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Highlands Today

Highlands Should Protect Its Sensitive Land

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By HANK KOWALSKI Guest Column

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 13, 2008

It is not certain which environmental organization came up "Pave it or Save it," but I am beholden to them as it stirred my recollection of words to that effect, thrown as a challenge; "If you want to save that piece of wild land, buy it!" How many times have I heard that from local and other bureaucrats, and even a newspaper whose editorial staff must have been influenced by developers or big agriculture?

The people of Highlands County were denied an opportunity to say yes or no to a plan that would have more than doubled any local money raised to purchase environmentally sensitive lands. In my opinion there were three reasons why this badly needed plan was killed:

No. 1: An editorial in Highlands Today supported the idea but stated that this was not the right time. My answer: There will never be a right time! People have aligned themselves with speculators, developers and pro-growth entities and will always prepare traps and snares for those willing to champion the cause of land preservation.

No. 2: The sudden unfortunate turn around by the Natural Resources Advisory Commission as it took back its previously positive recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. My answer: "Saying that NRAC would consider the plan again in two years is ludicrous! Can anyone please tell me how many acres of good, wild and viable scrub will be bulldozed in two years?"

No. 3: The lukewarm help from the Nature Conservancy was more hindrance than help. My opinion: The representative of TNC should have stayed in her office in Lake Wales and allowed the more dedicated local environmentalists to carry the ball! It is a mystery to me that an organization asking for our money to save the rain forests in Brazil won't give us real help when we want to save our own "rain forests right here in Highlands County."

A grand opportunity to once and for all allow the people to vote a miniscule amount of money per household to help purchase environmentally sensitive lands has been lost. Dr. Elton Gissendanner, a "white knight" willing to give his time, effort and money, spearheaded this most important plan. With all the necessary know how and contacts in Tallahassee, Dr. Gissendanner was the right man at the right time, but too much "friendly fire" shot him and the other plan down. How long will we have to wait for another white knight?

You would think by now that the Natural Resources Advisory Commission would be able to recommend to our Board of County Commissioners a way to close the "Two-Acre Loophole." That "loophole" goes something like this: Say I'm a developer and I have 100 acres I'd like to clear. If I go to the planning department and ask for permission, an environmental impact study would be required. However, I know that if I clear two acres of that 100, a study is not required. So, what do you think? Of course Mr. Developer clears two acres at a time and who cares? You, you and you too! If you see activity that indicates land clearing, especially if you know gopher tortoises or Florida scrub jays live there, call the Game Commission at 1-800-282-8002.

If you have resided in Highlands County for a while, I am sure you have noticed a marked decline in wildlife. When was the last time you were able to go to your favorite "spot' and feed a scrub jay a peanut from your hand? When was the last time you enjoyed watching a covey of northern bob-whites under your feeder, together with a rufus-sided towhee scratching like a chicken?

When was the last time you saw a meadowlark and listened to its beautiful song? These are just some of the birds hit hard because of the loss of habitat. And let us not forget that survivor (until now!) the gopher tortoise. Just how many hundreds of these animals have been bulldozed into oblivion is anyone's guess. How many of them have been buried alive, dying a slow suffocating death as their burrows are covered, entombing this wonderful creature and all other animals living in harmony in the burrow?

Something designated as quality of life has been dealt a serious blow. Can that quality of life recover? Perhaps. It's up to all of us to become more tuned to what's going on around us and report the bad guys to the proper authorities. Is there another white knight out there?

Hank Kowalski lives in Lake Placid.

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