Our History

The Friends of the Apalachicola National Forest (Friends)--a north Florida advocacy group composed of professional field biologists, ecologists, and outdoor enthusiasts for nearly 35 years—has as its motto a well-known quote attributed to Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world:  indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” During that time, it has reviewed and commented on many proposed U.S. Forest Service (FS) management actions after taking field trips, consulting with FS personnel and collecting data on occasion.  The Friends have organized public lectures by local, state, and national ecologists and environmental activists.  The lectures have raised awareness about management issues that affect the forest and shared knowledge about the plants, animals, geology, culture, and history of the place.  We have written articles for the local newspaper and other venues and testified at congressional hearings.  The Friends also provided expert assistance for development of the 1999 National Forests of Florida Management Plan--a document intended to be updated every 10 years that has guided ANF management for the past 24 years.  For part of its history, it was a non-profit organization.  Its membership and meetings have waxed and waned, but a core of dedicated naturalists and advocates have kept the fire going.