Class Review & Final Thoughts

Dr. Morris,

I feel the class was conducted perfectly. I really enjoyed the class and now feel a better "sense of place." Keep your current strategy for future classes. Thanks again for a great semester!

Kyle

Sanibel-Captiva Urbanization

This past weekend, my family and I took a road cycling ride starting from the Sanibel Causeway and all the way through Blind Pass. Although I'm from this area and I take fishing trips in Pine Island Sound every weekend, this was my first time discovering the entire inner Sanibel landscape. While riding, I couldn't believe how many mansions, perfectly manicured yards, golf courses, and development surrounds the area. I expected big homes and some small shopping centers, but I was dumbfounded how much we've manipulated the island. It's no wonder why red tide and environmental problems on the island are escalating. Pesticides, wastewater, and pollutants destroy the surrounding seagrass beds, mangroves, and bays. As a result, we've seen an increase in fish kills in the past several years (especially during the housing boom). As we came closer to Blind Pass, large mansions lined up the beaches. I questioned, how did these people get away with building these homes on environmentally critical areas? Why would Sanibel conservation groups tolerate million dollar construction projects on their beaches? Sanibel is a perfect example of how money has blinded us to destroy our remaining natural places. Our local and state government needs to push a strict agenda towards conserving our beaches and protecting them from private companies and individuals who seek to make profits by exploiting the land. We need to understand our place in the world and the importance of preserving Florida's ecosystems.

Understanding Ft.Myers

Before visiting downtown Ft.Myers, I never stopped to think and appreciate our city's rich history. Looking out at the Caloosahatchee River, I envisioned Calusa Indian canoes searching for fish. Walking down First Street, I can imagine the great cattle drives to Punta Rassa. Every corner of Ft.Myers seemed to have a story that can teach us important history lessons. Unfortunately, many young students and adults in our area are unaware of their city's past. An uneducated society that doesn't even know their own city's history, can be doomed to repeat past mistakes. The Caloosahatchee River is a prime example of this. Before the Caloosahatchee reached its current state, the river was in a natural meandering phase. When Ft.Myers experienced population growth and became a popular area for trade and business, the river was altered by man's decision to "straighten" the waterway. This was done for easier transportation to encourage people to visit the area. After decades, the wildlife and fish populations dropped drastically and became one of America's most endangered rivers. Today, the river has not shown any steady improvement. Because of dumping agriculture waste and releasing nutrient-rich freshwater, the river is struggling even more. If people in our area were more aware of the origin of the Caloosahatchee River's downfall, we would not continue to support the current pollution agenda. Understanding our city's history and becoming informed citizens is an important step towards a healthy, sustainable future for us and the environment.
Not only do history lessons matter, the city lifestyle can teach us to survive locally and hence, a more effective and sustainable society. Less traveling leads to less greenhouse gas emissions, city-living promotes a steady local economy, and a "sense of place" is established. This field trip helped me realize how important it really is to understand the history and benefits of a city.

Forest Management & Camp Caloosa

On Thursday, I volunteered at Camp Caloosa to assist in removing exotic tree and plant species found at Camp Caloosa. Camp Caloosa is located next to Babcock Ranch and is mainly made up of Pine flatwoods. Just like most of the woods here locally, the land is infested with melaleuca trees, Brazilian peppers, Australian pine, and invasive plant species. Our guide and forester, introduced the class to the primary exotic species that have taken over South Florida, their impact on the land, and how to properly exterminate them without stimulating even more growth (from spreading seeds). Once we reviewed the basics and were able to identify the "unwanted" trees and plants, we had the opportunity to cut down the invasive species with machetes and saws. After several hours of cutting down a thick area of melaleuca trees, we noticed a huge difference. The area seemed more open and capable of providing a habitat for wildlife. Thick clumps of melaleuca and other exotic trees prevents Florida Panthers, Gopher Tortoises, Bobcats, White-tailed Deer, and other keystone species from living in the area. We witnessed several areas that have been managed using controlled fire burns that destroy dead pine and invasive plant/tree species. These areas now support a wide variety of wildlife and has reached its original state (before the invasive plants have taken over). Forest Management is an important field in maintaining a healthy woodlands environment and here in Southwest Florida, we need to make sure we properly exterminate exotic trees to sustain native plant growth.

