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JOHN B. EVANS, asexscawr To an: ccvsanoa
T0 was
summer sumac cws
REDINGTON seams, FLORIDA
APRIL 26. 1962
(RELEASE son AM'S APRIL 27, 1962)
It is good to be back in Pinellas County, and it is even
better to be back to talk about something other than Pinellas Politics:
Although those of you who have been reading your local
papers in recent days may not believe it, the contributions by
Governor Bryant to conservation in Florida will likely be the best
remembered evidence or his service some five, ten or twenty years
from now.
In the letter confirming his invitation to me for this
meeting, Red suggested that among the topics I cover should be the
question of whether or not conservation is more than a lip-word at
Tallahassee -- a political expediency was the term he used.
Well, I can tell you tonight in absolute honesty that there's
more conservation activity going on in Florida government today than
at any time in the history of our state -- and that's being done not
from political motivation, but from the realization that if action
to save our natural heritage is not immediate and extensive, future
citizens will find very little left of the Florida outdoors which
has attracted so many here to work and play.
Today, with five million citizens, we are the ninth largest
of the 50 states. In the next ten years we will increase by some
three million, and with each new addition the recreational oppor-
tunities for each individual are squeezed ever smaller.
When he took office Governor Bryant was acutely aware that
Florida's best assets -- its outdoor recreational areas -- were being
drained away in the name or progress -- a progress that we can ill
afford it we are to meet the potential of our future.
The Governor knew, for example, that of the thousand and
16 miles or useable sand beach along our coast, of which he boasts
when he travels to other states and overseas, there is but 257 miles
~- barely 25 per cent -- still in accessible public ownership, and
that only 23.7 miles or this lies within state parks.
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The Governor was aware, too, that the state had, since its
inception, been engaged in a gigantic land disposal program in which
public lands were auctioned off, sold or given away to stimulate
development with little concern for their current or potential worth
to the public. He discovered that the state had no adequate knowledge
of Just what lands it owned or Just what their worth might be for
public purposes. He knew that similar lost lands drove new York in
1960 to float a 75 million dollar bond issue to buy back lands, and
that California is to have a similar 75 million dollar issue on its
1962 ballot, and that New Hampshire, Wisconsin, new Jersey and
Pennsylvania were all going in debt for from 10 to 70 million dollars
to acquire land for the recreational needs of their expanding popula-
tions.
The Governor knew that unless he initiated action, and that
quickly, that Florida would find itself in the same position as these
other states -- a position it could ill afford as we seek to support
schools and the services made essential by our growth without the
imposition of heavier taxes.
And so it was that Just a year ago Governor Bryant appointed
the Governor's Committee on Recreational Development, whose emblem,
which I have brougnzhere tonight, is symbolic of its interests, and
placed it under the leadership of one of his staff assistants -- a
qualified professional engineer with conservation agency experience;
the first such person, incidentally, ever to serve on the persona]
staff of a Florida governor.
This Committee is going a great deal further in the are; of
resource preservation and development than its "recreational develop~
ment" title would indicate. It is providing for the first time in our
state an effective forum for cosperation and coordination between
state agencies, and it has given the citizens of Florida an opportunity
to lay their conservation problems and ideas before a single group
combining all areas of state interest.
It is appropriate that coordination on conservation matters
should exist within state government, for our current expenditures in
this field total more than 36 million dollars -- and this is not enough.
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When this committee meets, as it did yesterday morning, it
brings together around a single table the heads of the Department of
Conservation, the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, the Board of
Parks and historic Memorials, the Forest Service, the recreation and
planning divisions of the Development Commission, the staff of the
Trustees of the State Internal Improvement Fund and the Land Office
of the Department of Agriculture and the various departments and
divisions of the Board of Conservation and Game Commission.
