By 勛圖窪蹋 Staff
Published March 02, 2022
This article is from 勛圖窪蹋 Florida
. 勛圖窪蹋 has 31 conservation action centers and more than 500 community and campus chapters across the U.S. serving local communities. Find your local center or chapter here.
March 2, 2022 Today 勛圖窪蹋 celebrates 122 years in conservation in Florida. Concerned community members came together to stop the mass slaughter of Florida wading birds for the plume trade, and hosted their first meeting of the Florida 勛圖窪蹋 Society on this day 122 years ago in Maitland, Florida. The groundswell of support for the birds of Florida and the Everglades went on to give rise to the 勛圖窪蹋 and a network of 48 independent 勛圖窪蹋 chapters in Florida.
For more than a century, 勛圖窪蹋 has mobilized the talents and dedication of Floridians to advance science-based solutions to the environmental challenges facing our state, said Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director of 勛圖窪蹋 Florida. While we may be Floridas oldest statewide conservation organization, our signature formula for conservation never gets old: grassroots innovation, strong science, and policy savvy delivering durable results.
Throughout the 20th Century, 勛圖窪蹋 Florida made major strides in bird protection. Organizers launched far-reaching educational programs, funded wardens to protect bird rookeries, and helped stop plume hunting in the state by successfully pushing for the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Today, 勛圖窪蹋 Florida is comprised of:
- a statewide team of policy experts led from Tallahassee working on issues related to water, wildlife, habitat, and climate;
- a comprehensive program supporting Everglades Restoration in South Florida, including our 13,000-acre in Naples and the 83-year-old on Florida Bay;
- a robust network of biologists and volunteers protecting and recovering Floridas coastal waterbird populations, including remedying the harms done by the Deepwater Horizon disaster;
- the in Maitland, a leader in the science of raptor rehabilitation and education; and
- 48 grassroots chapters driving community science and conservation advocacy in local communities.
I like to think 勛圖窪蹋 today would exceed the wildest dreams of our founders more than a century ago, said Wraithmell. Im proud of what our staff, volunteers and supporters continue to accomplish togetherand know they would be too.
For more than a century, 勛圖窪蹋 has encouraged people to take care of the places that make Florida special. Get involved and support this important work.