In 1990, the Governors Commission on The Future of Florida's Environment assessed the threats to the state's natural resources and concluded it was time to act to save the best of natural Florida. They recommended substantially increased funding to acquire and manage Florida's environmentally sensitive lands before they were lost forever.

The Legislature showed its commitment to protecting Florida's environment by enacting Preservation 2000 in 1990. Designed to raise $3 billion over a decade, Preservation 2000 programs provide an appropriate balance between ecosystem and water resource protection, and recreational opportunities for Florida's residents and visitors. Preservation 2000 gets its funding from the sale of state revenue bonds. Documentary stamp taxes were raised three times and generate more than enough revenue to pay the debt service on all ten bond series.

As the program enters its eighth year, Preservation 2000 is now the largest, and arguably the best, land conservation effort in this country. Not only does it provide enough money to save meaningful pieces of natural Florida, but it does so in a way that is based upon clear public priorities and objective evaluations of where land acquisition funds can best be spent to secure the greatest benefuts for Florida's citizens. These benefits are considerable. Preservation 2000 protects habitat for Florida's threatened plants and animals. Conserved land also serves many other purposes. It protects the quality and quantity of water supplies. It is the basis for much of Florida's tourism industry and provides recreational opportunities that improve the lives of almost every Florida family. It insulates developed areas from the impacts of storms and flooding. Overall, Preservation 2000 contributes significantly to our economy and our quality of life.

Through Preservation 2000, Florida citizens are working together to ensure the legacy of Florida's natural heritage is handed down intact to future generations. Twenty-one local land buying programs use matching Preservation 2000 funds to purchase environmentally sensitive lands - more than half funded by residents who voted to tax themselves.

This past November, Lee County voters passed a referendum asking the County Commission to approve an increase in ad valorem taxes to generate $11 million annually for "Conservation 2020."

Since 1990, more than 820,000 acres of Florida's unique natural areas have been preserved through Preservation 2000. Preservation 2000 protects wildlife habitat and water resources while providing recreation for bicyclists, hikers, anglers, hunters, horseback riders, and divers.

This past year, Preservation 2000 funds have protected an array of priority conservation and recreation lands.

In Okeechobee County, 48,000 acres of rare Florida prairie, once abundant throughout the Kissimmee River basin, has now been preserved. A partnership effort with Indian River County resulted in the protection of valuable beachfront property that hosts loggerhead and green sea turtles. Along Florida's scenic Myakka River, more than 11,000 acres were purchased by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and has since become Florida's newest state forest. These Preservation 2000 victories could not have been achieved without the trmendous public and legislative support for land and water conservation in Florida.

Although Preservation 2000 continues to make great strides in preserving our conservation lands, we can't afford to stop now. There are many key natural areas unprotected. Recently, a national environmental group reported that Florida, more than any other state , is "at the greatest risk by far" of losing its natural habitats. Our state contains nine of the 21 "most endangered ecosystems" in the United States.

The pine rocklands of South Florida have been reduced to only two percent of their original extent. North Florida's long-leaf pine forests, also known as sandhill and flatwoods communities, continue to be lost at an alarming rate. In Florida's Central Ridge, more than 80 percent of the ancient scrub has been converted to urban or agricultural use. Between 60 to 80 percent of the tropical hardwood hammocks once found in the Florida Keys have been destroyed.

If Florida hopes to continue to grow and prosper, we must ensure the protection of our imperiled ecosystems. Each legislative session, lawmakers must appropriate funds to launch a new series of Preservation 2000 bonds. To date, seven bond issues have been funded from the documentaty stamp tax revenue raised for Preservation 2000. By fulfilling their commitment to fund Preservation 2000 through the year 2000, legislatures will be investing wisely in Florida's future and keeping the promise made to Floridians in 1990.