President’s
Remarks From
Enchanted Forest News Conference
By Tom
Atkinson
On November 15, the Partnership for a Sustainable
Future sponsored a news conference in front of the Enchanted Forest
to bring to the public’s attention the harm that would be
done if the trees in the forest
were cut. Several environmental groups participated. I represented
IRAS; the following are my remarks.
Good morning. I’m here this morning representing
the 1,100 families of the Indian River Audubon Society of Brevard
County. The subject is preserving the trees in the Enchanted
Forest. To tell you the truth, I wish I didn’t have
to be here. There are good and sound scientific reasons why cutting
the canopy out of the trees in the forest is harmful to the plants
underneath.
But there are people here this morning more capable than I of giving
voice to these reasons. I only have two points to make.these reasons.
I only have two points to make.
The first point is that in this great country of ours we live under
the rule of law. This wonderful forest in back of me was established
under the law. The taxpayers of Brevard County voted to tax themselves
to help pay for the preservation of this wonderful forest. The arrangement
between the
county and the state for the management of this wonderful forest
is a matter of law. And when the taxpayers voted to tax themselves
for this reservation, they understood it was
to be forever.
Now if we allow some powerful business interests to come in and
overturn this law, a very dangerous precedence will
be set. How will we ever get taxpayers to try to preserve
anything in the future? If the first and flagship property of the
Environmental Endangered
Lands program
can be threatened so
easily, what preservation
would be safe?
The second point I’d like
to make is a little further
afield. I hope that it will
make some of you smile
and hopefully attract
Brevard County taxpayers’
attention. This point
concerns the national
reputation of the whole
state of Florida. You all
know what the nation
thought of Florida when
some counties botched the
election in 2000. Then, in
2002 we pull off a near perfect election and the nation is just
beginning to forget all
the negative stories about us.
Now we have a situation where the taxpayers of a Florida County
set aside a unique piece of property to be preserved forever. Just
when the deal is done, and a beautiful Education Center is built
on the property, powerful business interests want to cut the trees
on the property. How will this play in the rest of the nation? Will
they wonder if those people in Florida can ever get anything right?
Well, I don’t think the members of Audubon that I
represent want it to happen. I am sure that the taxpayers
that voted overwhelmingly to pay for this
property don’t what it to happen. All they have to be
is informed. So tell your neighbor. Tell your friends.
Tell your priest. Tell your Rabbi. Tell anyone who will
listen. Don’t harm the trees in the Enchanted Forest.
When the taxpayers hear about it, I don’t think it will
happen.
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Membership Application for the Indian River
Audubon Society Chapter and the National and State Audubon Societies
(Download Form)
Have
you found a sick or injured bird or wild animal? If so, please contact:
Florida Wildlife
Hospital
(321) 254-8843
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