By Ned Baier, FGTF, President

Tampa, FL - The FGTF Board and 30 advocates and professional staff met June 13 & 14, 2024 in Tampa to see and hear firsthand the progress of the city planning and building the nationally acclaimed Tampa Riverwalk. The two-day workshop included attendance and presentations from our state agency partners of Samantha Brown with the Department of Environmental Protection/Office of Greenways and Trails as well as Robin Birdsong and Nicole Monies with the Florida Department of Transportation.

Ned thanked Brandyn Littleton with Halff for sponsorship of the location and for providing food and drinks for the two days and presented gifts for their hosting of the meeting and providing food. Ned recognized volunteer Sally Thompson for her hard work on the website. Several honorary board members attended including former FGTF President Dale Allen, Karen Klena, Deb Orton, and Brandyn Littleton. 

Among the highlights on Day 1 was a presentation on the Tampa Riverwalk by Tony Monk, City of Tampa Parks and Recreation, and lead designers, Fred Jones and Ken Boeser with Haskell; Doug Hattaway, Senior Director with the Trust for Public Lands presented on the great work of planning parks and trails nationwide with attention given the dozens of Florida projects;

A descriptive presentation was given by Nicole Monies on Wildlife Crossings and wildlife protective fencing. FDOT has constructed over 200 in Florida with many more being planned and designed including new crossings on the Interstate 4 corridor and in SW Florida. Sam Brown gave a short presentation on upcoming funding opportunity called Trail GO which is a new FDEP grant program for local governments that will provide state funds for  maintenance & operations of trails; and a presentation from FGTF Board member and Vice President Kim Delaney was given on the state-led  Economic Analysis of the Impact of Trails & Greenways preliminary findings.  The presentation highlighted five Florida SUN Trail projects and the trail towns that are benefiting with increased tourism and business primarily from the trails. The study will be completed in September and will be a highlight at the Greenways & Trails Summit in February 2025.

Day 1 wrapped up with a presentation from FGTF Board member Tim Bailey who is leading the planning for the 2025 Florida & Greenways Summit; it is planned for February 5 & 6 in Venice, FL. All FGTF Board members were engaged as the planning for the event continues. Much of the meeting was spent on the two-day workshop logistics, program content, potential speakers, and marketing and registration process. Ned Baier reported on the success of finding partners and other agencies that will help FGTF put together the Summit.  We wrapped up Day 1 with a dinner on the Tampa Riverwalk and a walking tour of the city at sunset. It was an end to a perfect day. What fun together as a team. 

The highlights on Day 2: Dale Allen gave a presentation on the status of the FGTF Board’s research project examining the potential for a Greenways & Trail from Sanford in the Orlando area southward to Everglades City in SW Florida. Dale started his full presentation titled “Everglades City to Sanford Corridor Project”; it is about 300 miles long; Dale estimates 60-70% is doable w/out new land acquisition. Dale presented a series of slides a, pictures, and maps of the potential of a new Trail. The Board emphasized any path forward needs to be done in a collaborative way with the other agencies such as FDOT, FDEP. Another possible partner is the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation and specifically the Mind the Gaps meetings being organized around Florida by Jason Lauritsen. The FGTF Board wants to continue researching this exciting conceptual idea next year after the 2025 Summit. 

The FGTF Board also had a full business agenda including discussing the 2024/2025 FGTF budget and Strategic Plan. At the conclusion of the meeting Ned Baier and Kim Delaney then completed a bike ride tour of the Tampa Riverwalk and nearby neighborhoods of Davis Island. The FGTF next in person meeting is scheduled for the Orlando metro area in October. There will be another community celebration and reception. Details to come!