National leaders and local ocean advocates joined together in Key West, on February 19, 2004 for a major milestone in the development of the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center. President Bush’s chief environmental advisor Jim Connaughton, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Ocean and Atmosphere Tim Keeney, ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, and Key West Mayor Jimmy Weekley all participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Center, hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
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| NMSF Trustee Jean-Michel Cousteau, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Ocean and Atmosphere Tim Keeney reveal rendering for the Dr. Nancy Foster Florida Keys Environmental Complex. |
The three-building Dr. Nancy Foster Florida Keys Environmental Complex is slated to open in the summer of 2006 at the Truman Annex in Key West. The Eco-Discovery Center will feature 6,000 square feet of interactive exhibits on the Florida Keys, and focus on human interaction with the environment, the management of marine protected areas and the maritime culture and history of the area. The Foundation is raising $1.8 million to outfit the center with exhibitory. Federal funds have already been secured for the construction of the complex.
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Trustee and ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau helped launch the Foundation’s ‘Sea Star’ campaign in conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony. The Sea Star campaign is a critical part of the Foundation’s overall efforts to raise private sector funds to outfit the Eco-Discovery Center with state-of-the-art exhibitory that will interpret the South Florida ecosystem.
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| Local Committee co-chairs Bob Holston and Cece Roycraft and NMSF Trustee Jean-Michel Cousteau present the ‘Sea Stars’ during the groundbreaking ceremony. |
Individuals and organizations will have the opportunity to receive permanent recognition at the Eco-Discovery Center for their donation of $250, $500 or $1000. Concrete tiles in the shape of sea stars will be engraved with donor’s names and imbedded in the walkway leading up to the Eco-Discovery Center lobby. Donations of $25, $50 and $100 will be recognized with a thank you gift of a car decal, mug or t-shirt all featuring the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center logo.
To become a permanent part of this incredible environmental education center and Ambassadors for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary click here for your Sea Star.
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| Graphic of the walkway imbedded with sea stars. |
The Eco-Discovery Center is a cooperative effort of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the National Park Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The federal partners are being supported by the fundraising capabilities of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
We would like to thank our sponsors for their support of the Florida Keys Eco-discovery Center.
