Conservancy of Southwest Florida Celebrates Earth Day

Every day is Earth Day at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Naples, with 4,300 animals treated at the Wildlife Hospital, 552 sea turtle nests protected, 4,000 students at e-learning, and 6,000 pounds of pythons removed this year.

On Saturday, April 22nd, the community was invited to celebrate Earth Day with local exhibitors, food trucks, presentations at the Lutgert Commons Area/Main Deck, various science presentations at the Eaton Conservation Hall, and the popular face painting and Kidzone.

I stopped by the display table for A Right to Clean Water to sign a petition. A petition drive is now underway across the state of Florida to put a referendum on the 2024 ballot that will add an amendment to the Florida constitution that “guarantees Florida citizens a right to clean and healthy water.” The Right to Clean Water petition can be printed online from this website: "www.floridarighttocleanwater.org." After signing the petition, mail to: FloridaRighttoCleanWater.org, 13300 South Cleveland Avenue Suite 56 Fort Myers, FL 33907.

I also stopped at the Conservation Collier Information Display and was curious about the status of a Marco property on Inlet Drive. The volunteer informed me that the offer was accepted, and the purchase agreement was scheduled for approval at the April 25th Board of County Commissioners meeting!

Which Do You Prefer? was a question on a display in the Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management (CRSM) Study, and it caught my eye!

 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is now seeking public input for their “Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management” (CSRM) feasibility study. The purpose of the study is to recommend a plan to reduce the county’s risk from storm surges and improve coastal resilience.

The Conservancy is urging all citizens to participate in the planning process that “will forever shape the future of Collier County’s Coast.” The plan, as presented, provides a limited window of public input.

Over 400 participants attended the April 18 virtual meeting for the Collier County CSRM Feasibility Study, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Collier County. On April 26th, an in-person meeting was conducted at the South Regional Library, but you can still send your written comments to: Collier-csrm@usace.army.mil.

The USACE plan proposes using structures to manage flood risk and reduce damage from coastal storms using surge barriers, jetties, floodwalls, floodgates and pump stations, just to name a few. Their plan was formulated without input from local experts who are “supportive of nature-based solutions for coastal protection that use natural systems such as mangrove preservation, oyster reef restoration, salt marsh restoration, and dune restoration.

Did you know that a wave can lose up to 66% of its energy after moving just 328 feet into a mangrove forest, according to mangrove experts?

What’s in it for Marco Island? In the 2020 and 2021 plans, Marco Island was projected to receive some sand dunes and berms but will receive no “hardening” structures.  However, the Corps said, “They will take another look at Marco Island.”

What happens if you put a berm on 1,000 feet of Marco beach? Someone made the comment that water being fluid, it will just flow around the berm.  

The previous plan inferred a cost estimate for (Marco Island) as being $831,573,000, representing 38% of the total projected “Project First Cost,” and estimated to be the single most expensive element of the project, despite not receiving any structural elements.

The plan as presented appears to provide hardening and protection to Collier County Districts Two and Four, but how about East Naples and what happened to Everglades City?

Who is responsible for the full costs of maintenance and operation of the structures once finished?

Why the rush? May 8, 2023, is the deadline for public comments. The county must agree to the plan:

• $2.5 to $3 billion plan: 65% Feds/35% County.
• ETA for construction – 2035.