TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet approved two land acquisitions and one conservation easement in north Florida on Tuesday aimed at expanding public access to natural areas and enhancing resource protection. These three projects each bring unique benefits to the state including, an addition to a state park, a conservation easement within a state forest optimum boundary and an addition to a state forest within an A-list project in the Florida Forever land-buying program.

“By approving these three projects, Governor Crist and members of the Cabinet are recognizing the importance of preserving the state’s valuable natural lands,” said DEP Deputy Secretary for Land and Recreation Bob Ballard. “In light of the current event in the Gulf of Mexico, we are reminded now, more than ever, of the importance of protecting and preserving our natural resources so that future generations can enjoy the resources, wildlife and dynamic natural areas we are blessed with in this great state.”

The three projects approved by the Governor and Cabinet include:

• Purchase of 552 acres with the Apalachicola River Florida Forever project to be added to Torreya State Park. This acquisition consists of two parcels – 442 acres in Gadsden County and 109 acres in Liberty County – and will increase public access while protecting the water quality of the Apalachicola River.
• Acquisition of 106 acres of land in Putnam County as an addition to Etoniah Creek State Forest, helping to bridge a gap within the Etoniah/Cross Florida Greenway Florida Forever A-list project and providing a continuous wildlife corridor.
• Acquiring a conservation easement over 1,369 acres in Levy County within the Goethe State Forest optimum boundary, buffering the forest from further development and fragmentation. The easement will be monitored by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Forestry

“The easement at Goethe State Forest not only provides for cooperative prescribed fire on this tract to prevent fuels buildup, it precludes development and fragmentation that threatens Florida’s Forest and Ag lands,” said Jim Karels, Division of Forestry Director. “Acquisition of perpetual conservation easements allows for more efficient fire management, reduced overall costs of land management, and affords additional protections to native ecosystems while keeping the lands in private ownership.”

The Florida Forever program, established by the Florida Legislature in 1999, conserves environmentally sensitive land, restores waterways and preserves important cultural and historical resources. For more information on the Florida Forever program, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/fl_forever.htm.

DEP is the state’s principal environmental agency, created to protect, conserve and manage Florida’s environment and natural resources. DEP enforces federal and state environmental laws, protects Florida’s air and water quality, cleans up pollution, regulates solid waste management, promotes pollution prevention and acquires environmentally-sensitive lands for preservation. The agency also maintains a statewide system of parks, trails and aquatic preserves. For more information about the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, visit www.dep.state.fl.us.

For more information on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, visit www.doacs.state.fl.us. To learn more about Florida State Parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org or follow www.Twitter.com/FLStateParks.

TALLAHASSEE – Recognizing National Military Appreciation Month, the Department's Florida Park Service will offer free day-use entry to state park visitors on Sunday, May 16, 2010.

“We are pleased to provide this special offer for families as they celebrate the men and women whose selfless courage protects our country and it’s natural and cultural resources,” said DEP’s Florida Park Service Director Mike Bullock. “History, culture, recreation, archeology and relaxation are some of the highlights to be enjoyed at Florida’s 160 state parks.”

Florida State Parks support veterans and members of the United States Armed Forces year-round through a variety of initiatives, including flying the POW-MIA flag. Florida State Parks also works closely with Operation Purple®, a camp program for children of military parents and other regional veterans groups, ROTC programs and military affiliated organizations.

The only authorized replica of the Three Servicemen statue at the Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. is located at the Orman House Historic State Park in Franklin County. Veterans, military families and others visit the site year-round. DEP worked with the City of Apalachicola and Three Servicemen Statue South, Inc. who constructed the Veterans Memorial Plaza and erected the statue, dedicating the Three Servicemen, Detail statue on August 1, 2008.

The Florida Park Service would like to remind the public that all of Florida’s 160 state parks are open for business and ready for enjoyment, including the 24 state park beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Free entry to Florida’s state parks is valid during regular park hours, 8:00 a.m. to sunset, on Sunday, May 16, 2010 only and excludes Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.

