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Highlands Today

Destroying Land

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Frank Wiseman

Published: March 6, 2009

I would like to report a crime; two crimes actually. The first is a decade of destruction to public property by the users of ATVs, Jeeps and trucks in the Henscratch and Leisure Lakes areas of the protected Lake Wales Ridge properties.

Wetlands are turned into oil slicked mud holes, scrub has been turned into sand pits, trails made into sugar sand gashes through the woods and stream beds have been channelized and left to the forces of erosion.

Trash from bed springs to boats, along with the usual broken bottles and cans are littered about. Open fires and gun fire are common. It's a shame and a crime how this resource is being treated by an uncaring and irresponsible segment of society.

The second crime I want to report is the dereliction of duty by those charged with the protection of these properties: FWC, NRAC, Nature Conservancy and others. FWC doesn't take the most basic actions to meet its responsibilities, i.e.; fencing and an occasional patrol on any Friday or Saturday.

NRAC doesn't seem to give any priority to the problem. The Nature Conservancy with the Forever Florida program wants us to commit more money to buy more land, but why? Why buy more land when we are unable to protect what we have?

Frank Wiseman
Lake Placid

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