"Pollution Within" National Geographic

Before reading the article on the National Geographic website titled "Pollution Within," I couldn't help but think "what chemicals are floating around inside of me?" The author, David Duncan, explored this issue and decided to test his own blood. DDT, PBDE, and other poisons commonly used in agriculture and production were found in his body. Although Duncan was in good shape even with the small traces of chemicals inside of him (even though he did have higher-than-normal levels of PBDE), many American families have discovered high chemical content in their children. High levels of PBDE, a flame retardant, has been reported in many infants across the country. Furniture, fabrics, and plastics are to blame for the PBDE exposure to infants which are inhaled in high amounts (above the safety quantity). PBDE is found to hinder memory, learning, and even behavior. Another chemical most commonly found in people is mercury. Mercury has been associated with the consumption of seafood, although other products contain this chemical. People and wildlife are threatened throughout the globe with the rise in mercury levels than ever before.
The most surprising fact mentioned in the article was stated on the final page which covers a program called REACH: Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals. REACH was approved by the European Union and its sole purpose is to require companies to manufacture chemicals that are safe to the public and outweigh the negative effects. REACH is currently opposed by the chemical industry and our own U.S. government. Why would the U.S. government oppose a program that benefits the public? Is it because of lobbyists convincing our government to eliminate any regulation proposals? I found this statement in the article to be very disturbing and how this type of opposition reflects other issues we face today (the oil spill, the economic crisis, etc.). We need to push for safer and biodegradable chemicals that are safe for consumers and the environment. We need to forget thinking in cost-efficient terms and think about a greener future.

My Ecological Footprint

My result on the my ecological footprint quiz was 5.49 Earths, meaning five and a half Earths are needed to sustain an entire population who live my lifestyle. I am dumbfounded by the result. My family tries to live within our needs by purchasing environmentally friendly products, buying organic foods, using minimal electricity, efficient appliances, and solar energy panels. This saddens me how much of an impact an average American family has on the global environment scale. After reviewing the results, I searched through the site to review ways to reduce my ecological footprint.
The site gives plenty of recommendations ranging from simple fixes such as using biodegradable products to higher end solutions such as purchasing energy-saving home appliances. Although these solutions will help lower America's impact on the environment, I still believe we will exceed the Earth's carrying capacity. A growing population and the increasing demand for goods will only lead to less resources and land available. While reading through the solutions page, I approached the issue with deeper, critical thought. The only solution to transforming our consumer lifestyle to a more sustainable lifestyle is to radically change our economic system. Our current system is powered by corporations who seek to make record profits and exploit the land for their own gain. We Americans, as well as other developed countries, need to stop our consumer addiction and become more educated on the negative impacts of the global economy. Instead of spending our income in Wal Mart, we need to focus on fueling our local economy and supporting our small businesses for goods and services. Localized economies will not only help the planet, but provide jobs for the community. Sure little changes can be done to help lower our impact on the environment, but we need to look at the big picture and transform our current flawed system that hurts us and foreign nations.

Corkscrew Mining

NBC-2 news recently reported that further mining projects in the Corkscrew Estero area have been canceled by Lee County commissioners. 1300 acres east of I-75 was potentially in danger of mining. The mining projects were believed to improve the local economy and outweigh the negative impacts. Residents banned together and protested against the mining. Many feared the project will devastate the local environment and harm the drinking water.
Every time I drive down Old Corkscrew, witnessing the giant mounds of dirt and deforested areas, I vision what the area used to be like before private companies arrived in the area. Miles of untouched cypress swamps, pine flatwoods, and prairie dominated the landscape. An abundance of wildlife: White-tailed deer, Florida Panthers, and Black Bears. Corkscrew reminds me of Florida's radical transformation from untouched swampland to shopping malls and golf course communities. Finally, people today have realized that we must protect every remaining watershed, cypress swamp, estuaries, and other ecosystems from total degradation if we want to enjoy its beauty. I'm finally happy to say that our local government voted against the private companies who only seek profit and who can care less about the health of our environment. I hope we can extend this type of protest from the local level to the national level (particularly oil companies).

