Motion to Approve Funding for the “Hometown Habitat” Film Featuring Doug Tallamy
(Attached is the Film Proposal/Information from Producer Catherine Zimmerman and also a review on the process of completing the film by FNPS member Sue Dingwell)
Introduced at the last meeting, Catherine Zimmerman, the film’s producer, is working on raising funds to create a 90 minute film that depicts stories in (5) places around the country in which the lack of native plants is causing irreparable problems with habitat and wildlife. Some stories depict the significant progress that has been made to incorporate natives into urban and suburban communities in different ways. Doug Tallamy will be featured at the beginning and after each story interjecting his research and information to educate and disseminate his scientific research regarding native plants throughout the film.
One story will be based in Florida – Eco-Artists and how they influence people to care more about conservation and native plants. Ms. Zimmerman has ensured that FNPS and Jaret Daniel, Reed Noss and /or Richard Hilsenbeck will be given the opportunity to speak in the film about Florida biodiversity, FL plant communities and our struggles here with the lack of native plants, etc.
The impetus of the film will be to bring the plight of the lack of native plants in our communities and what that means for natural areas and citizens to a wide audience across the nation. The final product will be something that FNPS and the chapters can use for Education outreach purposes.
They have raised $35,000 towards the $176,000 needed to complete the film. They are requesting $5,000 from FNPS future budgets ($2,500 from the proposed 2016 budget and $2,500 from the 2017 budget) to support the work. They are also asking all other native plant societies and other organizations and individuals for funding across the U.S. Our funds will be returned if the film does not move forward but they anticipate starting the project within the next year.
Motion is to approve donating $5,000 over the next 2 ˝ years towards supporting the “Hometown Habitat” film featuring Doug Tallamy.
