A specialty license plate dedicated to the St. Johns River will be available for purchase at local tax collectors offices in early December. The specialty license plates cost $25 annually above the standard Florida license plate, and the non-profit organization St. Johns River Alliance, Inc., will receive funding from the proceeds. The organization will also administer grants to other qualifying organizations.
(This press release was prepared by the St. Johns River Alliance.)
The St. Johns River Alliance, a non-profit organization focused on protecting, preserving and preserving Florida's only American Heritage River, worked closely alongside the late Senator Jim King and his wife Mrs. Linda King to pass this plate through the Florida Legislature. It was officially signed into law on October 1, 2010 with nine others, bringing Florida to a total of 123 specialty plates.
The specialty license plate has a picture of a man kayaking the St. Johns River while a great blue heron flies above. The kayak emblematically includes the word 'King' on its side in memoriam.
Sales from the plate will support programs to protect the St. Johns River, including:
- Community outreach and access programs,
- Competitive grant program for community-based (or county-based) research or projects for which state funding is limited or not currently available, and
- Springs protection.
The St. Johns River Alliance intends to provide additional opportunities for people to experience and appreciate the St. Johns River by fostering trail planning and advancing ecotourism and heritage tourism throughout the region. In addition, funds will be granted for community-based projects.
'Following the success of the 2010 St. Johns River Summit, the St. Johns River Alliance – in collaboration with other stakeholder groups - will spend the coming months developing a series of plans for the river,' said Executive Director, Mark Middlebrook. 'These plans will focus on the river's greatest needs and gaps in terms of research, ecoheritage tourism, and restoration. We are looking forward to funds from the license plate to help us better address the river's needs from Indian River County all the way to Mayport.'
For more information on the St. Johns River License Plate, visit www.stjohnsriveralliance.com