Foundation History

The Arthur R. Marshall Foundation was founded in 1998 by John Arthur Marshall, nephew of Art Marshall. A University of Florida graduate in geology and a Top Gun graduate with a 32 year career as a Marine officer and civil servant, John has the integrity and determination to carry on the work started by Arthur R. Marshall. For his steadfast work, both the Florida Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society of the Everglades recognized him as Conservationist of the Year in 2001. Under his leadership the organization is focusing on two areas of Everglades restoration: Sheet Flow and Restoration of Florida's ancient forests. 'To the maximum extent possible, we must continue to focus on the need to reconnect Lake Okeechobee to the rest of the Everglades and reestablish 'sheet flow' from the Kissimmee to Florida Bay and to re-vegetate,' says Marshall.

Environmental Programs - Since essentially no reforestation has been included in the official Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan we have initiated a massive 15-year Cypress tree-planting program. The first tree-planting project was initiated on February 10, 2001, at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, where over 400 volunteers planted 8,000 cypress trees in one day. Over a three year period ending in 2003 a total of 55,801 trees were planted at six major locations throughout Palm Beach County, Florida. The all-volunteer organization has awarded thousand of community service hours.

Scholarships - The Marshall Foundation has awarded $250,000 in scholarships to 42 students at local high schools and universities. Each year, the Foundation gives a paid internship to an outstanding student in the science department at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and grants another $15,000 to a college or graduate student through the Marshall Scholar Program. That program is sponsored by the South Florida Water Management District and provides $15,000 to a student who makes a commitment to disseminate the Marshall Foundation s message of Everglades restoration to at least 10,000 people annually. The Foundation also sponsors an award-winning summer internship each year for high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students wishing to study environmental science. The rigorous, 10-week program explores the ecology, hydrology, geology and history of the Florida Everglades. The program has produced 19 graduates since its inception. Students enrolled in the Environmental Academies at Forest Hill High School and Jupiter High School have also earned scholarships from the Marshall Foundation, as have pupils at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.

Future Plans - The future is bright at the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation. Our educational programs for school-aged children expanded by 300% between 2005 and 2006 and they re still growing. We are increasing our visibility throughout the state of Florida through our award-winning summer intern program for graduate and undergraduate students, our River of Grass Gala, which is fast becoming one of the social events of the season, and our ambitious tree-planting program, which has resulted in 77,000 native wetland trees being planted at sites throughout Palm Beach and Broward Counties in the past five years. These trees, which were once a vital part of the native Everglades ecosystem, will stabilize top soil, help remove pollutants from our drinking water and provide homes to birds and animals. We are committed to the development of future environmental leaders, creating volunteer programs and playing an active role in advising institutions and informing citizens about the progress of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

Community Outreach - In recent years, the Marshall Foundation reached out to over 200,000 people through speaking engagements, volunteer activities and educational programs. Some of our largest annual community outreach events include Everglades Day, which takes place each February at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, the Cypress Harvest, when volunteers come to the Refuge to collect cypress seeds that are later planted to help restore the Everglades, and our volunteer tree-plantings on Torry Island in Lake Okeechobee. The Marshall Foundation has also been represented at the Palm Beach County Cultural Council s Taste of Palm Beach County and Drive for the Arts events, Naturescaping 2006 at MacArthur Beach State Park and the FAU volunteer fair, to name a few.