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County to Participate in April 1, Forum on Growth/Environment
Mar 23, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: County Commission, District #1 Office County Commission, District #3 Office COMMISSIONERS/COUNTY STAFF TO PARTICIPATE IN April 1 FORUM ON GROWTH/ENVIRONMENT Can Nature Survive Our Growth? Decision Makers Forum April 1, 2005 Fort Myers, FL (March 23, 2005) - Lee County Commissioners Bob Janes and Ray Judah, and county Smart Growth Director Wayne Daltry, will be participating in the panel discussions at an April 1 forum on growth and the environment sponsored by FGCU, Florida Earth Foundation, Florida Center for Environmental Studies, and the Decision Makers Forum. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Florida Gulf Coast University, Whitaker Building (Sprint Room). The forum, "Southwest Florida: Can Nature Survive Our Growth?" will provide an overview of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan but will focus on the challenges and benefits of Caloosahatchee River, Picayune Strand and attendant Southwest Florida restoration/ preservation projects. The latter include completing acquisitions in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed and efforts to buy and preserve the Babcock Ranch. Audience interaction and networking is encouraged. A lunch will be provided and those attending receive a packet of informative materials identifying sources of further information. During the next 30 years, the world's largest ecosystem restoration effort will be implemented in South Florida. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is an $8 billion initiative to capture, store, and return to the Everglades as much as 1.7 billion gallons of freshwater a day that is now drained to sea. Decision Makers Forum was organized to chart restoration's progress and keep local-government and community-leaders making land-use and water-related decisions informed and involved. Local decision makers such as county and city commissioners, mayors, planners, developers, other governmental interests, ag interests and the general public will find this an engaging discussion of some of the issues facing this rapidly growing region in Florida. To find out more information and to register electronically go to www.decisionmakersforum.org. For more information contact: Martha Musgrove at 561-965-9409 or Lenelle Crowell at 561-682-2059 or Rhea Clark at 239-338-2929 x7722 or 1-800-248-1201x 7722 What: Decision Makers Forum When: Friday, April 1, 2005 Where: Florida Gulf Coast University, Sprint Room of the Whitaker Building Time: 8am-3pm Registration: www.decisionmakersforum.org |