I’m just back from being offline for a week and discovered an email in my inbox pointing me to an editorial this Sunday in the Orlando Sentinel that complains of “federal rules running amok” protecting the Juniper Prairie Wilderness because Tropical Storm Fay dropped some blowdowns in the run and oh dear, we can’t use chainsaws to clear them.

Boy, does this have me steamed. The whole point of the Wilderness Act is to set aside wild places in America where we don’t have to listen to the drone of cars, the rumble of air conditioning units, and the roar of chainsaws. I’ve seen video of well-trained sawyers with crosscut saws taking out the blowdowns in Juniper Run in less time - and for less money - than someone with a chainsaw would take. You can work with a crosscut saw underwater as need be. A crosscut saw doesn’t spill oil and belch fumes.

It troubles me that a major newspaper’s editorial board thinks that the Wilderness Act is a “nonsenscial rule.” These folks need to do a little research before they make such an obnoxious statement. Especially in a state where our designated Wilderness Areas are few and far between.

In a move that is simply mindblowing in its proportions, U.S. Sugar just announced that it is willing to sell 187,000 acres to the state of Florida for $1.75 billion for Everglades restoration. This would encompass the vast tracts of sugar cane south of Clewiston towards Alligator Alley, and if the deal goes through, would mean the end of sugar production in Clewiston: a staggering economic blow to this historic community, which, if it takes a full five years, could be mitigated in part by working with residents to ramp up ecotourism. Once again, when restoration is complete, Clewiston and South Bay would have the Everglades at their doorstep.  As a avid “Big O” hiker, I’ll be watching this one closely!  I found this breaking story in Florida Trend  (from the St. Petersburg Times)