update 3: write a postcard from wild florida

Hey everyone!  I hope this finds you well.  Tonight I am thoroughly enjoying staying in the Holton Creek camp,  run by Florida State Parks.  I'm staying in a beautiful screened cabin with showers and electricity and complimentary popcorn- and all for free!  The past few days I've followed along the Suwannee river,  as the Florida trail darts along river bluffs,  plunges into ravines,  and offers incredibly scenic views of this beautiful river,  as the light green of blooming trees stands out against a clear blue sky.

everyone from two Quebecers who drove 24 hours to here to canoe the entire Suwanee to a man walking from Key West to the Appalachian trail to Mr.  Steve Williams,  who walked to Tallahassee to support saving the Florida panther. Last weekend I was also fortunate to share this experience by family and friends.  These experiences remind me  how important wild spaces are to connecting to each other, to ourselves,  and to creation. And hearing out of staters tell me how amazed they are by the beauty of wild Florida is testament to the fact that wild Florida is a world-class natural wonder, that we're incredibly privileged we are to have it in our backyards.  

Write a Postcard from Wild Florida! 

On that note,  I hope you can join my postcard campaign to bring the voices of Floridians like you to the halls of the capitol! At postcard.com/impact/speak-up-for-wild-florida,  you can write a postcard for free that I will hand deliver to your representative as I walk intk Tallahassee.  Let them know why protecting Wild Florida matters to you,  and remind them to listen to voters wishes future and fund  the Florida Forever program. It only takes two minutes and it can make a huge impact.  If you can,  share this campaign with family,  friends and co-workers and challenge them to make a postcard from Florida - my goal is 300, or one for every mile I've walked! After you create the postcard,  you can choose the action to share your action on Facebook to spread the movement. And don't forget to check out our Facebook page at Facebook. Com/WalkForWildFlorida or website at WalkForWildFlorida.org for more! 

Thank you so much for your support and excited to be a part of this movement with you all! 

Best wishes and happy trails, 
Oscar

PS: Here's some key facts if you need any for the Postcard,  but don't feel pressured to make it anything fancy! 

-In 2014, 3 in 4 Floridians supported constitutional amendment 1 to create the land and water conservation fund,  a now billion dollar a year specifically for the "acquisition and restoration"  of wild lands

-Public mandate to restore funding to programs like Florida Forever, a popular and bipartisan program which identifies and purchases crucial wild areas from wildlife corrodors to watersheds to recreation areas. But it's seen it's budget cut by 97% from what was once a $300 million a year program that was widely admired across the US.  

-The legislature used much of this money to replace existing maintenance spending and salaries,  and overall $50 million less went to conservation.  Only 2% of it went to Florida Forever,  our signature land acquisition program. 

-Florida's wild areas are in danger- In a state that will have 15 million new residents by 2060, we're predicted to lose an area of wild and rural land the size of Vermont to development.  

-Our legislature should use Amendment 1 money for its intended purpose and put at least $150 million a year (recommended minimum by Florida conservation voters)  to Florida Forever. 

Photos! 
1. With my family camping on the Suwannee!  I'm so lucky to have them and so thankful for all their support. 
2.  Early mornings at Steven Foster State Park. 
3. The Quebec crew on their way to the Gulf. 
4. Spring flowers on the Suwannee.  


If you would like to unsusbrcibe to these updates,  don't hesitate to email me with "unsubscribe"  in the subject line.  Check out WalkForWildFlorida.org for more!