2005 DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Year-end 2005 marked the completion of twenty-two years of environmental funding in Florida for the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation. The Directors continue to seek and fund proposed reasoned solutions to environmental problems affecting Florida's flora and fauna. With inexorable population pressure and associated sprawl, guaranteeing Florida's water quality and quantity remain of paramount importance throughout the State. The Director's believe continued vigilance is necessary by both government agencies and non-governmental organizations to ensure our environment is protected for our children's children. The Directors hope the grants made this year bear fruit in these areas.

This year's grants supporting water issues include: The National Resources Defense Council (to support the Clean Water Network); Florida Defenders of the Environment (for continued work on restoring the Ocklawaha and Withlacoochee Rivers); Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation (to increase public awareness of Aquifer Storage and Recovery wells); and the World Wildlife Fund (to support its Florida Keys initiatives addressing declining water quality).

This year's grants supporting efforts to reduce sprawl include: 1000 Friends of Florida (to collaborate with other environmental groups and St. Joe Paper throughout the Panhandle); the Environmental and Land Use Law Center (to support efforts throughout the Florida Keys); the National Wildlife Federation (to protect panther habitat in the Western Everglades); and Wildlaw (to support Florida's growth management Act).

A number of other grants were made supporting fisheries and near shore habitat management. These included grants to: the Center for Food Safety and the Institute for Fisheries Resources (to ensure adequate aquaculture regulation by the State); Environmental Defense (for sustainable management of Florida beaches); the Gulf Restoration Network (to reduce bycatch among commercial and recreational fishing fleets); and Reef Environmental Education Foundation (to support cross-agency research on fish inventories).

While progress continues to be made on many fronts, success has been frustrated by governmental intervention on more than one occasion. A grant was made to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility in the hope that the "good guys" in Tallahassee keep working for the vast majority of Floridians who care about our quality of life. The Directors hope all who read this continue to work for that quality of life. We thank you for your continued efforts and await your new ideas.