Created in 1935 by the Florida Legislature, the Florida State Park system has grown from eight to 160 parks in the last 75 years. Today, the Florida Park Service manages more than 700,000 acres of Florida’s natural environment, including 100 miles of beaches, eight National Historic Landmarks and 39 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Florida State Parks has been recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association as the nation’s first and only two-time Gold Medal winner for the nation’s best park service.

To learn more about the 75th Anniversary and the history of Florida State Parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org/history. To follow Florida State Parks on Twitter, visit www.Twitter.com/FLStateParks. 

LAKELAND – The Department's Office of Greenways & Trails (OGT) announced on Thursday that Gerard Greco, manager of the Blackwater Heritage State Trail (BHST), was the recipient of the Florida Bicycle Association’s (FBA) 2010 Trails Manager of the Year award. Presented during the ProBike®/ProWalk 2010 Conference held in Lakeland, May 11-13, the FBA awards recognize the efforts and achievements of groups, organizations and individuals that support and inspire people and communities to enjoy greater freedom and well being through bicycling.

“We are extremely proud of the dedication and enthusiasm that Gerard brings to his work with the Blackwater Heritage State Trail and the recognition of his efforts by the state’s bicycling community and our partners at the Florida Bicycle Association,” said Jena Brooks, Director of DEP’s Office of Greenways & Trails. “Gerard successfully manages this state trail on a lean budget, conserving the state’s resources as well as increasing the trail’s attraction for the nearly 90,000 bicyclists and trail users whose visitation benefitted the state’s economy this past year.”

One of twenty FBA award recipients to be honored this year, Gerard Greco has worked with OGT since 2006 as manager of the BHST in Milton, Santa Rosa County. Greco works closely with local organizations and the trail’s non-profit citizen support organization, Blackwater Heritage Trail, Inc., on several annual bicycling events such as the ‘Century’ bike ride, which attracts more than 350 participants and the popular ’Bicycle Fest’ which features a trail ride and a showcase of novelty bicycles. Using his own diverse skills and involving local volunteers, Greco works constantly to beautify and enhance the trail through such activities as removing invasive, non-native plants, acquiring a grant for the planting of native wildflowers and the building of a playground and amphitheater.

“The Florida Bicycle Association has named Gerard Greco as 2010 Trail Manager of the Year for his significant contributions to a bicycle friendly Florida,” said Laura Hallam, Executive Director of the Florida Bicycle Association. “Gerard’s effective management of this popular rail-trail makes it a safe, attractive recreational resource for bicyclists and other types of trail users.”

DEP’s Office of Greenways and Trails manages eight state trails, in addition to the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. Of the eight state trails, six are rail-trails, which are railroad corridors converted to recreational trails for hiking, biking, skating, equestrian activities and alternative transportation.

Florida recently garnered national recognition for its commitment to facilitating an outstanding statewide system of trails. Honored for its vision, initiatives and management of trails throughout the state, Florida was the first-ever recipient of the Best Trails State Award in 2008 presented by American Trails, the only national, nonprofit organization working on behalf of all trail interests.

For more information about Florida’s trails, visit FloridaGreenwaysAndTrails.com. For more information about the FBA, visit www.floridabicycle.org.

TALLAHASSEE – In honor of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson and the Florida Cabinet’s resolution recognizing National Safe Boating Week this week, DEP's Clean Marina Program and Clean Vessel Act (CVA) grant program, along with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and U.S. Coast Guard’s joint “Wear It!” campaign, join in encouraging Floridians to practice clean and safe boating habits.

“Boating is one of Florida’s great recreational activities, especially during the summer,” said Deas Bohn, DEP’s Director of Sustainable Initiatives. “The designation of National Safe Boating Week is an outstanding reminder of how important safe boating is to our communities and to our environment.”

In support of statewide efforts to promote National Safe Boating Week, the Florida Clean Marina Program continues to fuel a voluntary and proactive approach to environmental stewardship. Designated Clean Marina facilities voluntarily implement environmental measures designed to protect Florida’s waterways. These measures address critical environmental issues such as sensitive habitat, waste management, stormwater control, spill prevention and emergency preparedness, which all ensure environmental and travel safety.

