Our History: The Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation
In 1998, the Florida Greenways Coordinating Council and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) completed a five-year plan for a statewide system of greenways and trails. The plan was entitled “Connecting Florida’s Communities with Greenways and Trails.” The recommendations that came out of that plan culminated in the establishment of the Florida Greenways and Trails Council to be staffed by FDEP’s new Office of Greenways and Trails. The council began meeting in early 2000 and recognized the need to have a citizen-support organization (CSO) similar to those set up to support the state parks. A CSO steering committee with members of the council was established and the Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation (FGTF) was created.
The Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation was incorporated in August 2001, organized exclusively for charitable purposes and for the benefit of the Office of Greenways and Trails, especially to receive private donations intended to improve the quality of the greenway and trail experience for Florida citizens and visitors. In March 2002, willing members of the CSO steering committee became the original FGTF Board of Directors with the first order of business to apply for 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation, review the draft bylaws, and other administrative tasks. The nonprofit status was approved in August 2002.
Presidents of the FGTF Board of Directors have included the following:
2002-2005 Margaret Dyer
2005-2007 Kathy Baughman-McLeod
2007-2009 Helen Koehler
2009-2023 Dale Allen
2023-present Ned Baier
In 2009, FGTF launched a campaign to “Close the Gaps” in Florida’s greenways and trails system. The ambitious effort promised to connect hundreds of miles of existing trails together linking communities with major activity centers, schools, and parks. At the same time, FGTF felt this would create new economic opportunities for small businesses across Florida. This had widespread support and led to what is known as the Coast-to-Coast Trail, the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop, and the Heart of Florida Loop. This initiative also served as a catalyst for legislation creating the SUN Trail system in 2015.
The establishment of the Shared-Use Non-Motorized (SUN) Trail Program in 2015 by the Florida Legislature and the Governor to be administered by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) was a major game-changer for advancing the statewide network of greenways and trails. It combines sound planning and programming practices with funding that is provided annually. The legislation provided $25 million annually from the State Transportation Trust Fund for multi-use paved trails of national, state, and regional significance. Furthermore, these trails were to be designed to “facilitate an interconnected system of trails by completing gaps between existing trails,” continuing the popular theme of “closing the gaps.” The SUN Trail network also aligns with the Florida Greenways and Trails System Plan’s Land Trail Priority Network overseen by the FDEP’s Office of Greenways and Trails. FGTF has an excellent working relationship with both FDOT and FDEP.
Another major piece of legislation (SB 106) was approved in 2023 by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. This legislation further strengthened the existing SUN Trail legislation by doubling the annual funding to $50 million and providing $200 million in non-recurring funds for additional SUN Trail projects. This legislation also integrated the Florida Wildlife Corridor with the SUN Trail network. This presents many opportunities that need to be explored. In order to do this in a collaborative manner, FGTF has begun working with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. SB 106 also required a number of special projects to be handled by FDOT such as developing a SUN Trail Assets Inventory and it established new data collection and reporting requirements to track progress. All of this reflected the Florida State Legislature’s commitment to having an effective statewide system of greenways and trails.
FGTF’s activities each year are guided by a Five-Year Strategic Plan. The current plan expires at the end of 2025. Tied into this, a look-back and assessment is being completed. The findings from this process will be incorporated in an updated Five-Year Strategic Plan that will be adopted in late 2025.
