Prelude

I was three years old when my family moved to South Florida. The St Lucie River was a beautiful aqua color with green grasses flowing on the bottom, filled with fish and other sea life. Growing up in Martin County was incredible; it seemed we were always in or on the water and always wet. We would go clamming on Saturdays; my father would shuck them and make Clams Casino. There were oyster beds and blue crabs galore. You could almost guarantee that you would catch a fish with just a few casts.

As the Army Corps of Engineers released water from Lake Okeechobee into our St. Lucie, we watched each day as the river slowly darkened and the birds became fewer. Each year, it took more work to catch fish. After a while, the grass died, and you could no longer see the bottom. Then came the smell, and it never went away.

Apart from a few wise people who were written off, ignoring the problem and covering up the inevitable was easier. It was easier to be ignorant than to be responsible or accountable. After all, there was profit to be made. Everyone was too busy trading real estate, developing property, or selling insurance to worry about the environment. Banks were popping up on every corner, and business was booming. Living in South Florida is supposed to be about enjoying weekends boating and playing golf or tennis, not worrying about environmental problems that might stifle our way of life. But those few wise voices still ring in my head. As a young boy living among retirees, I would listen to them talk and absorb it like a sponge. The wisdom of elders should always be trusted. Now, fifty years later, living in that inevitable reality, I witness the same ignorance, incompetence, and irresponsibility that plagued this community for decades and created this environmental travesty we can no longer ignore. As usual, blame is being put on others, and we are out of fingers to point elsewhere. We look outside our community for answers and rely on the state and federal government to bail us out. Yet, we continue to over-develop. Our commissioners still recklessly approve zoning changes as if there are no repercussions. We still put business and tax revenue before our ethical obligations, and we distort the line between right and wrong as we compromise our future, just as we have before.

Our resources are finite, as was life for the river.


Introduction

Florida’s environmental catastrophe has caught the nation's attention. At the center of the controversy is the St Lucie River, an aquatic wonderland of diversity and spender and Lake Okeechobee, one of the nation’s largest lakes, the wellspring of the Everglades, and the freshwater heart of South Florida. We understand the degradation better than anyone; we see it every day.

The draining of South Florida has a pattern of political and financial motivation, and the state official's lack of understanding of the geography and ecology of South Florida has damned our communities for over a century. Still today, after over 100 years of neglect, politicians and business leaders perpetuate the ignorance of over-developing while claiming to care for the environment and believing their lies about the possibility of continued growth and reversing its effects on the river.

If you traverse the intercoastal waterway down the coast of Florida, you will experience crystal blue waters and picturesque scenes worthy of artist capture. You will know you have reached Martin County by the murky brown water and smell of decay. The St Lucie Estuary is a toilet for all the fowl waste dumped from Lake Okeechobee and the runoff from surrounding developments. From there, it works its way into the Indian River Lagoon, seeping into the ocean.

Treaded heavily upon, Martin County residents take it on the chin like a champion taking a dive in a prized fight. At the same time, elected officials continue making deals compromising the once coveted way of life.

Controversy is the new norm as development sparks anger and debate over quality-of-life issues and environmental concerns. Remorseful residents ponder how such a pristine place could fall victim to such deterioration. Poor stewardship, ignorance, and greed are how.

Because of Florida’s unique landscape and diverse environment, growth and development have differed from other states. Most Florida communities have long fought to balance growth with preserving nature. Florida’s free spirit and the love of its natural beauty have kept it a special place to call home. Sometimes, it is not easy to immerse yourself in Florida life. One makes a certain sacrifice to survive and thrive in Martin County. We have limited culture and access to entertainment. We endure intense weather and annoying critters. Things erode and deteriorate quickly here. Mildew and corrosion are an everyday part of life. Bug bites and sunburn are things you get used to. Despite these pitfalls, there is a bright side to this lifestyle. We choose to overcome these hazards to earn a place here. This is why people are leery of newcomers unfamiliar with our way of life. There is an instinct to protect this delicate wonder because we have learned to understand its fragility over time. It is anguishing to witness the demise of something you love. The concurrent cost of development is bankrupting the environment. The devastating number of trees cut down each year should cause alarm. Displaced wildlife is harming the entire ecosystem. Yet, some do not see the problem. They only see progress and betterment. They will condemn and criticize anyone who speaks out about this devastation. It is a travesty that there are sides to this debate. There should be only one thought and one solution: controlled growth and a plan that addresses critical environmental concerns. There is a necessity for both, and we’d better figure it out sooner than later.


Ecological Wonder

The St Lucie River and Estuary is part of the Everglades Ecological System, which encompasses all of South Florida. Like everything in nature, it is connected. The Everglades is a unique ecosystem, often thought of simply as the swamplands west of Miami, but it is much more. This vast expanse of wetlands plays a crucial role in the environmental health of South Florida. The name Everglades is believed to be a mis-spelling of River Glades, which it was initially called. Many overlook that we reside within this extraordinary province, part of a remarkable landscape supporting diverse wildlife and plant species. The Everglades is a natural wonder and a vital resource for water management and habitat preservation. While living amidst urban developments, it is easy to forget and disregard the significance of the Everglades, missing the beauty and ecological importance right at our doorstep.

This once pristine bio-diverse environment is in peril. The writing is on the wall for its future.

Throughout my research, I came across countless articles written long before I was born about the demise of this system. Although I had never read them before, my words, thoughts, and feelings seemed to echo those advocates of generations before me. I admire those crusaders for their efforts and relentless tenacity in what turned out to be lifelong battles with bureaucracy and land development cartels. I was surprised that the narrative had not changed one bit. It only reinforces the notion that history repeats itself, mankind will never learn, and the pursuit of money is blinding.

Every plant, animal, tree, and bird is sacrificial to progress for human advancement. Nothing stands a chance if they’re in the way of our comforts. We will even kid ourselves and advocate for nature in the process. But at the end of the day, it's bye-bye baby.

I have yet to accept that nature is secondary to our needs and that natural resources exist solely for us to eradicate at will. For this, I am labeled.

As we approach the tipping point with the environment, it has become popular to disregard the destruction and think we can overcome any obstacles of pollution. After all, it is mankind's birthright to harness power and dominate the planet.

We are leaving a wake of destruction everywhere we touch. “Forever chemicals” penetrate all life. Nuclear fallout reaches every inch of the planet. We drink polluted water and breathe tainted air. Rivers flow with toxic sludge. Any local land not already covered with asphalt or concrete quickly becomes a wasteland of trash and barren of life. The list of threatened and endangered species grows daily. Soon, we can simplify it by just including “everything.”

The industrial world would have us stop complaining and accept things for what they are because the sacrifice of nature is the only course for us to continue existing in this manner. To relent is futile.