Fight for Florida’s Wildlands
Cypress Knees, Big Cypress Preserve © Jon Rezendes
Florida’s state parks face a dire threat like never seen before in their history as part of the American Union. In a plan so ironic it could have been the subject of a satirical novel, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has proposed to build golf courses, pickleball courts, and resort hotels in nine undeveloped state parks across numerous counties. This writer doesn’t need to tell the Rewilding Earth audience why the removal of coastal dunes and upland hummocks in a place that the sea peels back inch by inch every year is a ridiculous bit of folly and greed… but that hasn’t stopped the Ron DeSantis administration.
The outcry has been significant and the impact has forced FDEP to push public commentary back to September 2nd. Many organizations have rallied together to organize people with information. Even other prominent elected officials have rebuked this plan. As I write this on the morning of August 24th, 2024, protests around the state picket these parks to demonstrate exactly how they feel about this greedy debacle.
But outcry alone will not be enough. Public commentary is a crucial part of the process, but should the DeSantis administration decide to push forward (as all signs indicate they will with their recent social media activity), they have the legal authority.
Rewilding Longleaf Pine Forest © Jon Rezendes
This style of anti-wilderness public land development has implications that extend far beyond just Florida’s state lines. If the state’s red hat bureaucrats are successful in their endeavor, then other aligned ones (like my own current home of Texas) may view this as the new model to stimulate flagging rural economies or secure development projects for their richest campaign funders. Now imagine this at the federal level: golf courses along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, pickleball courts beside the Gila River Wilderness, a hotel atop Half Dome. This may sound hyperbolic now, but so did golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park when there are already forty-seven in the surrounding area. We know that enough is never enough for those who only value greed. We must not relinquish this hill. This is your public land, not theirs.
Floridians, if this continues, your only choice will be to impeach Ron DeSantis. The power belongs to the people, not the politicians. The more they consolidate it, the harder it will be to take it back. Don’t give up. Protect your wild, Floridians. Fight for Florida.
Santa Rosa Sound © Jon Rezendes
Below are ways you can help from your favorite trail, your office, or your couch:
- Sign the Florida Wildlife Federation petition.
- Fill out the FDEP survey and tell them in explicit and clear language that you are opposed to the Great Outdoor Initiative of 2024-2025 and that it is against their mandate as the Department of Environmental Protection.
- Call FDEP at 850-245-2157, press 0, and ask to file a complaint. They have to register all complaints and are running a log. I did this and it took less than five minutes.
- If you live in Florida, join a protest at one of the nine affected parks:
- Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Martin County)
- Anastasia State Park (St. Johns County)
- Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (Walton County)
- Camp Helen State Park (Bay County)
- Grayton Beach State Park (Walton County)
- Hillsborough River State Park (Hillsborough County)
- Honeymoon Island State Park (Pinellas County)
- Von Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park (Broward County)
- Oleta River State Park (Miami-Dade County)
Major update from just a few hours after this was published (8/28/24): DeSantis says they’re going back to the drawing board! Immense pressure from citizens has caused the governor’s office to reconsider the plan. They’ll be back next year, hopefully with plans that increase outdoor access for all without sacrificing wilderness. If not, they know we’ll be waiting for them. Great job, Florida. Never stop fighting for your wilderness.
Gulf of Mexico © Jon Rezendes
Jon Rezendes is a former US Army infantry combat veteran, Ranger Instructor, and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Since leaving service, Jon works for a decarbonization-focused software company and dedicates his life to the preservation of wilderness with his wife, a certified associate wildlife biologist and PhD student, and their two children. In his spare time, Jon is a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Lobo Coalition and the Frontera Land Alliance. Visit jonrezendes.com to learn more.