This Saturday, Wekiva Island will be closed until 5:00 p.m. for our annual Fall Egg Fest. We’d love for you to join the fun—grab your ticket and be part of the festivities. After 5:00 p.m., the Island will reopen and welcome guests as usual.
ESG Approach
At Wekiva Island, our ESG program drives positive impact through sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical governance. We continuously address key areas that matter to our community and the planet, fostering meaningful change and a sustainable future in all our interactions.
Wekiva Island's
ESG Commitment
We care at Wekiva Island. Our ESG program has evolved alongside us, consistently addressing our significant business impacts and prioritizing meaningful change. We are dedicated to embodying our organization’s values in every interaction—whether with customers, employees, non-profits, or local businesses—driving collective efforts toward a better, more sustainable world.
Environmental
At Wekiva Island, sustainability is a fundamental pillar of our mission. We are deeply committed to preserving our environment and actively educating our community on integrating sustainable practices into their daily lives. Our goal is to set a powerful example, demonstrating that sustainable living is not just possible but imperative.
Social
We take pride in educating our communities about the importance of our environment. As a community-focused organization, we embrace our responsibility to give back through our time, talents, and financial contributions. We are committed to protecting Wekiva River, recognizing it requires a collective, ongoing effort.
Governance
Our success depends on the skills of our team. We focus on recruiting, developing, and retaining talent that aligns with our values, promoting equal opportunities and fostering an inclusive, diverse workplace for everyone to thrive.
Land Agreement
Honoring Wekiva’s Diverse Heritage
There is a long history of native American cultures inhabiting the Wekiva Basin with the first entering North America in 12,000 BC from eastern Asia across a huge land bridge exposed by the lower sea levels. They were wandering hunters who built their settlements close to springs, sinkholes, and water holes where animals also had to come to drink. Spear points and pottery shards can still be found in the riverbed and springs, and at least a dozen campsites have been documented along the Wekiva River and its tributary, Rock Springs Run. The oldest items found in Wekiwa Springs are pieces of fossilized ivory dating back to around 10,000 years ago although artifacts dating to 12,000 BC have been found near Lake Apopka. After the Paleo period from 12,000 BC to 8,500 BC other known Native Americans included …
- 6,000 BC to 1,000 BC – Archaic People (5,000 years)
- 500 BC to AD1565 – St. Johns Indians (2,065 years)
- 1500 to 1700 – Timucuan Indians (200 years)
- 1700 to 1858 – Seminole Indians (158 years)
We acknowledge that Wekiva Island occupies land that has long served as the ancestral and traditional lands of these people. And, most recently, the unceded territory of descendants of the Creeks, known as the Seminole Tribe of Florida. We honor and pay respect to their Elders—past, present, and emerging—and extend that respect to their descendants, the generations yet to come, and to all Indigenous peoples who continue to steward this land.
Indigenous Nations have maintained enduring relationships with this land—nurturing families, communities, and cultural practices that have thrived despite colonization and displacement. We recognize and express our deep gratitude for the continuous care and knowledge that these Indigenous Nations bring to this place, as we strive to live and work as respectful visitors on their land.
The name “Wekiwa” means “spring of water,” and “Wekiva” means “flowing water” in the Creek language, honoring the heritage of the Seminole people who once lived here.
At Wekiva Island, we encourage all patrons to engage in learning about the Indigenous Nations whose land we now inhabit. We also urge our community to support efforts toward Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and the reclamation of traditional practices.
Our commitment to this land acknowledgment is not symbolic but active. We pledge to:
- Partner with and support Indigenous communities in ways that respect their leadership and vision.
- Integrate topics about Wekiwa Springs’ history and the heritage of Indigenous Nations into lectures and workshops in the Mike Barr Classroom.
- Embed land acknowledgments, like this one, into our educational initiatives, public presentations, and community outreach to deepen awareness and foster meaningful engagement.
Wekiva Island remains committed to honoring the histories and experiences of Indigenous peoples not only through words but also through sustained action, education, and advocacy. Together, we aim to build a future rooted in respect, understanding, and collaboration.
