02/16/2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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j From: Subject: Re: April 7 event ` Date: February 16, 2016 7:18:57 AM EST To: ® 2 Attachments, 8.9 MB Good morning Bob - Unfortunately, I was unable to get an email out to the Commissioners about the illegal dock. And, because of the monsoon -like weather we experienced last night into this morning, I will be working hard with the garden crew to get the property in shape after the mayhem caused by the winds for a lecture tour of the Mangrove Gardens scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. - the group is arriving at 9:45 a.m. - hopefully the rain will have subsided a bit and the lightning will be over with. Bob, as I am well aware, the Commissioners will be mecting this morning, to discuss approval of the "squatter dock" located on Jungle Trail at the junction of Morningside Rd.. Approval of this dock will set the wrong precedent, it will violate the rule of law. It would indicate that any individual or community could erect unapproved docks, pilings for boats to moor, and viewing platforms - all in violation of the laws currently on the books. The Indian River Lagoon, is the largest and most important estuary in North America .... it is the nursery for the oceans - 75% of the seafood we consume begins its life in the mangrove marshes and wetlands not only here in our precious lagoon but around the world. I am attaching two maps of what is left of the mangrove wetlands around the world - and more specifically in Florida. You will note that on the east coast of Florida there is only one small area of red - that is what is left of the mangrove wetlands and these wetlands are located in INDIAN RIVER COUNTY! The Indian River Lagoon is an estuary - a nursery - it supports an estimated 2200 species of fish, animals, birds and one of those species is humans. The FDEP has not been a friend of the lagoon and too willingly trades off these precious wetlands through zero sum gain with mitigation and its constant approval of development ..... and now..... evidently willing to look the other way about illegal, unm npenitted docks. I a hoping that the Board of Commissioners thinks long and hard before joining in on the destruction of what makes Indian River County special - "you can only write so many checks against one's inheritance, before the it is all gone" - perhaps a poor analogy but what is the Indian River Lagoon but an inheritance that all too many are willing to "spend away." If you could import the above in my behalf, I would deeply appreciate it. As for the invitation, I will work on it after I complete my lecture on the value of the mangroves and do the tour of our mangrove preserve. Best regards - and thanks - Carolyn Stutt Tr.usteee The Manerove Garden Foundation