These meetings have fostered an exchange of ideas and
knowledge that has established new patterns of operation and a better
basis for effective service, both to the elected members of the State
Cabinet who sit as the Board of Conservation and Trustees of the
Internal Improvement Fund, and to the members of the independent
Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and to the citizens of Florida,
individually and in conservation organisations such as this.
The approach adopted by this committee is worthy of emulation
by all interested in conservation: it is based upon the belief that
good resource management hinges upon a multiple interrelationship
concept, which in its recently released interim report it defined
by its recognition that "nature is a Unity. We cannot separate the
fish from the water, nor the trees from the soil. This is the
guideline that overrides the narrow channels of authority assigned
each agency and division.
The Committee has been instrumental in implementing the
Governor's order that indiscriminate sale of state lands be halted.
It serves in behalf of the Cabinet to review all requests for the
purchase of public property. If the lands sought by private owners
are of value for present or future public usage, they are withheld from
sale and, in most cases, dedicated for public purposes. The Committee
works closely with the State Road Department and the Central and
Southern Florida Flood Control District, and similar regional bodies
such as that concerned with the river basins of this area, to be sure
that the public interest is thoroughly considered in all matters of
land management, and that when public lands are sold they bear a fair
price. The day of give away land in Florida is gone forever.
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A year ago no inventory of state-owned lands existed. Today
we know that Florida holds more than £00,000 acres worth nearly 50
million dollars.
We know, too, that these 652 parcels of land will not be
enough to meet the demands of our exploding population, and so we
have set about acquiring additional lands of present or potential
recreational and conservation value. Already some 500 acres are being
acquired from the Federal Government's holdings in the state. Much
of this is highly valuable beach-frontage and so our bargain was
deemed a good one when we found that this $200,000 worth of land was
cure for Just over a thousand dollars.
The Co-Iittee has been involved in a nuaber or other
activities which have significance for this area:
They have played a leading role in the establishment or some
outstanding fresh water fishing holes in the Tampa Bay area's backyard.
hined out phosphate pits. closed to the public for years, have been
made available through cooperative agreements negotiated by the
committee and through the cleaning out and restocking programs or the
Game Commission.
These modern versions or the old fishing hole will be made
available to the public on a rotating basis so that you can always
be assured of big bass and bream when you tackle them. So far some
two dozen or the pits are in preparation and the results have been
excellent from those now open.
Similarly, the Committee has worked with the Game Commission
on its large scale lake restoration programs. Lake Parker, in
Lakeland. is a good example or what such a program can mean. This
lake was treated chemically to destroy all rough fish. It was
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restocked with the proper balance o/varieus types or game fish.
Subsequently, when it was reopened to the public, between 17 and 18
thousand people fished Lake Parker in the short space or nine days.
A similar program, incidentally, is in the works for Lake Tarpon.
The vital research program or the Board of Conservation,
most of which is carried out from the state'c marine laboratory in
St. Petersburg, received an important boost from the Governor's
determination, and the committee's action in seeing to it that the
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leases granted for the dredging of oyster shell bring a proper return
to Florida and her citizens. As a result of re-negctiaticne of these
leases the monies available from them for marine research will
increase from no to 50 thousand to in excess of 200 thousand dollars
annually. This means more research support for artificial reefs and
a host of other important projects beneficial to sport and commercial
fishermen alike. It means, too, new funds to fight pollution, the
blight of all too many of Florida's bays and rivers.
You have heard a good bit, and will be hearing a great deal
more, about the Cross-State Florida Barge Canal. It, too, plays a
role in our conservation program. This canal. linking our east and
west coasts at aid-state, will have a three-fold benefit for natural
resource conservation in Florida. Through its lock system it will
serve to raise the water table in the drought-affected central
Florida area- It will provide the means of conserving the great flow
which rises from Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs, and its
construction will provide reservoir and holding areas tailor-made
for the sports fisherman and hunter.
