Let's All Go Native~

 

The Everglades, an exquisite Florida Natural Area

The 19th Annual Public Interest Environmental Conference is this weekend at the University of Florida and their guest speaker is suggesting that there are things we can all do right now, to help protect the Endangered Wildlife and the fragile Ecosystems of Florida from rising sea levels and erosion.

Whitney Gray is from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and what she wants us all to do, is really a total recall of the 70's movement of going Native.

Gray wants us all to reuse and recycle till it hurts and she also want us to let nature take it's course in our yards, or just go native!

All of the great ideas that Ms. Gray is offering this weekend in Gainesville, are things that we have already been doing forever, except for the yard part, which we began doing when we moved to Florida years ago, for the benefit of Harriet, our resident Gopher Tortoise.

Harriet, who is quite picky about her diet, scours all over our property, hunting carefully for her favorite "wild things" to eat.

So, what she finds to eat here, is not only what she likes, it is exactly what she needs.

We use no poisons on our property because of her and our Airedale Breanna.

Wish I had read this story sooner, would have loved to have heard her in person.

How Endangered Species Adapt

This Invasion is Not Coming From Outer Space

When the rest of the country thinks of an Invasive Species in Florida, they are

probably only familiar with the now infamous Burmese Pythons in the Everglades.

But in fact, there are many threats to our fragile wildlife and ecosystems here.

Right now, other than the very scary, to me, snakes, which are here by the thousands,

there are a number of other creatures wreaking havoc on, not only our wildlife,

but on our all ready maxed out to the limit economy, as well.

You see trying to keep up with these non stop invaders, is a $130 Billion, that is billion with a B, effort in this state.

The last time that we went down to the Keys, we were sitting in a gas station in Miami when a very large creature appeared right in front of our car, it was an exotic alright, it was a huge, wild, green iguana.

It would not be the only one we saw on our way back to the Freeway.

No, they are not native here and much of Miami now looks like a zoo because of the out of control numbers of them running the streets, more than likely the result of countless owners who tired of feeding them and just threw them out for the community to deal with.

As a matter of fact, this is exactly how most of these invaders became the huge problem in Florida that they are now.

Selfish, bored, stupid owners who just threw them away.

The exotic species now running amuck in South Florida include: wild Toads, no not the Disney ride, wild rats, wild birds, wild fish, wild or feral pigs, multiple kinds of lizards and a scary species of Crocodile, called the Nile Croc, which in its Native Africa, is a man-eater.

And none of this even begins to cover all of the invasive plants that are now here, doing exactly the same kind of lethal damage to their Native counterparts as well.

It is all simply mind boggling.

And we Floridians have to pay for and deal with all of this because no one has the guts to stop the sale of these exotics once and for all in Florida and indeed the whole Country.

The root for the gluttony of invasive animals, is of course, money.

There is very big money to be made in the business of catching, stealing and selling multiple species of exotics here.

But, the worse part of all of this is, that they are not just a financial problem, they are devouring and driving off or displacing our beautiful Native Florida wildlife, in sickening record numbers in the entire state.

An excellent story with all of the gory details about the exotics invasion of Florida:

Invasive Species Threatening Florida

Is America Still The Land Of The Free?

 

Well finally, someone in this state woke up and said, whoa we have to stop this, now.

Some believe that Scott has run Florida like a Gestapo state, since taking over in 2010.

His attitude in most everything to date, has pretty much been, I am the Governor of this state and I will do exactly as I please, period.

He did after all, spend $70 million of his own money to become the Governor of Florida and believes, I am sure, that this bought him the right to run this state however he sees fit.

Scott's intentions in this matter are "Crystal" clear, those growers who have in the past flooded with no fear of any reprisals, unlimited amounts of toxins into the Everglades and will be allowed, if he gets his way, to renew 30 year no-bid leases, without the public even having a say in it.

Is America still a Democracy?

What these farmers, these powerful growers of sugar and vegetables, do to the land with their poisons, their chemicals, is lethal to both the Everglades and all of the living things that call it home.

Below are two versions of the same story, please read one or both of them and if you care about the Everglades, or if you live near them, your drinking water, please get on your computer, or your phone and tell this man that you will not stand for this kind of dictatorship Government in Florida.

We demand to have a voice in what is being done to our Environment, our wildlife and our wild places here.

The last time I checked, Florida was still part of a Democracy, we have not become a Communist Country yet, have we?

Wildlife Federation Sues Rick Scott

Wildlife Group Challenges No-Bid Leases

Meet Nancy And Rick

 

Rewards do indeed come for those who are patient.

Yesterday, there was nothing of any critical nature to post,

so I relaxed and enjoyed the Super Bowl.

But overnight, something did come to me that must be shared.

There are two people in Mississippi, who are doing what we all should be doing,

seeing trash and garbage in Nature and choosing not to ignore it.

For the past six months or so, this couple has been picking up the garbage left behind in their beloved Bayous, by ignorant, thoughtless jerks who care for nothing, but themselves.

The story about their awesome deeds made the local area news and as they have

recently become my friends on Facebook, I would like to introduce them to you.

So, here is the inspiring story of these two selfless people who think more of

Wild Places and Wildlife, than themselves, what a unique concept~

Couple Cleaning Out The Bayous

Are There No Pressing Issues On This Day?

 

Have not received anything recently, so happily will claim on this most rare of days,

that things are possibly not so bad for our Florida Endangered Wildlife.

Will post if anything does come up in the next few days.

Until then, enjoy the Super Bowl~