A Cleaner, More Beautiful and Sustainable Jacksonville

During the past four years under Mayor Brown’s leadership, Jacksonville has opened new parks, expanded access to the St. Johns River and created initiatives to better handle refuse and reduce blight throughout the city. Mayor Brown believes the St. Johns River is a community treasure and that the city should be taking every step to leave a smaller carbon footprint for future generations. Over the next four years, the mayor is committed to continuing efforts to protect Jacksonville’s environment, including a major partnership effort with the St. Johns Riverkeeper and JAX Chamber in support of breaching the Rodman Dam for the health of the St. Johns River. Mayor Brown, who was appointed in 2014 to the Urban Committee of the National Park Service Advisory Board, also has made a priority of expanding public access and use of the city’s expansive park system.

The city was selected amid a highly competitive process to better collaborate with the National Park Service and other stakeholders to clean up Hogans Creek in Springfield and Deer Creek in the Eastside.

The mayor has greatly expanded city parks and preservation land with the opening of Sheffield Regional Park and the 840-acre Seaton Creek Historic Preserve, a "working forest" with marshes and creeks to help filter runoff and promote healthier rivers and streams. Expanded park land also helps to conserve habitat, protect Jacksonville's wildlife and enhance natural beauty while reducing soil erosion and replenishing groundwater resources.

Multiple stakeholders including the JAX Chamber and the Riverkeeper, have come together for plans to remove the Rodman Dam, which is expected to restore more than 20 springs and re-establish approximately 7,500 acres of floodplain forest.

Mayor Brown worked with city council to establish the "Tire and Sign Buyback" which has collected nearly 46,000 tires and 9,000 signs between the first two events. The buyback is a crucial tactic to reduce blight and keep refuse out of the St. Johns.

Mayor Brown's River Access Initiative established multiple new launches for kayaks and canoes to better activate the St. Johns and tributaries for recreation.

Over the past four years, Mayor Brown has participated in every annual St. Johns River Celebration Cleanup, personally helping to remove thousands of pounds of waste, trash and debris from the river banks. The cleanup is among the largest of a series of city-sponsored nationally recognized cleanup and beautification programs. The volunteer-driven effort provides a cost savings to taxpayers while making Jacksonville healthier and a nicer place to live.

2015 became the "Year of the River" to enhance enjoyment and appreciation of the St. Johns.

System upgrades at the City's Ed Ball Building are saving thousands on the annual electric bill and thus cutting the city's carbon footprint by saving energy.