2025 Legislative Funding Priorities Sent to Legislature

Valerie Anderson • March 5, 2025
  1. $500M to Florida Forever
  2. Separate funding for the Rural & Family Lands Program
  3. $30M to the Florida Communities Trust
  4. Proper supplemental use of Indian Gaming Compact $$$
  5. Everglades Restoration
  6. $150M for springs restoration
  7. Cease funding coastal armoring & instead fund Resilient Florida
  8. Repair soon-to-fail wastewater infrastructure
Read the full letter here.

Share Our Content With Your Friends


RECENT ARTICLES

By Valerie Anderson July 23, 2025
 Saturday, July 26th 10am-12pm The Florida Native Plant Society holds a members meeting once a year. All FNPS members are invited to participate. We provide a year in review and announce grant awards, Palmetto Awards for members and vote on new officers. A link to register has been emailed to all members. Please contact us if you are a member in good standing and have not received a link (info@fnps.org & 321-271-6702) AgendaOPENING REMARKS Introduction by President Eugene KellyOLD BUSINESS Approve the 2024 Annual Member Meeting MinutesNEW BUSINESS Introduction of New FNPS Executive Director (Eugene Kelly)Remarks from the Executive Director (Melissa Fernandez de-Cespedes)Update on the Council of Chapters (Past-Chair: Melanie Simon)COMMITTEE REPORTSConservation Committee (Chair: John Benton)Science Committee and Research Grants (Chair: Paul Schmalzer)Finance Committee (Chair: Ann Redmond)Landscape Committee (Chair: Natalia Manrique)Policy & Legislation Committee (Chair: Eugene Kelly)Education Committee (Chair: Andrea Andersen, Presented by Susan Earley)Conference Committee (Chair: Athena Phillips)Announcement of FNPS Awards (Melissa Fernandez de-Cespedes)Silver Palmetto Awards (Eugene Kelly)VOTE FOR FNPS OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORSOverview of FNPS Board Nominees and membership vote (Chair: Chris Moran)Motion to adjourn (Eugene Kelly)2024 MinutesReview them here.
By Valerie Anderson February 13, 2025
A coalition of 70 conservation organizations, including both the Florida Native Plant Society and the Ixia Chapter of FNPS submitted this letter to the lead sponsors of Senate Bill 80 and House Bill 209. Known as the State Parks Preservation Act, the legislation is intended to prevent future attacks on our State Parks – attacks like the one last fall that sparked so much public outrage across Florida.We all appreciate Senator Harrell filing SB08 and Senator Bradley’s co-sponsorship, and Representative Snyder’s sponsorship of the companion bill in the House. The coalition has shared recommended language with the legislation’s sponsors that would more explicitly prohibit such uses as golf courses and hotels, and provide additional guidance to prevent other incompatible uses or developments that would commercialize or materially disturb the resources protected within our Parks.“We just don’t want to be back here again next year, the year after, fighting the same battle, we just suggest that there should be a much-clearer statement on prohibitions of incompatible uses.” -FNPS President Eugene Kelly in the Orlando Sentinel, 2025-02-11, speaking to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
By Valerie Anderson November 25, 2024
 Hurricanes Melton and Helene brough flooding and wind damage to the human communities in their paths, but they also damaged urban forests. Florida's urban forests have already been weakened by the 2019 state-level preemption of local tree ordinances and research has shown that cities are already losing tree canopy.Urban forests comprised of native trees support local butterfly and moth populations, intercept and take up rainfall which reduces flooding, and improves the quality of life of residents.Homeowners, county and city staff, HOA board members, local politicians, and FNPS members in urban and suburban areas can all help to restore or even establish their local urban forest canopy.The first step is to assess hurricane damaged trees and decide whether or not they can be saved, and, if so, how to do so. This IFAS book chapter describes the recommended process. If trees must be removed, or if the tree canopy has already been damaged and needs to be re-established, this IFAS book chapter describes the many considerations one must take into account when planting trees in urban and suburban areas.Fortunately, researchers have assessed which trees are the least wind resistant with data from eight hurricanes striking Florida and Puerto Rico. The commonly-planted Laurel Oak (Quercus hemispherica) and Red Maple (Acer rubrum) were some of the most-damaged during these wind events. The same study provides rankings for wind resistance of our native species.