Usually even-keeled Tom Palmer of Ancient Islands Group Sierra Club has some harsh words for Gov. DeSantis, and well-deserved they are.
This past week there have been many articles criticizing DeSantis for his hair-brained idea regarding Florida’s award-winning parks, as well as for his dissimulation when pressured to explain.
DeSantis has little to no regard for the environment and equally little for his constituents, unless they have money. At least his office is very frugal, as they don’t waste money acknowledging letters from the common man.
Thanks, Tom, for your dispatch, even though we already knew these negative things about our dysfunctional governor.
About that comparison with Charley Johns though, don’t rule out Rick Scott.
Read the original article by Tom Palmer here in Sierra Club Ancient Islands Group.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
DeSantis & Co Dishonesty Stands Out In State Park Controversy
Forget about the pickleball courts and Hyatt-sized “lodges” for a moment and consider just how low the public perception of Florida’s government has sunk when it comes to transparency and public policy. decisions involving our state parks.
Where is Sherlock Holmes when we need him?
The mystery surrounding the plot to commercialize some of Florida’s state parks remains unsolved in many ways.
No one will admit responsibility for advancing the idea for these “improvements.” even as the state spin machine was defending them.
Gov. Ron DeSantis declared the ideas were “half-baked” even though they were all set for public meetings. The process does not work that way.
DeSantis blamed all of the hoopla on a staff leak to a “left-wing group” but won’t name the group. How chicken-hearted, and. McCarthyite. He may go down on that account as the worst governor since Charley Johns.
And we still don’t have any idea about the other plans that do not involve building a golf course nor are the details very clear about a less-discussed but related plan to surplus state forest land for another golf course. that was approved by the same Cabinet members who criticized the state park golf course package.
More details will emerge eventually and it is unlikely to make things look any better for the folks in Tallahassee.
This is my email to ARC opposing the land swap that will take 324 acres of the Withlacoochee State Forest and give it to a company that develops golf courses. Feel free to use it. ARC is scheduled to vote on the land swap on September 12. Please call or send emails in opposition.
I am writing to you to express my opposition to the land swap with Cabot Citrus that will take 324 acres of the Withlacoochee State Forest in Hernando County and designate the 324 acres as “no longer needed for conservation purposes.” The Withlacoochee State Forest land that is being traded away is conservation land and is part of the Florida wildlife corridor that has contributed to the rebound of the extremely endangered Florida panthers and other species. The 324 acres being traded away is part of the contiguous wildlife corridor conserved to compensate for the environmental impacts of the Suncoast Parkway. In contrast, the timber land being traded in this land swap is planted with rows of pine trees for later harvest. This timber land provides very little habitat for wildlife, especially the Florida panthers, as it is completely disconnected from the wildlife corridor or any other conservation land.
Cabot Citrus is a golf course developer with a course adjacent to the 324 acres of the Withlacoochee State Forest. We were all outraged at the recent plan to build golf courses on State Park land. Be assured that the general public’s opposition will be formidable at the prospect of losing 324 acres of the critical Florida wildlife corridor to development.
We are all proud of the progress Florida has made in preserving the natural habitats of our beautiful state. Florida panthers in the wild went from 20 to approximately 200, in part due to the Florida wildlife corridor that gives Florida panthers the essential space to roam. I am asking you to keep your promise to the citizens of Florida by continuing to keep all of the wildlife corridor intact and available to our beloved Florida panthers and other species.
Thank you for your consideration.
mara.gambineri@dep.state.fl.us
Bpalmer@talltimbers.org
george.warthen@MYFWC.com
Richard.Dolan@FDACS.gov
Alissa.Lotane@dos.myflorida.com
usherlt@bellsouth.net
elvapeppers@felsi.org
hank.vinson@floridadep.gov
roger.young@myfwc.com