Lovers Key & Environmental Engineering

While walking along the pristine Lovers Key beach, I remember why I've chosen to move towards a career in environmental engineering. Environmental engineers specialize in wastewater treatment, air quality, waste disposal, and measure the impacts of human development on the local ecosystems. Not only does this type of engineering field meet the needs of the local human population, but primarily focuses on ensuring that the natural world is by no means harmed in any way. Systems are designed to be effective, sustainable, and have no negative impacts on the surrounding environment. When entering the workplace, I want to make sure we protect our remaining wild places so future generations can enjoy Florida's wonders. Without the appropriate knowledge of the local environment, it will be impossible to design a facility that will be effective and safe. A perfect example of the lack of knowledge in Florida's sensitive environment was the development of canals, channelization, and dikes that rapidly occurred in South Florida in the earl 1900s. The Army Corps of Engineers arrived at the scene with intentions to support a growing population, but did not take into account the negative impacts on the surrounding wetlands that depend on the natural flow of water. As a result, today we spend millions of dollars trying to restore the "old Florida." As a future environmental engineer, I hope to work here locally in Lee County and make sure that our natural environment will remain healthy and will no longer suffer from improper practices.

Lovers Key State Park Visit

Earlier today, our class visited Lovers Key State Park. The area consists of beach, winding mangrove islands, and an important ecosystem vital to the survival of Florida's natural environment: the estuary. Estuaries act as an important habitat for wading birds, game fish, and other aquatic species. Mangrove swamps and seagrass beds are common. We witnessed several different mangroves: Red mangroves are found along the water, and black/white mangroves are found further inland. Mangroves act as a barrier against violent storms, provides habitat for fish and wildlife, maintains soil retention, and they even act as a natural filter. Unfortunately, the estuarine environment is constantly under the threat of human development and exploitation. Development and nutrient-rich runoff harms the environment daily. Not only does human activity affect the estuary and the survival of the aquatic life, but our local economy would be devastated if our natural places were to become a "dead zone." Florida's economy solely depends on tourism. If the fish populations decline, if the beaches are destroyed, and if the wetlands are polluted, then our area will suffer economically. To make sure we maintain a steady, sustainable, and healthy environment we can stress the environmental and economic importance of our local area to prevent any further harm or damage.

The Oil Spill and Florida Tourism

I read an online article on the New York Times titled "Florida Worries About Effect On Tourism" by Catharine Skipp. The article shines light on the local Florida communities who feel devastated and worried for the environment and the possible decline in tourism. The Panhandle has already felt the pain, the hotel industry as well as other businesses have already taken a 70% decline in reservations. On the west coast, there was a 15% hit in only three weeks. And one of Florida's biggest attractions, the fishing (a 5.2 billion dollar industry), is most worried about the oil slick moving closer to Florida shores. Dr. Ortner, interviewed for the story, feels the surface spill should not reach the sensitive Florida keys and Miami beaches. But, Ortner does worry about the fish population. He says fish larvae are vulnerable, especially to toxic oil slicks. Fish larvae damage will lead to lower fish populations and a damaged fishing industry. Dr.Ortner also concludes with a statement that mentions hurricanes, agreeing that a catastrophic hurricane season will devastate the gulf coast.
The BP oil spill will hurt the gulf coast for decades. Marshes, important nurseries for fish and birds, have already been destroyed and covered in oil slick. In my opinion, this can take decades before we can notice positive changes in the gulf coast environments. Regarding the hurricane season, some say a hurricane is more devastating and destructive than an oil spill. This is an incorrect statement. A hurricane is a natural event and environments can heal themselves readily after a storm, whereas oil spills are man-made and can damage ecosystems for years or decades. Hopefully, this oil spill might influence a movement towards green technology and move the public mindset away from "drill baby drill."

Earth Charter

Today, people around the globe face amazing economic, social, political, and environmental challenges. The environment is constantly exploited for economic gain, countries face terrible debts, human rights have declined in many undeveloped countries, and war is a constant threat. If these issues are not resolved and ignored, the Earth as we know it can perish quickly. Thankfully, organizations and committees like the Earth Charter Commission work together to start a new path towards social and economic justice, environmental sustainability, and peace. The Earth Charter Commission came up with their own document titled "The Earth Charter" that perfectly displays their principles and goals towards a safer planet for human civilizations. The document contains a preamble and four principles: I. Respect and Care For The Community Of Life, II. Ecological Integrity, III. Social & Economic Justice, and IV. Democracy, Nonviolence, And Peace. Out of the four principles I feel principle number three, social and economic justice, must be put into action to influence positive changes to our planet. Poverty is a major cause of degradation, disappearance of wildlife, and loss of habitat. If we can revise our global economic system that benefits the majority and not just the wealthy individuals, the environment as well as the health of many countries will heal quickly. When people struggle financially, any individual will do whatever needs to be done to feed their families, even if it means cutting down acres of rain forests or poaching endangered wildlife. Promoting an economic system that benefits the many and not the few, will guarantee a better world and will influence the other principles mentioned earlier. A healthy social environment will also prevent further damage to our natural world by stopping further warfare and other destruction. To restate, I feel our current social and economic decline is the number one cause of environmental destruction and must be resolved to move toward a healthier, more sustainable society.

