ACTIVISM

Long Pond

Back in 1984 we faced our first test and failed it. A developer from down south wanted to develop land within the Long Pond ecosystem south of Chiefland. This system connects to the Suwannee.We brought in consultants and well–known environmental champions. We lost. Beautiful Long Pond was developed.

Lower Suwannee Refuge

From the beginning, we supported making the Suwannee a nationally–recognized Wild and Scenic River. Our reasoning was that anyone can look at the river for three minutes and see that it is indeed a wild and scenic river.Meanwhile, also at the federal level, there were rumblings about having a National Wildlife Refuge at the lower end of the river with its vast marshes and swamps. We were attracted to the idea and Suwannee Audubon went on record with a resounding YES! SuwAud and many other individuals and organizations went to bat for the Refuge despite a surprisingly hostile local climate. But we hung in there, wrote letters, made phone calls and suddenly realized the tide had turned. The necessary purchases were negotiated successfully. We got the Refuge on both sides of the Lower Suwannee. The Refuge system is now one of the principal, natural features of the Dixie–Levy scene and is considered among the finest and wildest wildlife refuges in the entire Southeast. The Refuge is open to regulated hunting, year–round fishing, exploring, birding and hiking.

So, we celebrated our being a part of the movement that made the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge a reality. But we had to admit defeat on the Wild and Scenic status. There was simply too much fear on the local scene that the “feds” would make the river more difficult to access for fishing, boating and other recreation.As it turned out, the river has lost public access more through river development, both commercial and residential, than it ever would have lost with federal “wild and scenic” protection. We continue to support federal designation of Wild and Scenic for the Suwannee.Such designation can help keep the Suwannee alive.

Where fresh meets salt – For good or for ill: Dredging at the mouth of the river

Occasionally, some channels at the mouth of the Suwannee River where it enters the Gulf need dredging to facilitate the passage of commercial fishing craft and recreational boats.Suwannee Audubon always has maintained that there are places at the mouth where dredging is appropriate and other places where it is not. We opposed the dredging of Alligator Pass because of its popularity as an aquatic pasture for hungry sea–cows. Yes, manatees. They come into the Suwannee regularly and make their way to Manatee Springs and Fanning Springs and at least as far upstream as Branford. U.S. Fish & wIldlife agreed with our position and both Alligator Pass and the manatees got off the hit list. Dredging proceeded with special concern for manatees at a different, more logical pass and all was well. Except the dredging issue keeps returning and is back on the radar as we type these very words. More about this in the Current Issues section of the present piece. The question is always the same: WHO wants the dredging and for what purpose? Also: Who can you believe? BMI ( Big Money Unlimited) has parked at the mouth of the river and is generating press releases and pro–dredging propaganda it seems almost weekly.The Army Corps stands ready if it can find the funding and an acceptable dump site for the so–called “spoil.”(The evil stuff they dredge up.)

Mega–Pollutional Campgrounds and other waterfront atrocities:

were proposed and hyped and supported by several who knew better, including some “Audubon” types that should be ashamed of their behavior. One campground brainstorm for the upper Suwannee would have had to deal with the septic product of as many as 3,000 camping units. Largemouth Bass and Channel Catfish were not enthused.

SuwAuduboners, opposing the scheme, attended and dang near WEPT at the pivotal, public meeting where respected environmental attorneys and groups SIGNED ON to sell out the river. Suwannee Audubon, Four Rivers Audubon and many other real eco groups prevailed. The proposed Camp City was denied permitting. Later, the crazed entrepreneur behind the scheme was hauled into court on various charges and we have lost track of the legal disposition of these karmic events.

Helping to stop the giant camp city goes in our journal as one of the Major SuwAud victories for the river.For every victory &. It seems there is a defeat. But we are determined to turn the tide by winning more than we lose. Let’s win the next one and the one after that, not for the gipper but for one of the most famous rivers in the world.

Each little victory, each little win is a big one for the Suwannee, a river that cannot stand any more abuse.Famous or not, she’s endangered.

