Florida Springs Initiative

Since its establishment in 2001 by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Florida Springs Initiative (FSI) has carried out numerous activities on many fronts to address the key recommendations of the 2000 Springs Task Force report. The State Legislature has provided approximately $24.5 million in funding for the program from 2001 through 2010.

To date, these funds have gone to minimally staff the program and to implement activities and projects to restore and protect Florida's springs. The majority of the funding was applied to research and monitoring, followed by landowner assistance projects, restoration and protection activities in state parks, and environmental education.

Developing Strategies to Protect Florida's Springs

In 1999, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) inaugurated the Florida Springs Protection Initiative to help protect and restore the state's six hundred springs. This included the formation of a multi-agency Florida Springs Task Force (FSTF) to provide recommended strategies for the protection and restoration of Florida's springs.

The FSTF's principal goals were to determine the current status of Florida's springs and to develop strategies for their long-term protection. To achieve these goals, the FSTF produced in November 2000 the Florida's Springs Task Force Report "Strategies for Protection and Restoration". This report outlines steps for protecting and restoring the springs and the underground aquifer through on-going scientific research, biological and water quality monitoring, regulation and management, education and outreach, and landowner assistance and land acquisition projects.

That report continues to serve as the basis for the mission and actions supported by state funds throuhg the Florida Springs Initiative.

Florida Springs Task Force Members

Dana Bryan
Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Kent Smith
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Bruce Day
Withlacoochie Regional Planning Council

Kris Barrios
Northwest Florida Water Management District

Carlos Herd
Suwannee River Water Management District

Doug Munch
St Johns River Water Management District

Dave DeWitt
Southwest Florida Water Management District

Hal Davis
U.S. Geological Survey

Jon Martin
University of Florida, Geology Department

Sam Upchurch
SDII Global Corporation

Meg Andronaco
Formerly of Nestle Water

Jim Stevenson
Citizen

Chadwick Taylor
CCT & Associates

Doug Shaw or Steve Herrington
The Nature Conservancy