Lee County Public Safety and the Oil Spill

Recently, I attended a luncheon with the Noon Rotary Club. One of the scheduled guests was an officer from the Lee County Public Safety office. He came by to provide information and answer any questions regarding the oil spill and its impact on Lee County. According to his own understanding of the situation, he said our beaches will not be protected from the spill. He believes the main priority is to protect the inlets, estuaries, and mangrove swamps from the hazardous tar balls and other pollutants. He did mention efforts have been planned to help protect our environmentally sensitive areas. He also reminded club members of the four hour courses that cover the essentials of proper ways to pick up tar balls along beaches. Although he thought the course was unnecessary, he lectured us on the types of tar balls and how to pick them up and dispose them. There are basically two types of tar balls: hard and soft. Both are to be picked up by scoopers and then disposed into a garbage bag to be taken to the incinerator. After discussing tar balls, he gave us his personal opinion on how to get rid of the oil sludge flowing in the gulf. He thought the most effective way to get rid of the sludge is to pour microorganisms around the entire infected areas. After the discussion, I thought our Lee County Public Safety visitor was wrong from many angles.
Why do we need to incinerate the tar balls? This will release toxins into the air and create even more pollution. Why can't we collect the tar balls and use them for energy? In regards to the microorganisms, that is a poor solution to the problem. Although these organisms will consume the oil, too much of these microbes will reproduce too quickly and block the sunlight for aquatic plants and fish. Blocking sunlight will kill everything and cause even more damage to the environment. If this is all we can come up with to solve one of America's worst environmental disasters in history, I fear the worst for Florida and other gulf coast communities.

"Story of Bottled Water" Video

After viewing the "Story of Stuff", we continued with another short clip titled the "Story of Bottled Water." I thought this video was both interesting and frustrating. Before watching the clip, I always felt skeptical about bottled water. Is bottled water cleaner and healthier than city tap water? Or, is bottled water just another corporate scam? As mentioned in the video, bottled water is actually less regulated than city tap water (a little scary), 2000 times more expensive than city tap water, less tasty (as discovered in research), and less sustainable. Using an economic mastermind plan, "Manufactured Demand", beverage companies were able to scare, seduce, and mislead people to purchase their bottled water. These companies campaigned their idea of bottled water and accused city tap water of being unsafe and "should be relegated to showers and washing dishes." Also, these same companies (Nestle) claimed that bottled water is environmentally friendly. To produce the bottles, oil is used in factories to produce plastic bottles, oil is used for exporting the bottles across the globe, and then the trashed bottles are either transported to "dumps" in poor undeveloped countries or incinerated, burning toxins into the air. Bottled water is by far one of the biggest scams and continues to be sold in schools, business buildings, grocery stores, etc. We need to come together and stop purchasing these products, as it harms the environment and other foreign civilizations.

