The Paynes Prairie Ecopassage
Picture credit: Ebyabe
This week was our trip up to Gainesville for my latest Skin cancer check up.
It was, as always, a great journey as it goes through the most beautiful part of Central Florida.
My check up went well, no more new melanomas, only two minor things and I was sent off until end of November.
Yeah~
But, while we were up there a story came on the news that made both of us furious.
It was about plans to bring more cattle to a place that many Floridians and visitors alike, consider to be the closest thing we have here to Heaven, it is the Paynes Prairie Preserve, a wild ecopassage just before you get to Gainesville on 441.
We have been through it hundreds of times over the past ten years, and it has always been the highlight of our trip.
It is just after you pass Micanopy, on either side of the road, for as far as the eye can see, glorious wildflowers, wild birds and all manner of other wild things, who know full well that they live in paradise.
There are always bald eagles, scissor-tailed kites and a wide assortment of gorgeous wading birds in the area.
It is literally a feast for the eyes.
So, as you can imagine, when this story came on the news, it made both of us sick.
Our Governor, you know the one who was just given an environmental award by one of his pals, has without asking, decided that cattle will be allowed to graze and live in this paradise for wild things.
Those who were interviewed in the story were locals who have started a petition, not that it will stop Scott and company, to try to prevent this insanity.
It is quite insulting to those of us who love the pristine wild areas like Paynes Prairie, that this man and his cattle pals intend to turn Florida into a swampy version of Texas.
Is the reason that Scott is now pushing cows into every corner of the state because his wealthy cow friends are already writing very big checks for his next campaign?
Everyone knows that when his time as Governor is done, he will move on to the next empty seat here.
You will find the Petition below, please sign it and share it, if you agree~
Please consider that if we can stop this, we can prevent Paynes Prairies’ pain in the future.
Places to learn more:
Petition opposes agricultural expansion for Paynes Prairie
The Petition: Paynes Prairie in danger
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Government in the Shadows vs. Paynes Prairie
Walking with the Alligators 
Reblogged this on sachemspeaks.
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Donna, I couldn’t find the petition – it could be that I’ve been looking at the computer screen too long, but I really did search the links…
Dear Carol:
It is here: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/paynes-prairie-in-danger
Thank you, Donna. I just signed it 🙂
Reblogged this on Wobbly Warrior's Blog and commented:
Please go to the original Walking with the Alligators post and sign the petition there. Thank you.
Thank you so very much for sharing this!
Thank you so much Carol!!!!
Thanks for posting this. Everyone should make their voice heard by signing the petition and letting our legislators know we don’t want this to happen. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/paynes-prairie-in-danger?source=c.em&r_by=46840
Hope you’re check-up went well Donna. I will sign the petition. Much love to You and Sachem.
*your
How disgraceful Donna, yes, I’m familiar with cattle grazing all over the country. Of course I will sign it.
Wow, this really is an appalling state we are in?
Great to hear your news that you have no more new melanomas. Sad to hear about Paynes Prairie. I will sign it.
Reblogged this on Sherlockian's Blog.
Follow the money. I could bet that Governor Scott is getting paid under the table to allow this to happen. If it comes to be that grazing is allowed, it will not be long before the wildlife will be in the way of the money-making beef projects. Governor Scott would be wiser to encourage folks to become vegetarians because beef is one of the worst for climate change. I doubt Governor Scott cares a hoot about facts, though.
Petition signed.
In reading the first article you link to I found this statement from one of the petition signers:
“The parks were created for their value and for nature and for limited recreation, not for agricultural purposes.”
How absolutely true. And then I recalled an experience I had last year in Wisconsin on state-owned land called Scientific and Natural Areas (SNA). I had always thought that SNA’s were run exclusively by the state’s department of natural resources (they are in Minnesota where I live). Not so in Wisconsin. Many are under the management (HA!) of county forestry departments and are logged. On the Wisconsin DNR’s website describing these various SNA’s they talk as if these are wild areas but after having seen over 18 of them last summer I know now that it is not true and that the land is treated no differently than any other industrial forest.
Parks and other land set aside for wild nature are not and should not be used as commercial grazing land, a source of pulpwood and saw logs, peat mining or any other commercial venture. But the trend monetize our remaining wild lands seems to be going that way and must be stopped.
You have covered every single reason why this is so important. Thank you!
You’re very welcome. I signed the petition, too, and encourage everyone here to do the same.
Thank you again!
The privatization of the commons is theft – always has been, always will be. I signed the petition.
Thank you so much. God Bless!
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