Then there was the proposed Hazardous Waste Facility

to be built and operated by a NE Florida processor of bad industrial stuff, needing a rural, not–to–attract–attention site for handling certain types of hazardous waste. At first, everyone within the local (Dixie County)`stablishment hailed the idea as a source of jobs and county taxes. Then, a few critics such as Suwannee Audubon pointed out that the company’s ethics record was less than good and the materials to be processed had very toxic potentialities. Other eco groups came on board in opposition to the proposed facility and the company claimed these objectors were a bunch of radicals. In time, the local residents decided that the protestors were not crazy but informed folks who had figured out that the company had banked on the natives being stupid hicks who would poison their county for a job. The company fussed and hurled insults but ultimately hit the road back to Jacksonville.

Fanning Springs State Park and the at–the–bridge Wayside Park

are two separate items but related. The Springs were a long–time recreational hang–out for local swimmers and picnickers. Next door, the U.S. 19–98 Wayside Park was among the oldest non–interstate rest areas in the state. The State wanted to close it down. Suwannee Audubon and a host of others went to bat to SAVE the Wayside Park. Today, it remains a state–run, riverside rest area and continues to be exceedingly popular with locals, Floridians, vacationers and tour busses.

Making the springs area into a state park had long been a favored notion both locally and in Tallahassee. It finally came together with the support of Suwannee Audubon and practically every other environmental and eco–tourism group in North Florida. Fanning Springs State Park is now one of Nature Coast’s favorite fun spots and is enjoying much needed state protection and improvement.

Dairies can be problematical /// Feed Lots can be even worse

Cows have their place but not too near rivers, please. This has been anon–going dialogue between Suwannee cattle/dairy interests and environmental citizens. Suwannee Audubon has opposed TOO LARGE dairies or animal herds of any kind. Suwannee Audubon has supported Suwannee River Water Management District guidelines and regulations for dairies and would support far more on–site monitoring. Suwannee Audubon supports small “family farm” dairies. Suwannee Audubon opposes the practice of “feed lots” in the beef industry. Feed lots typically intensify the manure problem which is not only smelly and attractive to flies but a possible source of troublesome run–off both organic and chemical. Large numbers of cows within “flow” of the Suwannee are a problem. Recent “readings” of the river’s water quality suggest bovine impact. There are official warnings about eating Suwannee fish.

Increasingly, there is a compelling argument for consuming “soy milk” rather than cow’s milk. It tastes good and is nutritious. Growing and processing soy beans does not have the fierce pollutional impact of cattle herds. Groceries must change to meet and make the future. Or, to put it another way: “If drinking soy milk helps the Suwannee River, which brand should I buy?”

Then there were new challenges around every bend

and we addressed each of them “as best we could.” Fairly often, it worked out. For example, we supported SRWMD in a number of critical purchases that have brought Americans and Floridians some wonderfully wild lands and special stretches of river! Here ecosystems and river frontage were up for grabs and time was of the essence. They’re now ours. The public came out on top. But slightly more often, John Doe came out on the bottom while $$$ interests rolled over him. Like we were saying, we have to buck this trend! Ask us about the cement plant.

Did someone say “Cement Plant?”

The Suwannee–American Cement Plant was strategically named to sound patriotic and above reproach.There are interlaced interests here including both mining and manufacturing. But upon close examination, the plant’s plans favored the production of the product well above the health of the air or the art veins of pulsing water in the vicinity. Suwannee Audubon and a host of others predicted environmental problems if the plant were to be permitted. Indeed, we MARCHED, shades of the 60’s, (with Suwannee County Sheriff escorts) up the highway, right to the raw construction site where the press took lively photos. Unfortunately,all we got out of that event was the pictures! So much for peaceful protest. (Sometimes it works.) Today,the plant is very much a reality, the damage becomes more apparent with every passing day and it is likely that the operation will gain approval of expansion sure to produce still more pollution of air and water.

* The Griffins had earlier (1975) founded the now highly respected Peace River Audubon Society in Charlotte County, Florida.