Florida's future shouldn't be at the expense of wildlife. New bill honors both.
Following a visit to the Grand Canyon in 1903, then President Teddy Roosevelt wrote effusively about the 'absolutely unparalleled' natural wonder. He called for us to leave it in its natural state, and not 'mar the wonderful grandeur, the sublimity, the great loneliness and beauty' of the place. Humility is not the first adjective Roosevelt brings to mind, but the self-awareness to be awed by a creation he had nothing to do with is a quality that is to be admired.
In stark contradiction to Roosevelt's wisdom, settlers of the West, quoted by Ken Burns in his recent documentary of the America Buffalo, held the perception that nature unchanged by man was inferior. Many referred to their tasks ahead as 'rescuing nature from itself.'
Those who settled the West carved out a life from the wilderness, so their perception of nature as an obstacle is understandable. But Florida was settled a long time ago, some 23 million people live here now. Preserving the natural wonders we have left should not be hard or viewed as foolish, and Senate Bill 80/House Bill 209 is a great way to balance growth with a future that recognizes that all life matters.
It is my hope that the arrogant few that see nature as an obstacle to profits and revenue streams will overcome their blind spot for the value of wilderness left as it is, and find their inner Teddy Roosevelt. It is my hope that the collective voices of the small and humble who love nature, just as it is, will remain strong and push SB 80/HB 209 over the finish line.
Protect Florida's state parks: USA Today Network-Florida Opinion campaign to preserve and protect our state parks
Timothy Hullihan is a resident of North Palm Beach. He wrote this for The Palm Beach Post.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Protecting Florida wildlife isn't an obstacle to our growth | Opinion
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