By: Catherine Barley-Albertini
My father, George Barley, never ceased to amaze me with his passion for nature. He took my mother, Shirley, and sisters Lauren and Mary and me out in it often, and our family vacations centered around it. He taught us to love and protect nature and wildlife.
Although I live in California, I visit Florida frequently and appreciate its delicate ecosystem. If my father were alive, he would be appalled at today’s political, economic and scientific shenanigans. Almost 22 years after his death, nothing has really changed, despite people at his funeral promising to fight for his cause. He was wealthy, but he was an extremely conservative, low-key person who lived modestly. More than anything else, he demanded honesty and stopped at nothing to find the truth. He instilled that precious trait in me. While he wasn’t able to realize his dream, I feel an obligation to help fulfill it…