May 2, 2007

From Eric Draper

Another step toward creating a world class nature center in Florida’s panhandle takes place this week as we welcome Linda Macbeth to the Audubon of Florida staff.  As Project Manager for the proposed Audubon Center at West Bay, Linda will lead efforts to build support for the center among residents and investors in Bay and Walton Counties and other nearby communities. The Center will be located on 7,000 acres of land under restoration on the Breakfast Point Peninsula on St. Andrew Bay near Panama City Beach, Florida.  The site represents a mixture of coastal habitats and includes important examples of the ecosystems and wildlife of Northwest Florida.  The area hosts millions of visitors each year.  The Audubon Center will educate both visitors and residents and provide an alternative and complementary experience to the region’s famous beaches.   

A lifetime conservationist and educator, Ms. Macbeth brings her training in Anthropology and Landscape Architecture and her extensive experience in planning, community action and outdoor learning environments to this project. “This is a dream job for me”, says Macbeth, “helping to create a place that connects people with nature, inspires environmental lifestyles and builds a stronger sense of community and place.”  

The Audubon Center at West Bay was proposed by Bay County Audubon Society as part of an innovative sector plan balancing the area’s future growth with land and water conservation.   National Audubon Society and the St. Joe Company have signed a MOU that provides a site for the Audubon Center at West Bay.