During National Safe Boating Week, DEP’s CVA grant program reminds boaters to use pumpout and dump stations to dispose of waste in an environmentally safe manner. The CVA grant program provides funds to marinas and marine facilities for the construction, renovation, operation and maintenance of pumpout and dump stations for disposing of waste from recreational boat holding tanks and portable toilets.

“Many Floridians overlook the priceless value life jackets provide while boating,” said Captain Carol Keyser of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “The wide variety of comfortable, affordable and stylish life jackets on the market today offer all ages the protection they need and deserve.”

Since increasing voluntary wear of life jackets among Florida’s boating population is perhaps the single most effective way to reduce boating accident outcomes, Floridians are encouraged by the FWC, U.S. Coast Guard and partners to ‘Try an inflatable life jacket and Wear It! Florida,’ in support of National Safe Boating Week.

For more information about the Florida Clean Marina Program, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/cleanmarina.

For more information about the Clean Vessel Act, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/cleanmarina/cva.

For more information on Wear It! Florida, visit http://www.wearitflorida.com/ . 

FORT LAUDERDALE – The Department, together with the Clean Boating Partnership today recognized American Offshore Marina as the 218th member of the Florida Clean Marina Program. The program now boasts 221 Clean Marinas, 33 Clean Boatyards and 10 Clean Marine Retailers statewide.

“Florida’s Clean Marinas are the key to protecting the State’s waterways,” said Jack Long, Director of the DEP’S Southeast District. “DEP is pleased to welcome American Offshore Marina to the Clean Marina family. The staff at this dedicated facility truly recognizes the value in protecting our natural resources.”

Florida Clean Marina Program facilities are required to meet a variety of best management practices to receive designation. These practices include, but are not limited to, properly storing and disposing of used oil, using fertilizers and pesticides according to directions, and using cleaning methods that prevent the release of pollutants.

“We are very proud and honored to be awarded the designation as a Clean Marina,” said Michael Shanley, Operations Director at American Offshore Marina. “Our staff has always strived to be good stewards of the environment and we encourage other marinas to follow suit. Working with DEP and the Clean Boating Partnership through this process was a pleasure, as we all have one common goal of protecting our environment for present and future generations.”

American Offshore Marina is the 57th Clean Marina within the DEP Southeast District, and the 16th Clean Marina in Broward County. The full-service marina adds 154 dry storage racks and 15 wet slips to the Clean Marina community.

The Clean Boating Partnership is a consortium of industry leaders who contribute time and input to the Clean Marina, Clean Boatyard, Clean Marine Retailer and Clean Boater programs which DEP administers to protect Florida’s waterways. The partnership includes DEP, Marine Industries Association of Florida, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, University of Florida Sea Grant Program, United States Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary.

“The Clean Boating Partnership applauds American Offshore Marina for its commitment to Florida’s environment,” said the Partnership’s Chair Mark Leslie. “The dedication and hard work in becoming a Clean Marina is an accomplishment this facility can be proud of and we welcome it to our growing Clean Marina family. With more than one million registered motorized vessels in Florida, environmental education within marine industries is the first step toward safeguarding the state’s natural resources. By providing green education and alternatives the Florida Clean Marina Program helps ensure a sustainable future for the environment and a billion dollar marine industry.

DEP’s Office of Sustainable Initiatives is comprised of three voluntary, non-regulatory programs that assist Florida industry and citizens in protecting the environment. The Clean Marina Program, the Florida Green Lodging Program and the Florida Pollution Prevention Program offer a variety of services including on-site assessments, consultations, speakers and workshops, all at no cost to citizens or organizations. The goal of the Sustainable Initiatives programs is to meet the needs of the present population without compromising resources for future generations.

Easy As One - Ordinary actions. Extraordinary results. is an environmental awareness campaign by DEP that highlights easy actions each one of us can take to make sustainable practices part of our daily lives at home, at school, at work and at play. As the lead agency in state government for environmental management and stewardship, DEP encourages citizens to adopt green habits that protect Florida’s air and water quality, conserve water and reduce waste. A sustainable Florida depends on the collective efforts of citizens, groups, businesses, industry and government.

For more information about the Florida Clean Marina Program, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/cleanmarina. To learn more about Easy As One, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/EasyAsOne or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EasyAsOne.