Dear Senators and Representatives:

The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society (FLTWS) is a non-profit conservation organization of wildlife professionals, educators, and college students dedicated to sustainable management of wildlife resources and their habitats in Florida. With approximately 250 members, the FLTWS is recognized as a proactive group that promotes wildlife research and management, and develops positions on natural resource issues based on sound biological data and principles. Our parent organization, The Wildlife Society, has over 10,000 members and is the certifying body for wildlife biologists in North America.

FLTWS strongly supports the use of Amendment 1 dollars to fund the highly successful group of water and land conservation programs that have had such substantial positive impact on natural resource protection in Florida. Land acquisition and management, springs protection, and Everglades restoration are projects that enhance resource-based recreation and natural resource management, and these were the intended recipients of Amendment 1 funding. Last November, an overwhelming majority of Floridians voted in favor of Amendment 1 and the conservation of Florida’s natural resources; they expect and deserve for those funds to be spent in the manner that was envisioned.

Thank you for your consideration. Questions or comments may be addressed to Erin Myers, FLTWS President (erin.myers@fltws.org) and/or Rebecca Bolt, Conservation Committee chairperson (rebecca.bolt@fltws.org).

Sincerely,
Erin Myers, President
Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society