"Story of Stuff" Video

Today's topic discussed in class was Aldo Leopold's the "Land Ethic" which covered the crisis between ethics and economics. To go along with the discussion, we viewed a short clip titled, "Story of Stuff." The clip is an excellent "eye-opener" that covers the issues associated with America's consumer culture and the causes of such a transformation in lifestyle. Astonishing facts were presented in the beginning of the video: one-third of our natural resources are depleted, 40% of the waterways are undrinkable, and Americans lay four billion pounds of toxic pollution. Why are these events happening everyday? In a nutshell, the host presented the "linear model" which explains our ongoing big business and consumer cycle and the cause of our current environmental and economic problems. The linear model was shown as follows: the environment - factory and production - shopping centers - houses and communities - waste disposal. The cycle starts with the environment, which is used for extraction with little concern for conservation and protection. Next, the natural resources are sent to factories for production with low-wage workers and terrible working conditions (a majority of the time). After production, goods are sent to shopping centers, which we consumers purchase and collect more "stuff" to take home. After our "stuff" becomes useless, the materials are taken to waste areas for disposal, harming the surrounding environment with dangerous toxins. This type of lifestyle is unhealthy, unsustainable, and scary. So, who's to blame for America's transformation from living within our own needs in a community to purchasing large amounts of "stuff" at local malls? The answer is big business. Even though some say the government is the source of the problem, most people forget who owns the government and who the most influential people in government really are. Corporations dominate the halls in Washington and control almost every decision government makes. We need to push for regulation against these multi-billion dollar corporations, and then transform the government that is fueled by the people and for the people.

A Land Remembered (Part 2)

I just finished reading one of the Floridiana books titled "A Land Remembered". Overall, I thought the book was inspiring. This story motivates the reader to learn more about Florida's past and to better understand our impact on the environment. The story starts with the MacIvey family trying to survive in a hostile environment and ends with the struggle to prevent personal self interest and greed from destroying more Florida landscape.
Sol, the son of Zech MacIvey, transformed the land his family owned. Sol's grandparents along with his father, respected the land and hoped Florida would always be a wild place. Surprisingly, Sol fell into the trap and convinced himself to dredge the swamps and convert the wilderness areas into agriculture fields. He made a lot of money with his business along with selling thousands of acres to developers. At the end, Sol felt deeply sorry for what he did and felt he betrayed his father's teachings. South Florida was never the same again as the state's population and need for development increased.
This story brings me back to the Babcock Ranch story previously posted. The Babcock family is a spitting image of the MacIvey family. Both families lived in Florida for many generations and survived and became wealthy through the cattle business. Finally as the demand for land increased, both families were willing to sell the land for their own personal gains and completely ignored the environmental impacts of their decision. Commonly, these lands are home to many threatened and endangered wildlife and help sustain Florida's wetlands and tremendous biodiversity. I think "A Land Remembered" would've changed the minds of the Babcock family.

Babcock Ranch: A Solar Powered City

I remember several years ago during the real estate boom in South Florida, the Babcock family threatened to sell off their land. The family understood how much the land was worth and was willing to sell the environmentally sensitive area to the highest bidder. I found this to be tragic and disgusting. Because of the increasing property values, the family's greed clouded their own conscience and they did not pay any attention to the negative impacts of possible development projects. Environmentalists and other activists urged the Florida state government to purchase the land before a private developer does. Unfortunately, Kitson & Partners purchased 18,000 acres for future development even though the state claimed the remaining 73,000 acres were studied to be the most sensitive areas to human activity.
I visited the Babcock Ranch website for updates on the Kitson & Partners project. Digging through the site, I found several articles and the Kitson & Partners online homepage. I reviewed a Time magazine article, The Florida Times-Union article, and sun-herald articles regarding future plans for Babcock ranch. CEO of Kitson & Partners, Syd Kitson, has pushed for a Babcock city that will be powered by solar energy. The planned solar fields that will power the city when completed, will be the largest solar powered facility in the world. Syd claims his main objective is to push for an environmentally sustainable city that will influence other South Florida communities. Although there will be strip malls and other large business buildings, he also believes the people who live within the city can find jobs and find the area to be a wonderful place to raise a family.
Even though Kitson & Partners plans on constructing an environmentally and an economically friendly city, the project still requires deforestation and environmental damage. Development will always have a negative impact on the Florida environment, especially the overuse of groundwater and other precious resources. The only positive side of this tragedy, is the vision of a city powered by clean solar energy. Kitson & Partners will either help transform communities throughout Florida by using solar power or they will hurt the land forever.

Echo Field Trip

ECHO, educational concerns for hunger organization, was formed to teach people in developing countries appropriate farming techniques and provide seeds and other necessities to help build healthier communities. ECHO is a global effort and hopes to spread their message to many people. At first, I've never heard of ECHO. After the trip to the North Fort Myers ECHO facility, I was astonished and amazed by their creative farming methods. The ECHO staff showed tremendous ecological knowledge and use their skills to come up with unique and efficient ways for low-income villages to help feed their families. These methods all used recycling methods that included animal wastes, plants, and man-made objects (cola cans, rugs, etc.). ECHO had a variety of farming techniques for each harsh environment found around the globe.
I plan to visit ECHO with my family soon and learn more to help the organization and people who are in need. Around the world, poverty is become more rapid and the need of food is rising. I'm certainly grateful organizations like ECHO are working hard everyday to help the poor and devote themselves to improving villages in the most impoverished areas.

