Lovers of wild Florida have a chance to spring into action this fall.
That’s when The Florida Springs Summit 2024 comes to Gulfport to discuss springs law, policy and advocacy.
The Florida Springs Council hosts the one-day event at the Stetson Law Gulfport campus. In the past, the get together has been a two-day weekend convention, but organizers condensed it into one day, Tuesday, Oct. 19.
The summit includes presentations from influential leaders, as well as legal discussions revolving around the springs conservation movement.
There’ll be a preview of the upcoming legislative session, breakout sessions, and a podcast taping. The summit is open to everyone, even conservation newbs.
“One of the strengths of the Springs Summit is the mix of experts and new learners,” organizers wrote.
This summit comes at an important time, as this past Aug., the DeSantis Administration and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) proposed the “2024-25 Great Outdoors Initiative,” which aimed to develop multiple state parks into golf courses, pickleball courts and lodging. This initiative immediately came under public scrutiny, with the Florida Springs Council pushing back against the state online and helping concerned citizens reach out to state legislation to voice their concerns.
“Recommendations [regarding the proposal] will be evaluated, and no final decisions will be made until the public comment and review process has been completed,” wrote DeSantis Press Secretary, Jeremy Redfern, to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay in August. But public pushback led to DeSantis distance himself from the plans, and say that developers need to go back to the drawing board.
Admission to the Florida Springs Summit 2024 is free, but registration is required.
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