Panhandle Wildflower Alliance Liaison
Contact: mmertz@flawildflowers.org
Marina Mertz is a Florida native with a passion for preserving Florida’s beauty for future generations. She joined Florida Wildflower Foundation in 2022 as the Panhandle Wildflower Alliance Liaison, where she works with local advocates, alliance members, local governments and FDOT to establish and maintain wildflower corridors on roadsides, utility easements, public gardens and schools. She brings the experience of a long-time small business owner and community volunteer to the position.
Marina holds a degree in Environmental Studies and a Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University. She is currently pursuing her Florida Master Naturalist and Restoration Florida Master Naturalist certifications. She is an avid gardener and maintains a large vegetable garden. She is steadily converting the rest of her home landscape to native plantings, with a goal of establishing a small refugee in the heart of downtown. She loves to be out in the field improving her botanizing skills and removing invasives, and spends her free time hiking, camping and bike touring with her family.