Support Florida Forever

Last week, Clay County celebrated the dedication of Moccasin Slough, a new public park on Fleming Island.  The park, purchased in part with Florida Forever funding, has multi-use trails, a playground and picnic area.  See what the Florida Times-Union had to say about the new park:

As they dedicated a new park purchased with the help of Florida Forever funding, Clay County officials and preservationists sought public support for the embattled land preservation initiative.

They asked residents to lobby legislators to fund the program, for which Gov. Charlie Crist is seeking $50 million this year. Florida Forever was given no funding last year because of state budget constraints.

County Commission Chairman Travis Cummings noted that the county’s $4.3 million purchase of the new park, Moccasin Slough on Fleming Island, “would never have happened” without a $3.2 million grant from the Florida Communities Trust, one of the recipients of Florida Forever funding.

Without that funding, the 255-acre tract between U.S. 17 and the St. Johns River might have been developed into residential or commercial property rather than a passive park with trails, a playground and picnic area.

“This is a beautiful piece of property,” Cummings said. “Obviously, we’re happy it is going to be conserved.”

He said Mocassin Slough is the kind of land preservation example to use with legislators as they ponder a tight budget in the 2010 session, which began Tuesday.

“It’s a challenge,” he said. “But there’s not a better time to buy land.”

Read the full article here!

TALLAHASSEE, March 2, 2010 — Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, today announced his organization’s support for continued funding of the Florida Forever Program.

“The Florida Chamber believes the Florida Forever program makes an important contribution to the long-term economic well-being of our state and preservation of the quality of life of our next generation,” said Wilson.  “Florida’s economic future is dependent on a ‘knowledge workforce’ and that future workforce is looking for a high quality of life, sustainable communities and a commitment to the environment.”

Wilson announced at a news conference at the State Capitol that he has sent to Senate President Jeff Atwater and House Speaker Larry Cretul letter expressing the Chamber’s backing of an appropriation of $4.875 million in the FY 10 State budget.  This funding would continue Florida Forever next year and enable the issuance of as much as $50 million in bonds for land purchases.

The Florida Forever Coalition is comprised of more than 175 groups that promote the program’s many environmental, recreational, water supply, hunting, fishing, and agricultural benefits.

Among the Florida leaders who have previously expressed their support for Florida Forever funding are former Governors, Jeb Bush, Bob Martinez, Bob Graham, and Reubin Askew, and Attorney General Bill McCollum, CFO Alex Sink, and State Senator Paula Dockery.

Click here to read the Chamber’s letter!

FLORIDA FOREVER – LAND FOR PEOPLE

As Florida’s legislators return to our capital next week to begin the 2010 Session, many of them will be greeted at the Tallahassee airport by a beautiful sign marking this year as the 75^th Anniversary of our State Parks system.  In 1935, a group of visionary Floridians realized that if we did not save some our state’s most unique natural features, those places might never be known by future generations.  The clean water, iconic vistas, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities that abound at our parks would have been lost.  The average Floridian would have been denied access to our state’s natural wonders.

Today, as a member of the Florida Forever Coalition, The Trust for Public Land is asking our legislators to follow that lead and restore funding to the state land conservation program that for more than 20 years has been adding to this legacy: Florida Forever.  A $4.8 million dollar budget item — out of a state budget exceeding $60 billion — will lead to $50 million in bonds that can be used to save our endangered landscapes.

The Trust for Public Land was founded in 1972 with a mission to conserve land for people.   Since that time TPL has worked with willing land owners, community groups, and national, state and local agencies to complete more than 3,900 land conservation projects in 47 states, protecting 2.8 million acres.   Since 1996, TPL has worked with states and communities to craft and pass more than 400 ballot measures, generating over $32 billion in new funding for land conservation.

Here in Florida, many of TPL’s greatest successes have been made possible by matching local funds, often voter-approved, with dollars from the Florida Communities Trust , part of Florida Forever.   This has led to projects as diverse as Fort Mose near St. Augustine, the Sunset Vista Trail Head in Treasure Island, Cedar Point Preserve in Jacksonville, the Davie Farm Park, the Clayton Nature Preserve in Winter park, and Green Turtle Hammock on Islamorada.

If you believe that we have an obligation to our children and grandchildren to continue to protect Florida’s natural and cultural heritage, please contact your legislator and ask them to support $4.8 million in the budget to Florida Forever.    In 75 more years, we want to be sure that we have left a legacy of new parks and nature areas that we too can be proud of.

Greg Chelius

Florida State Director

The Trust for Public Land

A diverse group of private, public, and nonprofit leaders from across Central Florida have endorsed State funding to continue the Florida Forever program.

The group’s endorsement comes on the eve of the Florida Forever Coalition’s statewide “Take a Hike, Florida” day on Saturday, Feb. 20.   Outings in support of Florida Forever will occur at Little Big Econ State Forest in Seminole County and elsewhere around the state.