This project, over the many years it has been under discussion,
has come as close to being studied to death as any project in the
history of the state. or the many official reports in the canal's
file. there are some which have lacked encouragement, but none which
have shown it unfeasible. The most recent of the reports, first
made public this week, was made at the direction or the Congress by
the Arthur D. Little Corporation, a firm of nationally recognised
consultants. This economic study shows that the benefit to cost
return outlook for the canal on on annual basis is four dollars and
sixty cents return for each dollar expended, on a proJect life of 50
years, or a whopping 6.1 to l for a 100 year project life. This study
is perhaps the most complete and unbiased ever made on the canal and,
although it reflects no boost from national Defense benefits, it
still stands as one of the most favorable benefit-cost ratios of any
navigation project of which we know. From every indication this is
the year of the Cross-State Canal and its coming will be a boon to
conservation.
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Just yesterday the Governor's Committee approved a project
of importance to Florida which has also nation-wide significance.
Jay N. Darling -- he was better known as Ding -- was a Pulitzer
prise-winning cartoonist (he had two of them.to his credit) and
perhaps one of the most ardent conservationists our country has ever
known. He served for a time as head of the Federal Government's
Biological Survey. the forerunner of the U. 8. Fish and Wildlife
Service. For the last 2h years of his life Ding Darling made Florida
his home, residing on Captiva Island off Fort Hyers and spending some
time in Tarpon Springs. He established the Sanibel National Wildlife
Refuge and was a leader in saving the famed Key Deer. He knew
Florida and he loved Florida. He died two months ago.
Yesterday the first formal steps were taken to add 2,000
acres to the present refuge lands on Sanibel Island and dedicate the
whole parcel as the Ding Darling Sanctuary. We are advised that the
administrative actions Governor Bryant has initiated will be
formalized by the Florida Legislature and the United States Congress
and that with the support of a national foundation created to honor
Mr. Darling's memory, a living conservation memorial will rise in
Florida that will be of national value and note.
These are but a few of the activities Red, that we submit
as evidence that conservation is receiving more than political lip-
service in Tallahassee. But they tell only a part of the story.
The Governor's Committee on Recreational Development is
seeking to create for Florida a master plan of development and action
which will assure our present and future citizens access to nature;
places to fish, hunt, birdwatch, picnic and play in clean air under
a bright sun.
If that plan is to be properly developed -- and if anything
is going to come of it once it is complete -- then a lot of Floridians
-- like you and me -- are going to have to talk less and do more
about conservation in our state.
The Committee is even now trying to get a meeting established
of the heads of all statewide voluntary conservation agencies, to
discuss with them the programs under consideration and the plans Just
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emerging from the dream stage toward reality. The Florida Wildlife
Federation undertook to arrange this meeting for us, but has had to
postpone calling it because thus far a full list or the conservation
organizations is not available.
If pollution is going to be eliminated -- it artificial
reefs are going to be properly established, if the boating council
created by the Board of Conservation is going to accomplish any real
good, and it you are ever going to channel your interests in
Florida's outdoors into anything more constructive than listening to
me; then lines of communication must be established so that the
progress I have Outlined to you tonight can be made known to you as
it occurs. Your support which can be vital on many measures or
importance to Florida must be made known to the Governor and legis~
lators.
For too long clubs such as this have gone alone on their
merry way! The Issack Walton League, the nature Conservancy, the
Audabon Society, the Wildlife Federation and all the rest have stayed
wrapped -- each in its sun limited conservation cocoon. I! ever there
was s time for each of these groups to break out or the cocoon and try
its wings in unison with others to serve its own interests by
promoting conservation generally; that time exists today. In
Tallahassee you have a state administration that cares about saving
what little we have left of nature's blessings for the future. In
Washington there is a greater awareness or a need for resource
development than at any time in recent years.
what's needed now is for individuals such as you in this
club to do more than depend on Red Marston to tell you whats going
on in conservation. Ask for information -- give us your opinions,
share with us your experiences.
