Hello Everyone,
Evelyn here,
with the latest news from the Office of the Attorney General of Florida, Bill McCollom.
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NEWS RELEASE
April 22, 2008
McCOLLUM RECOGNIZES 38TH ANNIVERSARY OF EARTH DAY WITH STATEWIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS
TALLAHASSEE, FL –Attorney General Bill McCollum today recognized the
38th anniversary of Earth Day with representatives from statewide
environmental groups by planting a tree at the Florida Capitol. At the
tree-planting ceremony, held next to the House Office Building’s rose
garden, the Attorney General spoke about the importance of conservation
and preservation and his commitment to safeguarding those ideals for
Floridians.
“It is vitally important to ours and future generations that we make
conservation and preservation high priorities,” said Attorney General
McCollum. “By protecting our state’s natural resources, we are
safeguarding its treasures for years to come.”
The tree, an Arapaho crape myrtle, was chosen for its ability to
thrive in hot environments with little water. The crape myrtle was
provided by Tallahassee Nurseries, a nursery locally-owned in Tallahassee
since 1938.
Prior to the tree-planting, the Attorney General met with members of
1000 Friends of Florida, Audubon of Florida, the Nature Conservancy, the
Florida Wildlife Federation, the Florida Recreation and Parks Association,
and the Trust for Public Land. The meeting was organized to create
dialogue between the groups and the Attorney General, who often engages in
environmentalist issues as a member of the Florida Cabinet.
“We salute Attorney General McCollum for his continuing commitment to
Florida's environmental land protection legacy,” said Lester Abberger,
with 1000 Friends of Florida, a non-profit organization founded to serve
as the state’s growth management watchdog. “We look forward to working
together with him to extend and enhance that commitment for the benefit of
this andfuture generations of Floridians.”
“Earth Day is a time when we can appreciate the nature's bounty and
beauty and recommit ourselves to conservation and green living,” said Eric
Draper, Deputy Director of Audubon of Florida. “The day also gives us a
chance to remember that, through the good works of our state leaders such
as Attorney General Bill McCollum, Florida's environment is protected for
future generations.”
Conservation and preservation have long been priorities of Attorney
General McCollum. As a U.S. Congressman, he led the effort to designate
the Wekiva River as part of the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System.
Recently, the Attorney General was instrumental in helping the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection and Weeki Wachee Springs enter into
a proposed agreement which will preserve the attraction by converting
Weeki Wachee Springs into a state park.
The first Earth Day celebration was held on April 22, 1970, when 20
million Americans gathered to show their support for a healthy,
sustainable environment. This movement eventually led to the creation of
the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the
Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. Today, through its
own environmental protection laws and land acquisition programs, Florida’s
water and air quality have improved over the years, and more than four
million acres of habitat have been preserved for future generations.
A photograph of the Attorney General and Tallahassee Nurseries
co-owner Nate Prosser planting the crape myrtle is available online at:
http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/MRAY-7DXLA4/$file/tree.jpg.
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Evelyn out.
