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 75th 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