Southwest Florida's "Oil Spill"

In the News-Press June 1st environmental articles, I found "Lake Okeechobee Water Releases Begin." The Army Corps of Engineers recently admitted that the Lake Okeechobee water levels are too high for this time of year, so therefore two billion gallons of freshwater must be dumped down the Caloosahatchee. The main reason for the freshwater releases, is to protect the old Hoover Dike from high levels and maintain a depth of 12.5 feet to 15.5 feet. The current lake level is 14.42 feet. So why release the water? The Army Corps of Engineers fear a very wet summer season and feel that the water must be released into the gulf to reduce the risks. Sanibel citizens and boaters this past Memorial weekend already noticed drastic changes. Salinity levels are way down, fishing was dead, and the water is much darker. Marine biologists do believe the darker water halts the algae blooms, but still believe there will be enough sunlight to cause environmentally dangerous algal blooms. These blooms will kill important estuarine plants that fish and manatees depend on for food and habitat.
Whenever I read stories concerning Lake Okeechobee and freshwater releases, I always wonder why there aren't any alternatives to this problem. Why can't we release the water into the Everglades as sheet flow? Is this too dangerous with its high phosphorus content? Can we somehow contain the extra water for future emergencies? I viewed the comments readers posted after reading the article, and one of the readers compared the freshwater releases to the BP oil spills in the gulf. I agree with his/her remark and feel terrible that the Caloosahatchee will continue to struggle.

Collier Seminole State Park Camping Trip

This past Memorial Day weekend, my family decided to take a two and a half day RV camping trip to Collier Seminole State Park. The park is unique with a variety of different habitats and ecosystems. Mangrove swamps, salt marshes, and pine flatwoods surround the area. Day one of the trip was to kayak up the Blackwater River. The river winds through the mangrove swamps and was full of wading birds: Roseate Spoonbills, Herons, Egrets, and Cormorants. Saltwater Crocodiles and the commonly known American Alligator swam across the river into large "cavelike" openings beneath the mangrove roots. Fish were also plentiful. Snook, schools of mullet, rolling baby Tarpon, and Seatrout infested the waters and sandbars. While paddling the majestic river, I can only imagine the importance of the mangrove swamps and the interconnected Florida ecosystems. The large fish in the sea depend on the mangrove swamps for spawns and nurseries; Alligators and other reptiles protect their hatchlings in the salt marshes; the wading birds also nurture and protect their hatchlings in the mangrove forests and prairies; and the deer and other larger mammals graze and thrive in the pine flatwoods. Viewing these natural areas always reminds me of the importance of conserving our natural resources and protecting its wildlife. I'm always happy to see families visit our wild places to introduce Florida's natural beauty to their children. It's very important families these days try to create a good impression of the Florida wetlands and other areas to their children, so we can enjoy these lands for future generations.

A Land Remembered (Part 1)

Recently, I started reading "A Land Remembered" by Patrick D. Smith. So far through 200 pages, the book provides excellent detail of the hardships families faced in early Florida during the 19th century. Families struggle to survive, but they stay together as one and fight through the "rough times." The MacIvey family escaped Georgia to the unknown lands in Florida to start a new life. At first the MacIvey family lived in the scrublands of North-Central Florida, but the ongoing Civil War and dangerous drifters convinced Tobias MacIvey (father and husband) to move even deeper into the undiscovered lands of the Kissimmee. Each day, Tobias and his son Zech hunt the woods as well as capture wild cows. As time passes by and the MacIvey family struggling each week, Tobias discovers the rewards of cattle driving. Tobias and Zech work together to drive the cows and along the way, hire a few men to work with them. Thus, the MacIvey Cattle Company was born. The MacIvey family and their fellow workers (Bonzo, Frog, and Skillit) traveled to Punta Rassa to sell their cattle and making enough money to buy supplies that will last them for months. After seasons of successful cattle driving, Tobias finds out that more wealthy men continue to buy off land in South Florida, making cattle driving more difficult.
Stopping here, the loss of land during the late 19th century immediately reminded me of the beginning of old Florida's end. Wealthier landowners continued to buy off the land for future development projects. The loss of land will eventually lead to environmental degradation, canal systems, the drying up of the Everglades, and the loss of wildlife. Patrick D. Smith's "A Land Remembered" thus far is interesting in how he presents not only the family struggles to survive, but the land's struggle to adapt to future exploitation.

