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INTRODUCTION
In the 500 years since Ponce de Leon christened our peninsula "La
Florida," native wildflowers have struggled to co-exist with the
pressures of progress. As the state’s natural landscape has been
increasingly threatened by development, some species have vanished
altogether. Still others have been classified as endangered or
threatened.
The
Florida Wildflower Foundation’s mission is to enrich lives with
Florida’s native wildflowers. Through the sale of the State Wildflower license tag, the organization
increases the visibility and availability
of native wildflowers and grasses by funding research, education and
planting projects statewide.
Since 2000, the Foundation has used the $15 donation from each State
Wildflower license plate sale to:
- Provide
more than $2 million for native wildflower education, research and
planting projects.
- Spur
the development of the wildflower seed industry by supporting the
Florida Wildflower Seed and Plant Growers Association.
- Support
Florida’s native nursery industry by increasing demand for flowering
native species.
- Build
awareness and knowledge of native wildflowers and plants.
- Support
highway beautification through widespread wildflower seeding and
planting projects.
- Promote
wildflower tourism and its enormous economic benefits.
- Partner
with like-minded agencies and organizations to support programs such as
the Florida
Forever land preservation effort.
Ultimately,
the Foundation seeks to build a center for wildflower research and
education that conveys to visitors and residents alike the beauty of
wildflowers and their roles in Florida’s diverse habitats. To support
its research effort, the Foundation in 2007 established the Gary Henry
Research Endowment Fund at the University of Florida. The endowment is
in honor of the contributions made by the organization’s first
executive director.The Foundation is steered by a board of directors that includes
representation from many of the organizations and agencies responsible
for the creation of the State Wildflower license plate. They are:
- Florida
Federation of Garden Clubs
- Florida
Department of Transportation
- Florida
Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
- University
of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
- Florida
League of Cities
- Florida
Master Gardeners
- Association
of Florida Native Nurseries
- Florida
Native Plant Society
- Wildflower
Seed and Plant Growers Association Inc.
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