House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1706 Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center
Requester:	Bruce B. Horn, Operations Manager		Organization:		Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center
Project Title:	Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center		Date Submitted:		01/27/2000 12:29:44 PM
District Member:	Ken Sorensen		Service Area:		Regional
Counties Affected:	Monroe
Recipient:	Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center		Contact:		Bruce B. Horn
	93600 Overseas Highway		Contact Phone:		(305) 852-4486
	Tavernier 33070
Project Description:
The Environmental Education Program of the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center has always been limited by the absence of an Education Director and insufficient materials and signage. Also included is transportation of students from schools that cannot afford it.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
The initial role of the FKWBRC was to rehabilitate sick and injured wild birds. With the expansion to the current 5.5 acres of varied habitats on the bay on Key Largo, we acquired an environmental treasure unique to the Keys. The great value of the environmental assets here are underutilized by the absence of a person to educate not only students in the region but also tourists from within the State of Florida. Over the years, the number of permanently disabled birds that we have acquired has grown to over 25 different species with over a hundred individuals. Ecological habitats range from hammock, transitional wetlands, mangrove wetlands with salt ponds, to berm and Florida Bay. We provide a limited educational experience to over 15,000 visitors and scores of student and adult groups a year.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
The essence of the education program that we wish to develop is responsible stewardship of our natural environmental and wild birds that populate it in decreasing populations. With education, we expect to see a reduction in the hazards to the State's wild birds, i.e., fishing tackle and toxins, and increased regard for the reasons to protecting the environments that are already of concern to the State.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$25,000
Total cost of the project:		$25,000

Request has been made to fund:			Operations
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?					No
Was this project previously funded by the State?					No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?					Yes
	Amount:	$20,000
	Purpose for future year funding:			Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?				Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?					Unknown
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?					Unknown
Is there a documented need for this project?					Yes
	Documentation:	Records of numbers of school tours and visitors
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?					No