The Picayune Strand State Forest From Wetland Ecosystem to Failed Residential Development and Back

Transcription

1 The Picayune Strand State Forest From Wetland Ecosystem to Failed Residential Development and Back Kathy Worley and David Addison Co-Directors, Environmental Science Department Conservancy of Southwest Florida 1450 Merrihue Drive Naples, Florida 34102

2 What is this? ?

3 FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION DECISIONS Modified Order 51 F. T. O. IN THE MATTR OF CHARLES ANTELL, INC. ET AL. ORDER REOPEXING PROCEEDING AND MODIFYIG ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST, AND OPINION OF THE COMISSIOM Docket Order and, Opinion, Nov Order modifying cease and desist order of December 19, 1953 to bring it into conformity with the stipulated facts so as to prohibit representations that the main ingredient from a percentage standpoint in respondents' product Charles Antell Formula No. 9 was lanolin, and that said product would remedy the cause of cracked or split hair'. Before Mr. John Levis hearing examiner. Mr. William L. Pencke for the Commission. Mr. Bernard H. Herzfeld of Baltimore, Md., for respondents It is ordered that the respondent Charles Antell, Inc., a corporation, and its officers and respondents, Charles D. Kasher, Leonard L. Rosen and Julius. Rosen, individually, and respondent T. A. A., Inc., a corporation, and its officers, and respondents respective agents, representatives and employees, directly or through any corporate, or other Charles Antell Formula No. 9 and Charles Antell Shampoo, or device, in connection with the offering for sale or distribution of or any products of substantially similar composition or possessing substantially similar properties, whether sold under the same names or any other names, do forthwith cease and desist from directly or indirectly:

4 Leonard Julius Who were these guys and how did they end up in Florida?

5 Cape Coral Mangrove forest dredged in 1959 which is now Cape Coral. Photograph reprinted from

6 Advertisement Chicago Tribune June 1967

7 Tree Crusher

8 A grid of roads and canals

9 Golden Gate Ad Chicago Tribune June 1967

10 Selling Da Blocks - Chicago Tribune June 1967

11 Free flights Free Meals Free Sales Pitch

12 Remuda Ranch/Port of the Islands GAC was everywhere Jump in; only 80% of the land is underwater

13 The Demise of Gulf American Corporation o 1968 Grand Jury Investigation July 1968 Leonard Rosen retires 10 days later Gulf American Corporation sold to General Acceptance Corporation 1975 Gulf American Corporation filed for Bankruptcy 1980 General American Corporation was renamed Avatar Holdings Incorporated

14 Golden Gate Estates Map showing grid of roads and bisection of GAC holdings by I-75 into Northern Golden Gate Estates and Southern Golden Gate Estates

15 Golden Gate Estates Canal Systems

16 Early Hydrologic ydoogcstudes Studies Black, Crow and Eidsness, Incorporated surface and ground water hydrology 1977 Golden Gate Estates Redevelopment Study 1986 Conservancy of SWFL groundwater level fluctuations 1977 Hydrologic Effects of the Canal System on Fakahatchee Strand 1988 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Study alternatives to modifying the Faka Union Canal System

17 Weirs on drainage canals - Southern Golden Gate Estates

18 Miller Blvd. was once proposed as a hurricane evacuation route by a member of the Collier County Commission

19 Signs of the times! Southern Golden Gate Estates

20 Agricultural Investment Marijuana plant 1 of 214

21 Bad Luck Prairie Dry Season

22 Jeep Cherokee Bad Luck Prairie

23 Some day all of the Bad Luck Prairie will look like this

24 Will someone please tell me where on a warranty deed it says that a buyer is guaranteed to make money on land purchased in Florida, especially if the land is swamp.

25 Miami Herald 1987 Wall Street Journal

26 ,000 acres acquired from property p owners Land Acquisition Progress 1998 U.S. Dept. of the Interior Farm Bill money (25 million for purchasing land) 1998 Lawsuit settled acres acquired

27 Land Acquisition Progress 1998 Florida cabinet purchased 8526 acres from Avatar 2001 Florida cabinet authorized the State to offer 25% more than the appraised value to willing sellers 2002 Gov. Jeb Bush authorized acquisition iti by eminent domain (1800 acres) 2005 Jesse Hardy sold his land (160 acres) 2005 Miccosukee Tribe sold 800 acres to the State 2006 Acquisition Finally Completed

28 1998 Southern Golden Gate Estates was identified as an essential part of the effort to restore the Western Everglades Acceler 8 Projects

29 Conservation areas surrounding Southern Golden Gate Estates

30 And 35 years later

31 Prairie Canal Today

32 Acknowledgements Mark Benedict Gail Brett & Rob Levern Chris Ramsey & Ruth DiDanato Bill Branan Michelle Conant Mike Duever Kim Dryden Clarence Tears Tony Polizos Howard Yamataki Mike Berry Tim Howard Sonja Durrwatcher