The Brevard, Lake, Osceola, Orange, Polk, Seminole, and Volusia county authors of the attached letter include:

• Mike Adams, President, Adams Ranch, Osceola County
• Frank Bruno, Volusia County Commissioner
• Bob Dallari, Seminole County Commissioner
• Carmen Dominguez, Construction Company President, Orange County
• Ken LaRoe, Bank President/CEO, Lake County
• Cary Lightsey, Lightsey Cattle Co., Polk County
• David Price, President, Bok Towers, Polk County
• Jean Reed, Polk County Commissioner
• Dean Saunders, Realtor, Polk County
• Jacob Stuart, President/CEO, Central Florida Partnership

“As leaders of central Florida committed to our state’s future, we strongly urge your support for restored funding for Florida Forever,” the group wrote to all state legislators in the seven-county region.  “We believe that it is essential for the Legislature to continue Florida Forever.  This will benefit our environment, protect our water resources, create economic activity, and enhance our quality of life.

“Florida Forever guarantees the natural beauty that underpins life in Florida and that attracts millions of visitors here every year … Florida Forever lands help to protect the water resources upon which all residents and businesses depend.  It helps sustain our award-winning Florida State Parks and supports hunting, fishing and wildlife watching … There has never been a better time than today, with historically low land values, to make this investment in the future of our state.”

The Central Florida leaders endorse $4.8 million in State funding for Florida Forever.  This amount would enable the program to continue next year through the sale of as much as $50 million in bonds for land purchases.

Click here to read the full letter.

“Take A Hike, Florida!” is almost here!  The Coalition has organized hikes across Florida to celebrate Florida Forever and our state’s natural treasures.  We hope you’ll join us!  Bring your friends and family, and take a hike!  Click here to find out what hikes are in your area.

This post is part of a new weekly series of guest blogs. Each blog presents a new perspective and personal experiences with the Florida Forever program.

My mom and I wandered into a Crystal River dive shop during a summer vacation to Florida when I was 12 years old. She grew up watching Sea Hunt and had always wanted to scuba dive. I was fascinated with the underwater world and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. It was an easy decision.

On the first day of our scuba lessons, we began our training outside an area called Three Sisters, named for the three springs at this site. I struggled against the current in the spring run but soon reached the first spring. The crystal-clear waters opened up to a giant sandy bowl, more than 20 feet deep. The sun beamed down from above, illuminating a tiny flounder camouflaged perfectly in the sand. The second and third springs were wilder and even more mysterious, with low-hanging branches and submerged tree limbs hiding a variety of fish.

When I put my head above water, the view was equally breathtaking. We were enveloped by trees and by quiet. I couldn’t believe how close we were to civilization, because we seemed a world away.

Fifteen years later, Three Sisters remains one of my favorite places. Now working with Save the Manatee Club, I am part of an enormous and incredibly worthwhile effort to purchase the springs and the surrounding land to ensure their protection. Three Sisters is part of the larger Kings Bay springs complex, which consists of more than 30 known springs that flow into Crystal River. Three Sisters is located within the city of Crystal River and, while its urban location makes it unique, it also makes preservation even more challenging. Like many of Florida’s springs, water quality and flow have been threatened by increasing groundwater demands for human consumption. Manatees are perhaps the most well-known visitors to Three Sisters; this site provides one of the state’s most important natural warm-water refuges for this endangered species.

Helen Spivey is one woman whose name is synonymous with the fight to save Three Sisters; she first snorkeled at Three Sisters in the late 1970s and described it as “absolutely gorgeous.” Since that time, Spivey has been at the forefront of numerous attempts to get the 60-acre parcel that includes the springs into public hands and prevent development. Previous fundraising attempts have fallen short; this has kept the property under private ownership. The most recent sale occurred in 2005, when the property was purchased for $10.5 million and slated for high-density development and drinking water withdrawals.

With the help of multiple partners, Spivey, now 81, is as close as she’s ever been to seeing her dream for Three Sisters realized. In September 2008, the project received a $6.3 million grant from the Florida Communities Trust, part of the Florida Forever program.  Three Sisters ranked 10th out of 90 projects vying for funding. There’s still work to be done. The grant requires a $2.7 million match, to which the city, county, federal government, private foundations and nonprofit organizations, including Save the Manatee Club, have contributed.

If the city of Crystal River and its partners are successful, the Three Sisters Springs ecosystem and uplands will be better preserved for endangered manatees and a diverse collection of other wildlife. Improved water quality gained through better filtration will benefit the natural resources and human visitors, including snorkelers and divers. Visitors, residents, and city and county governments will see benefits from enhanced ecotourism, recreation, and environmental education opportunities.

Three Sisters has always been a magical place to me, but during a recent visit, I imagined the land covered with houses and condos, and forever changed. The stakes are high for this property, but with enough support from other visitors who have been captivated by Three Sisters, I’m confident we can keep the magic alive here for generations to come.
-Katie Tripp, Ph.D. , Director of Science and Conservation, Save the Manatee Club

The Florida Forever Coalition invites you to take a hike!   Don’t worry, we mean that as nicely as possible! The Coalition and supporters are organizing public hikes across the state to celebrate 20 years of public land acquisition on February 20, 2010.

