P.A.W.S.
Peoples Alliance for Wildlife Survival, Inc.
A Florida 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization
CLICK HERE for a list of "PET FRIENDLY" parks and forests in Florida
MAPS, MAPS & more MAPS, including National Forest and Florida Wildlife maps, compliments of the University of Florida Library of Images and Maps.
Contact webmaster about an ineffective link
Questions about this site
ILLEGAL DRUG ACTIVITY in Florida's forests is extremely detrimental to wildlife that comes in contact with residual chemicals and discarded containers left behind as a result of roaming drug labs. Of course, there is also the ever-present risk of explosions and fires from these activities, as well as inherent acts of violence and intimidation that arise from them.
 | ||||||
SECURE CONFIDENTIAL LINK
P.A.W.S. is proud to announce preparation for another broad cleanup of the Ocala National Forest. Our last major clean-up effort was in 2006, when more than 115 volunteers and four local businesses joined together to remove 458,000 pounds of debris, 56,000 pounds of tires, over a dozen automobiles and boats, as well as various hazardous materials, such as wet-cell batteries, paints, etc.
The U.S. Forest Service, Keep Marion Beautiful, and the Marion County Solid Waste Department were all instrumental in the success of the previous event.
We want to make this a "forest-wide" event in 2019, and will be talking with the US Forest Service and the Marion County Solid Waste department for coordination.
Our sponsor for this event will be:
Volunteers DESPERATELY NEEDED!
We are accepting pre-registration for volunteers to assist with our proposed 2019 Ocala National Forest Clean-Up Event
Please contact Sheryl Hall, Volunteer Coordinator via e-mail at:
Local Businesses are Strongly Encouraged
Effective January 1st, 2019, PAWS - People's Alliance for Wildlife Survival, Inc. no longer solicits donations from the general public, and as such, we are discontinuing registration with the Florida Department of Agriculture Solicitations for Contributions.
While we remain a 501 (c) 3 non-profit entity, we have chosen to internally fund our operations from this point with the help of Dr. and Mars. Michael E. Bowen, their family foundation, and Villages Estate Liquidations, Inc. We are als grateful to a number of other non-public donor foundations which have supported our charitable endeavors from our onset. THANK YOU ALL.
NOTICE:
Our non-profit entity is temporarily suspending the intake of future Gopher tortoise relocation projects while we contemplate recent rulings regarding destruction of Gopher tortoise burrows and the killing of protected species and their commensals.
State agencies have recently ruled on multiple cases of pre-permit damage and have set a precedent of an average $500.00 fine for illegal destruction, which is FAR LESS than the typical cost to properly relocate. These recent decisions pave the way for mass destruction by wealthy developers who would rather pay the fine and ask for forgiveness, than to pay the proper fees and ask for permitted permission.
We have no intention of working within a system that promotes illegal activity over proven conservation techniques. FINES and FEES are supposed to be a deterrent to illegal activity and not an enticement!
As one of the very first and longest continuous state-licensed Gopher tortoise agents, we are contemplating surrendering our permits and ceasing all future relocation activities.
