"A man of wisdom delights in water" - Confucius, Analects

We're were blessed last week to hear from Mark Middlebrook, Executive Director of the St. John's River Alliance and Andrea Conover, Program Manager.

The St. Johns River Alliance (SJRA), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization was formed in 2003. Governed by a regional, 34 member Board of Directors that includes elected officials, agencies, citizens and businesses, the SJRA's board members represent the entire 310 miles of Florida's river that uniquely flows north.

Their Mission:

To preserve, protect, promote, restore and celebrate the St. Johns River as an American Heritage River in recognition of its ecological, historic, economic, recreational and cultural significance, so that the public may gain a greater appreciation and understanding of the river's importance to the quality of life for current and future generations.

 Since the alliance was founded, there have been a number of achievements to note, including:

•  Production of the documentary "River into the World: the St. Johns"
• Coordination of 2010 St. Johns River Summit, a 2-day conference with over 3250 attendees
• Passage of the St. Johns River Specialty License Plate, which will provide funds for river research, access, outreach, and grants to community-based organizations.
• Participation in the St. Johns Caucus inaugural meeting in Tallahassee

Future plans include:

• Establishing a research institute to monitor the River's health & coordinate restoration efforts
• Creating a legislative plan for the St. Johns River
• Developing river-focused tourism opportunities to grow small businesses and fuel sustainable economy