UF/IFAS Extension continues to educate Florida’s citizens as to the future of water and the importance of its conservation in our state with a two day Water School in Pinellas County. This educational program is sponsored by IFAS Extension in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough Counties. Information about the Water School can be found in the following link from today’s Tampa Bay Times:
Also, in today’s TB Times is a disturbing article by Craig Pittman about a controversial wetland mitigation permit that was granted by DEP. Wetlands are important to the lifecycles of over 900 species of wildlife. However, besides that important role, they are extremely important to the quality of human life in that they recharge our aquifers, purify our drinking water, and act as sponges for damaging hurricanes and other storm events. Wetlands had been drained across the country for many decades until we better understood their importance in the cycle of the natural water system. In recent years more laws have been passed to protect these valuable habitats. To allow the continued degradation of these ecosystem services will harm the future of agriculture, wildlife habitat, tourism, recreation and our overall quality of life.
Jack
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Jack M. Payne, Senior Vice President of Agriculture and Natural Resources
1008 McCarty Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0180
(352-392-1971;*jackpayne@ufl.edu; www.ifas.ufl.edu
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