On Separate Sides 5x7, acrylic on Canvas
$150 framed
It's time we began thinking of our native wilderness lands and watershed areas as valuable resources. Valuable as in "money"! If we factor in the economic impact of such areas as the Everglades to our local economy, we would see how short-sighted it is to delay the purchase and restoration of environmentally important lands by making short-sighted budgeting decisions.
According to The Conservancy of Florida's Vice Chairman Andrew Hill, Atlantic University just published a report on the economic value of the Everglades. They found that the total impact of ecotourism in 2007 was 1.8 billion dollars. Sport Fishing adds another 5 billion to that!
Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are already suffering from overuse. Tourists who suffer respiratory problems from a bloom of red tide, or who experience disgusting fish kills are unlikely to return to our formerly pristine beaches.
Florida and US Sugar are in court determining how Florida will move forward in obtaining land many believe is vital to our environment. It's also vital to our economy. By acquiring US Sugar lands and restoring water flow to the Everglades, the state can provide wildlife habitat, replenish parched farmland, protect coastal estuaries and put the "river" back into the River of Grass.
The stakeholders in this issue have varied and conflicting needs, yet the alternative of doing business as usual will destroy both our environment and our economy. Let's get this purchase done!
