Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1983, canoeing with a Miccosukee Tribal member
at the Miccosukee Cultural Center in the Everglades, near Forty mile Bend.
Photo credit: Florida State Archives
Our beloved Everglades are about to be put under siege and attack once again from greedy, selfish developers and oil mongers.
After the myriad of deceitful, destructive insults that have been inflicted on one of the most incredibly beautiful places in the entire state of Florida, causing frequently irreparable harm, to the fragile wildlife and environment, now they want to drill for oil in the Everglades.
At some point the secret, silent, pay offs to all who seek to make this happen, will stop as the money runs out, and when there is nothing left here but sand, what will it all mean?
The Everglades Ecosystem and its surrounding area are so critical, to so many species of animals and plants, that it is hard to conceive in advance, the level and depth of damage that this most recent proposal can and will bring with it to the love of Marjory’s life.
I for one, am glad that she is not alive to see what soon may become of what she fought most of her life to preserve and protect.
As expected, Audubon of Florida and numerous concerned individuals and Environmental groups are outraged and alarmed at what could happen here.
The gist of this latest assault on the pristine Everglades is this:
The Kanter family has owned a great deal of land, namely 20,000 acres, in this area for more than 50 years and had thought to build a city there one day, but, that did not come to fruition.
This beautiful place remained quietly unmolested until just recently, when a great deal of interest and money suddenly began swirling around the Everglades and this powerful Real Estate family, who stand to make a great deal of money either way.
If they sell the land to Florida, they make money, if they drill they make money.
Either way they win and Florida, our fragile wildlife and the Everglades Ecosystem loses, big time!
It is an ironic tragedy, that one of the reference places listed below comes from the very same paper where Marjory and her father both once worked, the Miami Herald.
Places to learn more:
Oil well proposed for Broward Everglades
Search for Everglades oil could move near Broward suburbs
Miami firm applies to drill for oil in Everglades
Walking with the Alligators 
Hard to hold any hope for humanity, and hence the world, when stupidity and greed can so easily trump wisdom and compassion, when something this patently wrong is actually under consideration.
You see, thank you!!
Oil-heads never cease to plumb new money-grasping depths do they! It is unconscionable that they want to drill for oil in the Everglades. We have seen so many disasters with oil extraction, quite apart from the ‘normal’ destruction it causes.
I could say, “Have these people not heard of climate change?” but no doubt they are the kind who keep their heads deep in the oil well and subscribe to ‘Climate Denier’s Weekly’!
But to speak in a language they may understand, have these people not heard, the bottom is falling out of the oil market?
This is not only the view of those of us who subscribe to The Guardian’s Keep It In The Ground campaign or the Divestment Movement. Many economists and investment advisers are now also talking about “stranded assets” and warning against investing in fossil fuel extraction that will never repay on the investment. It was only in June I was heralding the news that the G7 leaders themselves had committed to end the use of fossil fuels. https://oaktreesstudio.wordpress.com/2015/06/12/g7-leaders-commit-to-end-use-of-fossil-fuels/
When will these people ever learn? … hopefully before they destroy the irreplaceable Everglades!
Kind regards
Peggy
Thank you for this Peggy.
I think that just about covers it all.
When all that is left is the sand here in Florida, what ever will they do?
I think we must still try and hope that it won’t come to that … though it keeps getting harder to hope, I know.
After the absolute failure of the majority of voices here to protect our beautiful Black Bears from Trophy Hunting, it gets harder every day to start over and keep going.
This state is only about power and money and the developers who write big checks. Florida and its wild things and places are up for sale to the highest bidder/payer!
Oh Donna – I can surely imagine. It is tragic for the bears. The pursuit of power and money is so destructive. Some days feel very dark. I think we have to keep looking for the bright spots of good news about our planet to try and lighten our souls.
Well, it all just got a whole lot darker, Nick Wiley now wants to approve the hunting of our beautiful Florida Panther, please see my FB page, or here: http://staugustine.com/opinions/2015-07-15/editorial-politics-and-panthers#.VagEocPD_X5
Doesn’t this Wiley character understand the word “Conservation” in his job title! It certainly sounds like someone’s palm has been greased with silver.
This is the way Florida is run!
We seem to be surrounded by mad people – it just isn’t sane!
After living in California for over 30 years, this state has taken a long time to even begin to adjust to. Very few things are respected here! ” People really do need a passport to come down here. “
My next Blog posting will address this man and his actions.
US and Canadian oil companies are similarly despoiling our pristine rural landscapes (and our water and milk) here in Taranaki.
We the people, have become meaningless to Big Corporations.
Big Money now controls everything, everywhere and those who object to them,
are left to sit impotently by watching in Horror.
An important post, Donna, and so discouraging. Yet here we are caught in a conundrum. I’m sitting at a computer powered by electricity. Although we have the technology to generate renewable energy, and have had it for decades, we continue to rely on fossil fuels so the oil industry can continue to profit at the expense of places like the Everglades and the Amazon, the Middle East, and Ukraine, at the expense of all of the animals whose habitats are destroyed, and all of the people whose lives will be poisoned for generations to come. Yet I’m grateful for those who raise our awareness and advocate for wisdom and balance.
Yes, yes, yes Carol.
Thank you so much for your great wisdom and love of our Mother Earth.
As I wrote this, I was thinking of one of our favorite films, the Medicine Man, with Sean Connery.
As with our beautiful Everglades, they were quite willing to destroy the Amazons, for their selfish wants and needs,
never considering what would be erased from the future.