PALATKA, Fla., July 8, 2003 — The late Tom Fortson of Clay County wasremembered today by the St. Johns River Water Management District withits 2003 Bob Owens Award.
For more than a decade, Fortson tirelessly devoted himself to the propermanagement and restoration of the St. Johns River. Recognizing the needfor a coordinated, comprehensive plan for its restoration similar tothat developed for the Chesapeake Bay, Fortson dedicated countless hoursstudying the Chesapeake effort and collecting, copying and sharing variousscientific documents generated by that program with District staff workingin the Lower St. Johns River Basin.
Fortson, 80, died on March 23 following a lengthy illness. His widow,Patricia Fortson, was recognized on his behalf at the District’s GoverningBoard meeting today.
“Tom was a dedicated river advocate. With no ties to any group or association,he waged a one-man campaign for the restoration of the St. Johns River,”says Kirby Green, District executive director. “The value and effectivenessof this campaign is impossible to assess, but we do know that the riverhas benefited from his involvement and that we are encouraged and motivatedto do more because of the example he set.”
Fortson’s efforts included an extensive letter-writing campaign andpersonal visits to elected officials at the city, county, state and federallevels, informing them of the plight of the St. Johns and the need fortighter regulatory control of polluters, a comprehensive restorationplan and financial support for research and restoration efforts.
His voluntary labor resulted in additional agency staffing, increasedattention and support of restoration efforts by elected officials andincreased local and state funding for the District’s restoration andresearch projects.
The annual District award is named for the late Bob Owens of OrmondBeach, a vocal supporter of environmental programs who attended nearlyevery District Governing Board meeting from the mid-1970s until his deathin 1991.
Laurilee Thompson of Brevard County also received a 2003 Bob Owens Award.
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