Summer Naturalist 2025 Letter from Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director

Floridians care deeply about their public conservation lands. You made that very clear in May when you wrote letters, signed
petitions, called your representatives, crafted signs, and talked to the media to protect 600 acres of the Guana River Wildlife
Management Area from a land-swap proposal. You did it again when you wrote to your House and Senate elected officials to
advocate for full funding for the Florida Funding land conservation program, and then express your disappointment with their final budget.

Grassroots advocates have always been the secret to our success at Audubon, starting 125 years ago when a group of dedicated conservationists came together to protect wading birds from hunting. Then you worked to stop development in the Everglades, halted an ill-fated barge canal across the state, advocated for endangered species protections, and so much more. Today we face daunting issues—urban sprawl, water quality issues, and a changing climate—but you continue to be what hope looks
like for a bird.

We need our flock to be as strong as possible as we face these conservation headwinds. Talk to your friends and family about following us on social media, joining our email list, or visiting the Center for Birds of Prey and Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Together, we can create a more resilient future for both birds and people.

This letter was published in the Audubon Florida Naturalist Summer 2025 magazine.