The Institute for Regional Conservation

Founded in 1984, the Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) advances an innovative, science-based approach to protecting and restoring biodiversity. By combining rich biodiversity data, applied conservation science, ecological restoration, and community engagement, we develop strategies that protect viable populations of native plants and animals and restore the habitats they depend on. For more than four decades, IRC has focused on conserving South Florida’s unique ecosystems and the wider Florida-Caribbean region, while contributing to global conversations on ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Your Give Miami Day gift supports:

• Free, accessible conservation databases and tools

• Native plant installations that support local wildlife

• Restoration of imperiled and endemic habitats

• Expansion of our Pine Rockland Initiative

• Removal of harmful invasive species

• Community opportunities to connect with and restore nature

• Protection of South Florida’s unique natural heritage

In Miami-Dade County, this work is brought together through Reviving Urban Nature (RUN), IRC’s growing initiative to restore natural habitats, strengthen urban ecosystems, and reconnect communities with nature. RUN brings together programs such as the Pine Rockland Initiative, which restores and manages imperiled Pine Rockland fragments and protects the rare species that depend on them, and Restoring the Gold Coast, which focuses on restoring coastal dune and strand habitats. Through native plantings, invasive species removal, ecological monitoring, and hands-on volunteer opportunities, RUN transforms degraded natural areas into healthier, more resilient ecosystems while empowering local communities to take part in their protection.

Beyond on-the-ground restoration, IRC’s free online databases, restoration planning tools, partnerships, and outreach initiatives help guide conservation decisions and extend our impact across South Florida and beyond. Your support on Give Miami Day helps advance this connected approach to conservation—protecting Miami-Dade’s irreplaceable natural heritage, restoring the places that make our region unique, and building a future where both people and nature can thrive.

Every donation helps bring nature back to life. From planting native wildflowers that provide food and habitat for wildlife to removing invasive species that threaten the survival of our native ecosystems, every action brings us one step closer to healthier, more resilient ecosystems. Through RUN’s hands-on volunteer events, community members of all ages can become part of that change—getting their hands dirty, restoring degraded habitats, and discovering the incredible biodiversity right in their own backyards. Your generosity helps turn hyper fragmented and degraded spaces into thriving natural areas, creates meaningful opportunities for people to connect with the environment, and ensures that future generations can experience the beauty of South Florida’s unique natural heritage. When you give, you’re not just supporting conservation—you’re helping nature recover, one native plant, one restored habitat, and one community at a time.