Florida’s Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve was designated on June 30, 2020, and spans more than 700 square miles of Gulf coast waters north of Tampa Bay. The preserve is part of a network of 42 state aquatic preserves, and was the first one designated in more than 30 years. It protects part of the Gulf of Mexico’s largest seagrass meadow, as well as sponge fields, mangrove forests, oyster reefs, and salt marshes that form the backbone of the region’s nature-based economy. More than 100 coastal businesses, recreational fishing groups, marine industry leaders, and conservation organizations backed establishment of the preserve. More recently, these supporters worked alongside local governments, state natural resource agencies, law enforcement, and academic partners to develop a place-based management plan that will guide stewardship of the preserve in the face of climate change-related impacts, increased human use, and coastal development. The panel discussion will begin with a joint presentation by the session facilitator and panelists, all of which were intimately involved in this initiative. These presentations will lead into a panel discussion where the moderator and audience members can pose questions around common challenges, best practices, and lessons learned from this highly collaborative, community-based approach to coastal conservation and management.