Dear Business Owners,
The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (the Nature Center) needs your help. The Reserve runs on an extremely tight budget and over 50% of our funding each year comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That federal investment is now in jeopardy. Without it, the Apalachicola Reserve may have to close the nature center and drastically reduce programming.
Through our state and federal partnership, the Reserve brings jobs and leverages funding for Franklin County. More importantly, the Reserve supports our community resilience by monitoring the health of the bay, protecting the valued species and habitats that draw 100’s of thousands of visitors every year, and soliciting world-renowned scientists to better understand the future of our fragile ecosystem. Over 30,000 visitors come through our Nature Center every year. Education is key to helping the public understand and appreciate their natural surroundings. This is crucial in protecting and conserving our valued natural resources, which support our local economy.
What you can do? Add your name and the name of your business to a list of supporters for our Reserve and its counterparts around the country. Once names are collected, a letter will be written and submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations committees by the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association on behalf of the Reserves.
