It has been FIVE years since over 75% of Florida voters approved the Water and Land Conservation Amendment with the primary purpose of restoring funding for land conservation. Each year our calls for protecting natural and rural lands are ignored. 

1000 Friends of Florida, Matanzas Riverkeeper and the North Florida Land Trust are holding a Florida Forever Day of Action press event at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 13, 2019.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend to show their support, and arrive by 9:30 a.m.  

Leaders from conservation organizations join local government officials to call on Governor DeSantis and Florida’s budget leaders to restore full funding to Florida’s land conservation programs. This event is one of 8 across the State, which follow a letter signed by over 120 Florida businesses and organizations urging the State’s elected officials save the real Florida before it’s too late. Featured speakers include the St. Augustine’s Vice Mayor Leanna Freeman, Jane West, Policy and Planning Director for 1000 Friends of Florida, Jen Lomberk, the Matanzas Riverkeeper, and Jim McCarthy, President of the North Florida Land Trust. Speakers will highlight the historic, bi-partisan support of the Florida Forever conservation program, affirm the value of local citizen engagement as demonstrated by the defeat of the proposed development on Fish Island, and emphasize the role of local government in supporting Florida Forever acquisitions.

Sister events will be held in Fort Myers, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville, Gulf Breeze, St. Petersburg, on the Ocklawaha River, and Pensacola as part of the Florida Forever Days of Action December 13-14.