User:Greenmamita

Steve Barnes is a veteran journalist who has written extensively about Central Florida's environmental issues. In 2005, he was awarded the Friends of the Wekiva River Media Award for raising awareness of issues facing that beautiful but threatened waterway.

Steve grew up on the Space Coast of Florida, where he first gained an appreciation for nature while surfing off of Cape Canaveral and exploring the spoil islands in the Indian River Lagoon. He moved to Sanford in 1991 and graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2001 with degrees in journalism and political science. An avid kayaker, Steve has paddled and camped along many of Florida's rivers, including the Wekiva, the Econ, the Silver and the Ocklawaha. He also sails regularly on Lake Monroe aboard his 26-foot cruiser, River Rat. Steve is dedicated to preserving all of these magical places for future generations.

As a member of the Lake Monroe Sailing Association, Steve co-founded and chairs the club's youth sailing initiative, which gives at-risk and financially-disadvantaged teens the opportunity to learn basic sailing techniques and spend time on Lake Monroe aboard club members' boats. The program is free to participants and is supported by the members. Participants have included Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as well as teens from Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Florida United Methodist Children's Home.

A dedicated father, Steve worked for many years as a freelance writer in order to be with his daughters after school. He has also taught high school journalism and has been a volunteer with Seminole County Public Schools for nearly a decade. He is currently working to raise money to support the Mud Walk at the Seminole County Environmental Studies Center. That program - which introduces thousands of students each year to some of Florida's most threatened habitats - was cut this year due to budget constraints.

In addition to his work as an environmental writer, Steve led the charge to restore Lake Amory near Sanford, which had become so overgrown with invasive plants that fishing and canoeing were impossible in roughly 70 percent of the lake. Working with fellow residents, volunteers and county officials, Steve was able to get Amory restored. It is now a prime example of what a small lake can offer in terms of recreation and wildlife. He and other volunteers continue to work to create a more natural environment for the abundance of wildlife that call the lake home. He was featured on SGTV for his role and Lake Amory is now held up as a model for future Seminole County lake restoration projects.

Steve is also a long-time volunteer with the University of Florida LakeWatch program and has shared his knowledge of aquatic issues freely with other Seminole County residents who want to see their own lakes restored to a more pristine condition.

A former business owner, Steve is also a member of the Sanford Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to his concern for the environment, Steve also cares deeply about foreign affairs. He is a long-time member of the International Council of Central Florida, a program sponsored by the State Department that brings together local "citizen ambassadors" with visiting foreign dignitaries. He has served several times as a host and has led visitor programs related to the environment, journalism and US politics.