By Ann Paul, President
Recently, a friend asked me, “Do you enjoy being President of the Tampa Audubon Society?” And without really considering it, my immediate answer was, “Yes!” But when they asked me “Why?,” it took me a few moments to come up with the response.
It is simply because I really appreciate working together with like-minded people who are trying, in their own way, to make a better world, a better planet and a better Hillsborough County for us, our children, and our birds and wildlife.
The work we do helps support government agencies that are assigned responsibilities for clean air and water, habitat restoration and conservation, environmental education and stewardship, and the wildlife of Florida.
These agencies include the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Land Management division of the Parks Department and our Conservation Parks, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council’s Agency on Bay Management, the Florida Parks Service, our regional Aquatic Preserves, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Each agency has a specific mission, a niche, of conservation activity. In a way, it’s biological!
Tampa Audubon Society is a relatively small group, and even with a membership of over 1,000 households, our active members are a lot fewer in number. But we are active participants and we are positive in our work. We seek to help, not oppose, and to find common ground that benefits the staff of these agencies. This approach helps them accomplish their agencies’ goals. It is exciting and fun.
The other reason is – I have made the best of friends among our Audubon team! I have the greatest respect for them. And I am grateful that they let me help, too.
Thanks for being part of our team. Working together, we make a difference.
Ann Paul
president@tampaaudubon.org
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