As a Florida native, Haley has come to believe that making smarter building and development decisions has allowed Floridians to continue welcoming people to our state while also protecting natural and agricultural lands. The folks at 1000 Friends of Florida calls this "smart growth." Haley grew up tubing the Ichetucknee River, sticking her head in spring vents, and paddling the Santa Fe River on family vacations. She is an urban planner, finishing up her graduate degree from the University of Florida, and urges people to get involved with their local government's planning and development decisions. Haley believes this is how we can best protect Florida's special places.As Outreach Director at 1000 Friends of Florida, Haley promotes sustainable growth through collaboration with civic and conservation organizations across Florida. She assists in planning local workshops and information events statewide. Through lobbying, written and oral testimony, Haley works with local and state leaders to support strong growth management policy.Learn more and sign up for the 1000 Friends of Florida newsletter below: 1000fof.orgWebinars: 1000fof.org/webinarsInstagram: @1000friendsoffloridaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067210687712About 1000 Friends of Florida:As one of their board members says, people don't come to Florida for the strip malls and subdivisions, they come here for the IDEA of Florida. For our beautiful climate, beaches and springs, and a certain quality of life. We are an international travel destination and have been a retiree haven for decades. How we balance tourist-driven population growth with protecting our natural resources has been a challenge over the years.Success stories that Haley mentioned:No Road to Ruin: https://noroadstoruin.org/Suncoast Waterkeeper: https://www.suncoastwaterkeeper.orgSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/florida-uncut/donations