Florida FWC Hosts Youth Event at Capitol, Encourages Wildlife Conservation
Various reptiles, a law enforcement K-9 and nearly 400 eager students took over the capitol courtyard Tuesday March 12. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) provided a glimpse of the Florida outdoors to students and others at the agency’s “Creating the Next Generation That Cares” event in downtown Tallahassee.
The courtyard between the old and new Florida capitols was transformed for a few hours, housing a variety of interactive displays to inspire youth to enjoy Florida’s natural resources and learn to protect them.
“We were very excited to host this event as part of our continued commitment to help create the next generation that cares about conservation in Florida,” said Nick Wiley, executive director of the FWC.
Increasingly, today’s children are disconnected from the outdoors. They devote nearly eight hours a day to entertainment media and media multitasking, according to studies, while the number of youth who spend time in traditional outdoor activities continues to decline dramatically.
“By encouraging young people to participate in fun, exciting and interactive outdoor experiences, Wiley said, “we hope they will be motivated to care for the amazing fish and wildlife resources that help fuel Florida’s economy.”
At the event, displays included a touch tank of marine life; an activity to give kids a chance to pretend to be a bear for a little while and search for berries and bugs to eat; and a booth for kids to learn how to cast with a fishing pole.
“FWC biologists and volunteers helped kids learn the names of bird and animal species that are native to Florida and create bird masks to mimic their favorites,” Wiley said.
The students got to see a baby alligator and other reptiles and amphibians up close, as an expert stood by to answer their questions.
“There were even a few of our FWC officers there,” Wiley said. “They brought some of the specialized vehicles and boats they use to patrol, protect and preserve Florida’s woods and waters. One of the FWC’s K-9 teams also demonstrated how it helps with different cases.”
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came into existence on July 1, 1999 - the result of a constitutional amendment approved in the 1998 General Election as part of the package proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.
In the implementation of the Constitutional Amendment, the Florida Legislature combined all of the staff and Commissioners of the former Marine Fisheries Commission, elements of the Divisions of Marine Resources and Law Enforcement of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and all of the employees and Commissioners of the former Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
Five years later, after consulting stakeholders, employees and other interested parties, the FWC adopted a new internal structure to address complex conservation issues of the new century. The new structure focuses on programs, such as habitat management, that affect numerous species. It will focus on moving the decision-making process closer to the public and did not require any additional funding or additional positions.
