Stacy White receives Theodore Roosevelt Hillsborough Forever Conservation Award for his environmental preservation achievements
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners presented the 2024 Theodore Roosevelt Hillsborough Forever Conservation Award to former County Commissioner Stacy R. White during its April 17 meeting. The annual award, established in 2017, recognizes individuals or groups for their dedication to preserving Hillsborough County's natural resources.
White thanked the Board for the recognition and said that although he is honored to be the eighth recipient of the award, the focus should always be on conservation.
"Conservation is important because conservation lands provide recreational opportunities for our citizens, they enhance ecotourism opportunities, and because wildlife doesn't have a voice, and therefore needs people to protect it without being asked," he said.
A fifth-generation Hillsborough County native, White made significant accomplishments while serving on the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners from 2014 until his retirement in 2022. He is especially well known for preserving the county's natural resources. His contributions include championing the funding and planning for Pebble Park and leading a successful local initiative to get the U.S. Congress to authorize the necessary studies for the Little Manatee River to be designated as a "scenic river" under the Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. In 2022, the Board renamed a recently acquired 471-acre nature area in Riverview as the Stacy R. White Nature Preserve.
The Theodore Roosevelt Hillsborough Forever Conservation Award is named in honor of the 26th president of the United States. Known as the nation's first conservationist president, Theodore Roosevelt placed more than 200 million acres under public protection and doubled the number of sites in the National Park System.
The Board also presented a proclamation declaring April 2024 as Water Conservation Month and May 12 through May 18, 2024 as Florida Water Reuse Week.
Interested in all the details about the latest BOCC meeting? Here is a full recap.
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