CELEBRATING THE DEDICATION OF THE HOBE SOUND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN HONOR OF NATHANIEL P. REED; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 65
(Extensions of Remarks - April 15, 2019)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING THE DEDICATION OF THE HOBE SOUND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
IN HONOR OF NATHANIEL P. REED
______
HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS
of florida
in the house of representatives
Monday, April 15, 2019
Mr. HASTINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedication
of the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge in honor of the late
Nathaniel P. Reed. Nathaniel, who was known as Nat, was an
enviromnentalist and champion of Florida's environment. He served as
Assistant Secretary of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks at the United States
Department of the Interior from 1971 to 1977, under President Richard
Nixon and President Gerald Ford. Furthermore, had it not been for
Nathaniel, our nation would be without the Marine Mammals Protection
Act, the intact and expanded Redwoods National Park, the Endangered
Species Act and the Clean Water Act.
Originally born in New York City, Nathaniel spent much of his time
growing up in Hobe Sound, Florida. His concern for the environment
developed from his firsthand experience with the threat of
overpopulation to Florida's natural landscape and by the example of his
mother, who was a lead organizer in opposing the development of a theme
park on an island near their home.
Nathaniel started his career in the family real estate and hotel
business in Florida, where his concern for the environment steered him
into public service. He went on to serve six Florida governors.
He was a member of many environmental advocacy groups, most notably
the 1000 Friends of Florida, an organization which he founded, and
served as president and chairman. He also served on the boards of the
Everglades Foundation (which he helped found), the Nature Conservancy,
the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Natural Resources Defense Council,
the National Audubon Society, Yellowstone National Park, the National
Geographic Society, and the South Florida Water Management District.
Throughout his career, he was one of the most eloquent and effective
advocates for fish, wildlife and nature of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Hobe Sound National Wildlife refuge is a part of the United
States National Wildlife Refuge system, and is the type of vulnerable
land Nathaniel dedicated his life to protecting. The newly named
Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge will rightly
honor his life's work.
Madam Speaker, Nathaniel was a powerhouse of Florida politics, but
more than that, he was a dear friend and a mentor to me, as well as to
countless others. During his six decades of activism, he was a tireless
crusader for the environment and the Everglades. Nathaniel inspired
generations of conservationists, and what he did for America's River of
Grass is immeasurable. Hobe Sound represents the starting place of
Nathaniel's love for our nation's environment, and this dedication of
the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge in his honor will allow his
life and legacy to always endure.
____________________