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Posted by Tom Friedel on 17:32:21 01/13/09
This is a cut/paste from an email from Defenders of Wildlife. Tomorrow is really tomorrow, Jan 14. Their website is defenders.org.
Is Florida Forever history? Tomorrow, the state legislature could cut 80% of the funding for this landmark conservation program in an unbalanced, short-sighted effort to axe state spending. Take action to help save Florida Forever.
Florida Forever is the largest public land buying program in the nation and has helped protect more than one million acres of land and safeguard irreplaceable habitat for nearly 200 endangered species -- from sea turtles to gopher tortoises, to Florida panthers and black bears.
The fate of Florida Forever -- and the endangered wildlife it helps protect -- hangs in the balance. Send a message to Governor Crist and your legislators right now and let them know you want our state's proud land conservation legacy to continue.
Florida Forever was established to safeguard vital wildlife habitat and environmentally sensitive land -- but it also makes Florida a better place to live by protecting our water resources, saving our coasts, preserving cultural and historical sites, and providing us with more parks and recreation areas.
Despite the amazing success of this landmark program, the legislature is poised to slash funding for this landmark program tomorrow.
The legislature made this decision with little advance notice and may not realize how important Florida Forever is to Floridians like you and me. That s why it s so urgent that our state leaders hear from us today.
Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. That means that land conservation efforts are crucial to preserving the wild lands we have left for future generations. And with the price of land at record lows, now is not the time to cut this vital program -- and its investment in local real estate markets -- off at the knees.
Defenders of Wildlife and our allies in the Florida Forever Coalition are working overtime to protect Florida Forever. But we need your support to succeed.
Join us in calling on our state leaders to find a better way to deal with budget deficits than making drastically disproportionate cuts that shortchange Florida s future.
The final vote will happen tomorrow, so please take action now to let your legislators know you support giving Florida Forever the funding it needs to continue to protect our special places and the imperiled animals that depend on them.
Thank you for taking urgent action to save Florida Forever,
Laurie Macdonald
Florida Program Director
Defenders of Wildlife
Why we need to support Florida Forever now more than ever:
Times are hard, and we all need to shoulder responsibility, but that doesn t mean we should cut our conservation programs off at the knees.
Other programs should share equally in budget reductions. An 80% budget cut is not fair and fails to recognize that the state s economy relies on a healthy environment.
Floridians strongly support land conservation and wildlife protection programs, even when times are tough.
Breaking land acquisition contracts with landowners now will make them less likely to undertake the lengthy process required to sell land to the state in the future. Willing landowners are essential partners in conservation efforts across the state.
Land acquisition projects help fuel the state and local economy, providing jobs to local workers and invigorating ecotourism across the state.
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