Presidents Message: The Next Big Thing!

By Ned Baier, FGTF President

Ned Baier, FGTF President

2024 has started out strong for the Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation (FGTF). Our first in-person FGTF Board workshop and Community Celebration in Winter Garden this February was a big success. We met again in Tampa at the offices of our major sponsor HALFF on the Tampa Riverwalk in June. We have been engaged participants in meetings across the state including in Bartow, Brooksville, Naples, Bonita Springs, Tallahassee, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Jupiter. We met with and reenergized our relationships with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection/Office of Greenways & Trails and with Florida Department of Transportation leaders planning and building the SUN Trail network. I have attended meetings with our Trail Friends groups that are planning new trails and continue to participate in events and learn from our partners such as the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, and the Trust for Public Lands to forge relationships.  

So, what’s the next Big Thing? 

It’s the Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation 2025 Summit: Sun TRAILS 10th Anniversary Celebration! on Wednesday, Feb. 5 and Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at the beautiful Venice Community Center – in the Trails Town of Venice, Florida. Yes, next year will mark 10 years since the approval of the legislation that created the statewide 4,200 miles-plus Sun TRAIL network. Much has been accomplished – so this calls for a celebration! The Summit is also a great opportunity to look ahead, especially with the huge boost the program got with the approval last year of Senate Bill 106. The Summit will include inspiring speakers and a mix of policy and technical sessions. It will be a terrific opportunity to meet people from around the state who share our interest in the evolution of the state’s greenways and trails network. There will be a special Trails Town dedication for the City of Venice. We’ve planned a first-class evening reception with food and entertainment at the Venice Arts Center. I am personally very excited to announce that Day 2 of the Summit will focus on the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Experts will discuss efforts to protect and expand the corridor and opportunities to further plan greenways and wildlife crossings.  There are many moving parts right now and plenty of volunteer work ahead, but we’re off to a strong start. We’re proud to announce that we have four partners thus far who want to help with the Summit: The Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Trust for Public Lands, and the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. We expect to announce several more partners in the weeks ahead. We hope to see you in Venice, Florida on Feb. 5-6, 2025. Mark your calendars and spread the word! More information and a registration link will be available in October on our website FTGF.com, FGTF Facebook posts, e-mail blasts, and in newsletters from our partners. 

Let me know if you want to be part of our Summit team. Contact me: Ned Baier, AICP. President, Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation.