Attorney General Bill McCollum Recognizes 38th Anniversary of Earth Day with Florida Wildlife Federation and Other Statewide Environmental Groups

April 22, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact Preston Robertson
850-656-7113

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 the Florida Wildlife Federation and other conservation organizations. 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 applaud Attorney General McCollum for his support of Florida Forever and desire to see Florida's remaining wild places preserved for future generations," said Preston Robertson, Vice President of the Florida Wildlife Federation. "The agreement reached between the Chairs of the House and Senate Budget Committees to fund the program signals the importance this issue holds."

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.

For more information, please contact: Preston Robertson, Vice-President and General Counsel, Florida Wildlife Federation, 2545 Blair Stone Pines Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32301, phone - (850) 656-7113