On behalf of the Northwest Florida Maritime Landscape Alliance for Preservation, we recognize Chief Dan "Sky Horse" Helms for his efforts leading the Santa Rosa Band of the Lower Muscogee in preservation of Northwest Florida's maritime cultural landscape. As Chief of the Santa Rosa Band of the Lower Muscogee, Chief Helms has helped bring Indigenous perspectives and traditional knowledge into archaeological research, education, and preservation across the region. 

The Northwest Florida Maritime Landscape Alliance for Preservation (MLAP) presented Chief Dan “Sky Horse” Helms of the Santa Rosa Band of the Lower Muscogee with its 2026 Outstanding Preservation Award. The award recognizes exceptional contributions to preserving Northwest Florida’s maritime cultural landscapes.

Chief Helms has championed Indigenous perspectives and traditional knowledge through partnerships including the Heritage Roots Ethnobotanical Garden and Fort Kirkland Project. His work to care for the Santa Rosa Band’s Tribal grounds and support educational events such as Creek Fest helps people connect with Muscogee history and living culture. We are honored to celebrate his leadership and the relationships he has built across Northwest Florida.

Chief Dan “Sky Horse” Helms’s impact extends beyond any one project. Through mentorship, the sharing of Indigenous knowledge, and partnerships built on mutual respect, he has helped bring Muscogee perspectives into preservation work across Northwest Florida. He has also helped secure funding to improve the Santa Rosa Band of the Lower Muscogee’s Tribal grounds in Milton, creating space for cultural education, gatherings, and the continued practice of Creek traditions.

The Band’s work connects cultural stewardship with care for the environment. Its members grow spartina grass for shoreline planting to help reduce erosion and support water quality restoration. The Band has also written a curriculum for Santa Rosa County schools to teach Indigenous history, while events such as Creek Fest give the public opportunities to experience Muscogee Creek traditions firsthand. Chief Helms’s leadership reminds us that protecting Northwest Florida’s coastal and riverine landscapes means sustaining the communities, relationships, and knowledge connected to them.