To: Lee County Commissioners
Save Lee County Extension
Victory! The creator of this petition declared the campaign a success. You can still sign the petition to show support.
Continue to fund Lee County Extension Services.
Why is this important?
Lee County Commissioners will be deciding on budget cuts sometime in September, 2013, and the entire budget for Lee County Extension Services ($885,600) is on the chopping block. Extension develops & administrates:
1. Public outreach, with free or inexpensive classes on a variety of topics that improve quality of life, nutrition, environmental sciences, bee keeping, Master Naturalist and Master Gardening.
2. Florida Yards & Neighborhood program that educates homeowners about landscapes that will protect the environment & conserve our precious water.
3. 4-H programs that provide youth programs with volunteer services valued at $330,000 in 2011.
4. Master Gardener volunteers (hours from last year alone totaled 26,874, which translates into a dollar amount of $585,584).
5. Training & certification for various occupational licenses.
6. Teaching professional landscapers the Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMPs) on proper use of pesticides & fertilizers, resulting in fewer nutrients & toxins entering our water.
7. Marine Education
8. Agriculture & Natural Resources
9. Family & Consumers.
Lee County Extension, providing residents with access to science-based information and education in natural and social resources through the work of UF/IFAS Extension (University of Florida/Institute of Food & Agriculture Sciences) does all this & more for a minimal investment. It’s a bargain that if lost, will certainly result in the compromise of our clean waterways, which is a big reason tourists visit our beautiful county. Save Lee County Extension. We can't afford not to.
1. Public outreach, with free or inexpensive classes on a variety of topics that improve quality of life, nutrition, environmental sciences, bee keeping, Master Naturalist and Master Gardening.
2. Florida Yards & Neighborhood program that educates homeowners about landscapes that will protect the environment & conserve our precious water.
3. 4-H programs that provide youth programs with volunteer services valued at $330,000 in 2011.
4. Master Gardener volunteers (hours from last year alone totaled 26,874, which translates into a dollar amount of $585,584).
5. Training & certification for various occupational licenses.
6. Teaching professional landscapers the Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMPs) on proper use of pesticides & fertilizers, resulting in fewer nutrients & toxins entering our water.
7. Marine Education
8. Agriculture & Natural Resources
9. Family & Consumers.
Lee County Extension, providing residents with access to science-based information and education in natural and social resources through the work of UF/IFAS Extension (University of Florida/Institute of Food & Agriculture Sciences) does all this & more for a minimal investment. It’s a bargain that if lost, will certainly result in the compromise of our clean waterways, which is a big reason tourists visit our beautiful county. Save Lee County Extension. We can't afford not to.