Marian Ryan, conservation chair and vice chair for Florida Sierra’s Ancient Islands Group, was appointed Tuesday to the county’s Conservation Land Acquisition Selection Advisory Committee.
The committee makes recommendations to the County Commission regarding land purchases under the Polk County Environmental Lands Program, which is funded by a property tax voters approved in a 2022 referendum.
Ryan is involved in a number of local conservation organizations. In addition to Sierra, she is on the board of directors of Green Horizon Land Trust and is president of the Friends of the Parks Foundation.
She has served on a number of state and local committees including the Green Swamp Task Force, the Polk County Water Policy Advisory Committee and the Peace River Basin Management Advisory Committee.
She also served on CLASAC from 1996 to 2016 when it was making recommendations on the spending of money that had been approved by voters in a 1994 referendum.
Ryan was active in the campaigns for both referendums.
She was recommended for appointment by County Commissioner Martha Santiago. She fills the unexpired term of Kerry Hammock, who died in November.
Ryan joins Ancient Islands Chair Tom Palmer, who was appointed to the committee last year.
Tom Palmer
Winter Haven