"Earth On Edge" Video Review

I thought the video "Earth On Edge" does a great job reminding the viewer of some of the main environmental issues we face today. The video touched different areas of the globe and a wide variety of problems. Areas such as the midwestern United States and the impact of agriculture, South Africa's exotic trees causing water scarcity, and the negative impacts of the logging industry in Vancouver Island. In the midwest United States, growing crops and grazing cattle have destroyed most of the Great Plains. Fertilizers poisoned the Mississippi River and lead to the "dead zone" in the Mississippi delta. Today, more farmers are attempting to switch back to more sustainable methods. In South Africa, environmental activists have invited the local villages to help exterminate exotic European trees that threaten the water supply. Not only do the environmentalists recruit people to help cut down the trees, they also spread the words of conservation and the importance of saving their local environments. In Vancouver Island, logging companies have clear-cutted many forests, which have destroyed many rivers that serve as an important source for large mammals and fish. Today, the island's logging companies who depend on the trees for the survival of their economy, practice selective cutting which improves both their own lives and the wildlife.
The problems covered in the video really reminded me of the South Florida environmental issues. Deforestation and development, invasion of exotic plants and animals, and the negative impacts of agriculture all occur in our own backyard. This video would be an excellent learning tool for our local citizens to understand the wide array of issues we face today and how we must confront them.

Caloosahatchee River

The Caloosahatchee River connects Lake Okeechobee with the Gulf of Mexico and is an important resource for Southwest Floridians. Although the river seems "healthy", this river was listed in the top 10 most endangered rivers in America. When searching the history of the river and its human manipulation, it's clear why the Caloosahatchee is struggling. The Caloosahatchee was a meandering river, until the human population steadily grew in the area which forced the channelization and exploitation of the river. Flood control was the key issue, so the Army Corps of Engineers widened and deepened the river. Polluted Lake Okeechobee water releases played a huge role in destroying the seagrasses and other estuarine vegetation important for the fish, birds, and Manatees. Today if you were to go boating in the river heading inland, the river bottom is "mucky" with little grass. Fortunately, the river is slowly recovering after several years of no freshwater releases. Wildlife sightings have become more common and the fishing has improved. Every time I kayak the river and visit downtown Fort Myers, the Caloosahatchee reminds me of the environmental issues we face in Florida. All of these important issues originated from human activity and humans prioritizing their needs and interest before conservation.