Help us make “Take A Hike, Florida!” a success by organizing or simply joining a hike on February 20, 2010.  To volunteer to organize a hike or to locate a hike in your area, please complete the form below.  Simply fill in the information requested, save the form and e-mail it to info@supportfloridaforever.org.  Organizing a hike is easy and rewarding, we’ll supply you with everything you need to get started!

We hope you’ll take this opportunity to tell your friends, family and local legislators to “Take A Hike!”

Take A Hike, Florida!

This post is the first in a new weekly series of guest blogs. Each blog will present a new perspective and personal experiences with the Florida Forever program.

How can you put a price on wild spaces, places and the creatures that call these emerald jewels of Florida home?

I have always had a passion for the natural world. Growing up in Southwest Florida in the Ft. Myers/Naples area and having been involved in the scouting program, I was able to develop an appreciation for nature by the ripe age of eight. Whether it was exploring the woods on horseback, canoeing the Peace River and Fisheating Creek or camping on Cayo Costa Island, I knew way back then that these places were special. It wasn’t by chance that I majored in Parks and Recreation at Florida State University; I wanted to make a difference in how people interacted in nature and developed an appreciation for wild animals, plants and the ecosystems that support them.

I was involved in the advocacy of conservation efforts and legislation through the Florida Recreation and Park Association since the late 1970’s; FRPA is an organization which represents Parks and Recreation professionals around the State. We have always been pro-active on the environmental front being actively engaged with support of the LWCF, Save our Rivers, State Park preservation efforts, Greenways and Trails and of course the initiation of the P2000 program back in the 1980’s. This was when growth management efforts and public outcry necessitated the creation of one of the most successful environmental land conservation programs in the country.

As a Parks and Recreation professional, I have been involved in the creation of a county-wide bond referendum for environmental land preservation which has achieved monumental success. Osceola County was experiencing unprecedented growth demands in 2002. Citizens, fearful of losing what made their community special, engineered a campaign of education and public awareness resulting in SAVE OSCEOLA. In 2004, we began acquiring and preserving pristine habitat(Lake Lizzie Preserve), green space connectivity (East Lake Toho, Chisholm Ridge) and saving riverine systems (Shingle Creek) threatened by development. These acquisitions continue today. This would not have been possible without the continuation of the Forever Florida program which helped provide matching funds for very costly real estate.

Is it possible to put a price on our most valuable natural treasures? Well, without the Forever Florida funding, it would have been impossible, and these lands would have been lost……forever.

-Julia Thompson, Seminole County Parks and Recreation Manager

Today, Governor Crist took a big step toward doing what citizens, local governments, four former governors and newspaper editors statewide have been urging, keep Florida Forever alive.  Florida Forever, the state’s premier land conservation program, has been included in Governor Crist’s environmental budget.  See details in the Governor’s press release below:      

ROOKERY BAY NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE – Governor Charlie Crist
today announced his $2.1-billion 2010-11 budget recommendations to safeguard Florida’s natural
resources. Highlighting projects that will secure Florida’s economic future, the Governor proposed
investments in the Florida Forever land conservation program, renewable energy, water supply,
Everglades restoration, and state park improvements.

“Florida’s present and future economy depends on the stewardship of our natural resources
and our continued efforts to set aside land for water resource protection, recreation and the
enjoyment of Floridians and visitors to the Sunshine State,” Governor Crist said. “As we continue
restoring America’s Everglades and investing in renewable energy, Floridians will gain a cleaner and
safer environment that will endure for generations to come.”

Governor Crist unveiled his environmental budget priorities while visiting the Rookery Bay
National Estuarine Research Reserve in Collier County. Along with Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole, Governor Crist announced the following items:

• Florida Forever – Since 1963, Florida has committed more than $7.5 billion to
preserve and conserve roughly 3.8 million acres of land. However, the program was
temporarily halted last year due to economic challenges. This year, Governor Crist revives
Florida Forever by recommending $50 million to continue the preservation of Florida’s
unique natural resources and wildlife.

Click here to read the entire press release.

A unique State Senate hearing at the annual Everglades Conference featured a discussion on the importance of Florida Forever funding to protection of springs and other water bodies of Florida.

The Select Committee on Florida’s Inland Waters, created last October by Senate President Jeff Atwater and chaired by Senator Lee Constantine, is tasked with freshwater springs protection, one of the more complex environmental challenges facing Florida, and an array of array of related water quality issues. The select committee has the authority to conduct hearings and propose legislation for the 2010 Legislative Session.

Senator Constantine, wisely connecting the committee’s work and the annual meeting on Florida’s famed “river of grass,” took the committee on-the-road to the annual Everglades conference in Palm Beach Gardens.  At the special hearing, a series of speakers cited the importance of Florida Forever to water protection and called for continued funding.

Jennifer Hecker of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Paul Gray of Audubon of Florida, Drew Martin of the Sierra Club, and Rae Ann Wessel of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation — all member organizations of the Florida Forever Coalition — made strong statements on the need to fund Florida Forever at this critically important time.

Senator, Constantine, a long-time supporter of Florida Forever, responded by noting that the State is now selling last year’s bonds and that this money will be available for conservation land purchases by late January.