Central Panhandle Aquatic Preserves Host DEP Budget Coordinators

Staff from the Central Panhandle Aquatic Preserves (CPAP) hosted some special guests for a tour of the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) Nature Center and to view nearby restoration projects. Budget coordinators from various DEP programs travelled from Tallahassee to Eastpoint to meet with staff, tour the facility and participate in some ‘Flight of the Monarch’ activities as part of the special event hosted by ANERR that day. Staff were able to provide the coordinators with an up-close understanding of how funds for various projects are utilized as well as the impact that these efforts have on our mission to conserve Florida’s natural resources and promote environmental stewardship amongst the public. Highlighting the connection between the administrative ‘behind the scenes’ processes and the implementation of environmental monitoring and restoration efforts helps to keep DEP and the Aquatic Preserve program effective and impactful.