The Naturalist June 2023: A Letter from Heidi McCree, Board Chair

This letter originally appeared in the June 2023 issue of The Naturalist magazine.

For many, summer can be a slow season. School is out, life’s pace is relaxed, holidays mean extra time with friends and family. But at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, summer means our work is heating up! 
In addition to announcing our (in the Tampa Bay region—registration is open), the summer brings , , and exciting new .

However, summer is also a time to reflect on the previous year before diving into fall migration. The delivered funding wins for conservation and Everglades restoration, but a blow to smart growth statewide. will make water protection more difficult. 

Your efforts to advocate for birds and the places they need give me a deep sense of hope. Just this year, chapter members in Brevard County worked with the Town of Malabar and other stakeholders to broker a compromise to . And in Orlando, Miami, and Tampa as they ready themselves to launch their careers in the environmental field. 

Staff, volunteers, members, donors, and supporters give our work wings at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. Read on for exciting updates from across the Florida flock!