If all the people interested in conservation in Florida --
regardless of whether they call it hunting, fishing, birdwatching or
whatever -- it all the individuals who love the water and the woods,
the clean air and the sparkling streams that are this state or ours
-- if all can be united tor the future, then the only limit on the
good that can be accomplished for Florida is the limit of our
imaginations and abilities.
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(-E P' A1, '962 J -11 E.EA -,A-ItAR OTE0VR -1,T] .UCCS .FNNN CL .. .B .ETGO .BRS FL. .I '5 AI'I -l, -7 .911. 1
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-2The Goverrior was aware, too, that the state had, since i.ts inception, been engaged in a gigantic land disposal program in which pum10. J er.de were aw:blened off, sold or giver, snay to stimuate de'/elopr.lent G'ith little CDncern for their olirrent or potelni-l vairth to the pub j.C. He illsettered that the state had no adeciuate krowledge of Juet Ntat lands it owned or sist what tacir worth slight be for publ ir. prpeGes, i's kne1-r that ai-'iilar lost 1rinds dreve ilet York in .'30 to E]oat a 75 mi'.lion dollar bor.d i.ssue to buy baelt lands, ar.d that Call'orr!ia is ta have a similar 75 million dollar Isoue on its .J2 1)611100 aTid 1-liat De"., ]-]:11'1981$14-:, addWnBiro J-gN Mrse I gri 'er.nzylvanj.a were all going in debt for front 10 to 70 millicr. dollars to aegilire lar'd for Clic rem'Rat10Coal needs of thele exp[mdinr:: popular tiDDE. The: Governoe krew that unless he initiaLed ution, and that qllicidy ":hat Plerida would fired itsel f in the same position as thr:se other GOttes -a positiori it could i~1 afford aa We BOEk to M:pfDPt schocls ar.d the services mado esseritial by our growth without the impC3ltiori of heaviei" ta-.e5 s Ar.d e it as that just a year age Govenior Bryant appolnted the Goveritor's Comniittee m -'ecreational Developr:terit, wheae emblem, which I have trouglthere tonighs, 's Oy:nbolic oi' itG Interests, and pl@CR'l it IJrlder Lhe leader0hip of one of his staff assiatsats -C, QialiflCd J.lrofe5510rual Fy[glaief-r Wil-b ca;-idl3rvatiDn agerfly eXperiem-ej the ~'irst auch perec-n, iricidentally, ever to serve on the persorud staf:' -f a Florida g-vernor. TI.15 COirJrsittea '.:s [-01110 e Ei-eat deal furthrar in the are.-. of resource praervation ar.d developmera '-han its recreat-10rsal develop erN'nt" titl+1 would indicate, It is providing for the first time in ce state an effective form for eccperatier. [.red coordiration beter. state agend CB, arul Lt has Elven t'r?,1 citizens of F1orlea an rppor':urat-* to JEi their Cor16Crvation proele--is and ideas beter a sing".e ErGup acmbiniri all areas of state interest, lt is appreipriate that coordinator, ori coraervatiore matters should el:iot Witin State government, for our currert expeilditures in this field total :rior'e thr.n N al1Uon dollars -nrd tilis is nat m'igh
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Uhen this committee meets, as it did yesterday brings together arou1d a 31nsle table the heads of the : Conservation, the Game and Preah Water Flsh Cownission, Parks and Hinterie Mamerials, the Forest Service, the ri paarning divisicris of the DevelopmenU COT.mission, the sTrusters of the state Internal Improvement Fund and the of the Impartment of Agriculture and the varicus depart; divisions of the Board of Conservation and Game Commiss. Theae meetings save fostered ar. exchange of il knoorledge tsat ses estab~ished acw patterns of Oceratial bar.13 for effective ser-lice, both to te elected members Cabinet who sit as the Beard of conservation and T-:uste. Internal Imp-evement Pur:J, and to the members of the ini
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