Pascowildlife, Inc. History

updated October 2004

Our organization came into existence during the summer of 2000. Initially we were a loosely affiliated group of interested citizens who felt that Pasco needed to do something to protect our rapidly developing open lands. On October 28, 2000 we held a “charette” to which we invited scientists from agencies and private consultants. A "charette" is a working group. At that meeting we developed an eco-region map for Pasco. In October and November 2000 Pasco County initiated a Habitat and Wildlife Study and contracted with Glatting, Jackson out of Orlando to conduct the research and make recommendations for an ordinance and a protection program. The study was completed in March 2002.

Pascowildlife.com was formally launched February 6, 2001 as the site to visit to follow the Pasco County Wildlife and Habitat study. 

In March 2002, when the Habitat Study was accepted by the Pasco County Board of Directors, Pascowildlife.com was right there to ask them to do the next step: set up an Environmental Lands Acquisition Task Force (ELATF) to make recommendations on how implement a program for Pasco. After much education and communication, that Task Force was created in the fall of 2002.

Pascowildlife.com helped by having a kickoff seminar for the ELATF. In January of 2003, the Environmental Lands Seminar took place at the Starkey Wilderness Park Education Center with speakers from all over Florida and a representative of Florida Forever, Florida Communities Trust and the Nature Conservancy.

Pascowildlife.com attended every meeting of the ELATF, providing research and technical support where possible. By August 2003, four months ahead of schedule, ELATF completed its job and handed their recommendations to the County Commissioners.

From there things began to move more quickly with the County Commission deciding to put the funding for the Environmental Lands Program on a referendum known as the Penny-for-Pasco. Pascowildlife.com became nearly dormant as its Executive Director and every active volunteer threw their efforts into the referendum campaign.

Pascowildlife.com did accomplish a few things during the campaign: We continuously participated in the evaluation and review of Pasco's Comprehensive Plan, we helped organize a native Magnolia tree giveaway with four other non-profits in February 2004 and we organized a pond restoration with Scenic Pasco.

And, on December 5, 2003, we were awarded our own independent 501C-3 status retroactively effective as of February 6, 2001. We are now officially, Pascowildlife, Inc.    

Our membership has grown to over 200 and continues to be a force for our environment and natural systems. We are now focused on implementing our funded Environmental Lands Program. Our future course will be to bring public and private funding and expertise to this program.

In the late summer of 2004, the Environmental Lands Acquisition Selection Committee (ELASC) has been formed to help evaluation lands for acquisition. This is an eleven member committee, many of whom have a biological science background. Others specialize in business and finance.

Some past volunteer heroes for Pascowildlife

Click on picture above for an explanation