Lake Trafford Restoration

Lake Trafford, located in northeast Collier County, is the largest freshwater lake south of Lake Okeechobee. This lake was once a popular fishing destination for Largemouth Bass, Crappie, and Bluegill. Due to the agricultural lands in Immokalee, large amounts of dead hydrilla, and algae blooms, the fish population declined rapidly. Tons of muck covered the lake bottom preventing Bass and other fish from nesting. The large algae blooms lowered the oxygen levels, which sped up the fish kills. Thankfully, Lake Trafford is slowly recovering from dredging and restocking the lake with native freshwater fish species. As reported on the FWC website, wildlife biologists recently stocked the lake with 150,000 fingerling Largemouth Bass; hoping the lake will return to its glory when it was considered one of Florida's premier fishing lakes.
I've gone fishing in Lake Trafford several times and always wondered when Collier County will ever consider restoring the lake. Lake Trafford is an excellent attraction because of its history, birdwatching, and its natural beauty. Not only does the lake prosper, so does the local economy in the Immokalee area. When the fish population increases to their healthy levels, tourists and fishermen will return to the lake; while this will spark the openings of fish camps and other businesses that will draw in money to the local community (I only mention the economy in my opinion because there are usually two sides of the issue that must be satisfied: the environmentalists and the economists). By next year, the FWC also plans to stock the lake with more fingerling Bass due to threats from exotic fish species such as the Blue Tilapia and the Mayan Cichlids.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Recently, I visited the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary for the first time. During the guided tour, we saw a variety of habitats with different plant and animal species. On the boardwalk, we witnessed pine flatwoods, wet prairies, and cypress swamps.
Each habitat had its own characteristics. The pine flatwoods was mainly consisted of slash pine, saw palmetto, wax myrtle, and cabbage palms. We encountered brown anoles and discussed the impact of exotic species in South Florida, ribbon snakes, and black racer snakes. Our guide also gave us historical background info on each plant species (plant uses during settlement in the 1800s) and went over the purpose of controlled burns and its positive impact.
After walking through the pine flatwoods, our next stop was the wet prairie. The wet prairies act as a watershed or water passage during the wet seasons. Water travels southward towards the gulf and this water rejuvenates the Everglades and the wetlands. Deer, Panthers, and Black Bears also use the wet prairie as a travel corridor between different habitats. We encountered a juvenile Alligator in this habitat as well.
Next was the Cypress Swamp. A cypress swamp is a wet area dominated with cypress trees. There are mainly two types of cypress trees: Bald Cypress and Pond Cypress. Bald Cypress live for many years and are typically the cypress trees with the large trunks. Cypress are capable of surviving Hurricanes and other violent storms due to their interlocking root systems. We also encountered and discussed symbiotic relationships between ferns and cypress trees and lichens (algae and fungus). Along the way we were lucky enough to see "Bubba" the large Alligator, a Red Shouldered Hawk, a Florida Banded Water Snake, Fishing Spiders, and the dwindling native Green Anole.
Overall, the trip was interesting and full of fun nature facts. We're fortunate that the National Audubon Society has protected this sanctuary for us and future generations to see and enjoy.

Python Season In The Everglades

Florida is an ideal habitat for a variety of reptile species. Unfortunately, this allows exotic snakes and lizards to live in South Florida. Pet owners often release exotic species into the environment due to its large size or inability to take care of it. Hurricanes are also to blame in this environmental issue; storms causing damage to homes have allowed pets to escape into the wild. Over the years, the growing number of exotic species found in the Everglades have escalated. Exotic reptiles found in this sensitive wetland have harmed native wildlife in large numbers. Monitor Lizards and multiple species of pythons that originate from South America and Africa are examples of exotic reptiles that are found in the Everglades today.

On the CBS news website, I reviewed an article titled "Monthlong Florida Python Hunt Begins." Florida issued a Python hunting season that includes the harvesting of Burmese pythons, Indian pythons, African pythons, Green Anacondas, and Nile Monitor Lizards. Hunters can kill as much as possible during this monthlong exotic reptile hunting season.

While reading this article, I definitely support the state's decision to eradicate these exotic animals. Although some may feel they can be captured and released to their native habitat (which I also agree), the hunting season can also draw in money. The money is then used for environmental protection of our wetlands and other threatened habitats. I feel the state needs to be more strict with exotic pet owners as well as the importation of exotic animals into our state. I hope over time these snakes can be removed from the Everglades, but it will be a tough challenge.

Lake Okeechobee Water Releases

I searched through the News-Press website and found a disturbing article for those who are concerned about our local environment. Recently, the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Jacksonville District informed citizens at a public meeting in Lee County of possible freshwater releases into the Gulf. They claim the lake is almost three feet higher than normal for this time of year due to a wet dry season. The purpose of draining the lake is to prevent possible breaching in the Herbert Hoover Dike.
After finishing the article all I can imagine are the rivers of algae that will invade the seagrass beds and mangrove forests. These important habitats are fish nurseries and will threaten the fish population as well as other species that depend on the health of the estuaries. Not only will the wildlife suffer, but the tourism we depend on for our local economy.
Thinking through the issue a little more, I realized Florida's natural environment has been threatened from human activity throughout its history. Channelization, canal systems, agriculture, and construction/development are examples of human activity that have had a negative impact on Florida's biodiversity. Canal systems have conflicted with the natural watersheds and have caused serious draughts in the Everglades; agriculture has led to countless fish kills due to fertilizers and other poisons; development has shrinked the amount of woodlands for Florida Panthers and other threatened species.
Back to the main issue, I do not agree with the decision to release freshwater into our estuaries. The negative impacts are too great and I think the Herbert Hoover Dike can support a slightly higher water depth.