing efforts to improve waterway conditions, address invasive aquatic vegetation, educate neighbors, and strengthen community participation.
What began as neighbors working together demonstrated that organized local stewardship could create meaningful environmental progress.
2022
As its work expanded, Clear Lakes Foundation developed relationships with homeowners, volunteers, local businesses, environmental professionals, and public agencies.
Early initiatives included:
- Canal restoration and aquatic vegetation efforts
- Waterway cleanups
- Environmental education
- Wildlife and habitat observation
- Volunteer engagement
- Community fundraising for environmental projects
These formative years established an enduring principle: Lasting environmental improvement begins when communities work together.
2023
Clear Lakes Foundation increased its emphasis on environmental monitoring, documentation, and long-term planning.
The Foundation’s work and participation expanded to include:
- Florida LAKEWATCH
- Water-quality testing
- Aquatic vegetation management
- Habitat and fish conservation
- Environmental documentation
- Long-term waterway planning
Working alongside residents and environmental professionals reinforced an important lesson:
Healthy waterways require continuing science, education, monitoring, and stewardship—not only one-time cleanup efforts.
2024
As the Foundation matured, its work began extending beyond individual canal projects.
Clear Lakes Foundation developed stronger working relationships with:
- Community organizations
- Environmental professionals
- Government agencies
- Educational institutions
- Conservation partners
- Local businesses and service providers
Projects increasingly involved governance, fundraising, environmental monitoring, community coordination, and long-term planning.
This period also highlighted the close relationship between water systems, surrounding lands, infrastructure, wildlife, and community health.
2025
Through continued work involving lakes, canals, environmental education, conservation, and community projects, the Foundation recognized a broader opportunity.
Many environmental challenges could not be addressed through waterway work alone.
Healthy lakes and coastal systems depend upon:
· Healthy watersheds
· Responsible land stewardship
· Native habitats
· Sustainable infrastructure
· Environmental education
· Resilient communities
The Foundation began exploring how its experience could support a broader mission while preserving the local work that inspired its creation.
2026
In 2026, the organization adopted the name AquaTerra Foundation, Inc.
The name brings together two essential elements:
Aqua — Water
Terra — Land
Together, they express the understanding that healthy communities depend upon responsible stewardship of both.
AquaTerra Foundation represents the continuing growth of the same nonprofit organization—not a departure from its roots. Clear Lakes Foundation remains its founding legacy initiative and is intended to continue as a Doing Business As name for Central Florida community and waterway work, subject to applicable filings and approvals.
Today, AquaTerra Foundation advances a broader mission focused on protecting and restoring the land and water systems that sustain communities.
Our developing areas of work include:
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Water stewardship
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Land and ecosystem resilience
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Environmental education
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Sustainable community infrastructure
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Responsible environmental technology
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Atmospheric-water solutions
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Renewable-energy initiatives
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Habitat restoration
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Strategic partnerships
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Scientific research
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Responsible grantmaking
Although our vision has expanded throughout Florida, the Caribbean, and other mission-aligned regions, our founding philosophy remains unchanged:
Communities create lasting environmental change when they work together.
Looking Forward
The future of AquaTerra Foundation is built upon the lessons learned through Clear Lakes Foundation.
Our vision reaches beyond any single lake, neighborhood, community, or country.
We believe that protecting water begins with caring for the land—and caring for the land helps protect the water.
From neighborhood canals to coral reefs, from freshwater lakes to coastal ecosystems, and from community gardens to responsible water and energy technologies, our commitment remains the same:
To leave healthier land, cleaner water, and stronger communities for future generations.
AquaTerra Foundation grew from the belief that every meaningful environmental movement begins locally—but lasting impact comes when communities share knowledge, work together, and inspire stewardship far beyond their own shoreline.
Legacy of Stewardship
AquaTerra Foundation, Inc. is a Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving as the legal cornerstone for regional conservation. We operate the Clear Lakes Foundation as our legacy community brand and DBA, uniting decades of local environmental work with a future-focused vision for land and water resilience across the Caribbean and beyond.