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).