What Springsfest Is All About!

SSince the first Marion County Springs Festival in 2002 many positive things have happened in Marion County regarding springs protection. Marion County is the steward of four of Florida's first magnitude springs so it makes sense that Marion County would be a state leader

The Mission of the Florida Park Service is to provide resource based recreation while restoring, preserving, and interpreting Florida's natural and cultural resources.

in springs and groundwater protection. However, recent budget cutbacks and overall tough economic times have taken their toll on funding for springs protection. The residents of Marion County should be proud that such a dedicated group of springs advocates comes together yearly to raise awareness about springs protection. Springs are incredible ecosystems that provide the life-giving fluid we all must have. Without them many of our rivers, lakes and estuaries would become irreparably damaged. They also provide us with a glimpse into one of the most productive aquifer systems in the world: the Floridan aquifer system. More than 90 percent of Floridians get their water from one of Florida's aquifer systems - if the water in our springs is degraded then so too is our drinking water. Kudos to the organizers of th e Marion County Springs Festival. Their message is relevant to us all!