Tuesday evening, September 22nd, first ever National Park Service Wilderness Hearing for Broward County! Read below...

Dear Friends,

About a month ago, we wrote on this list about public meetings in south Florida on the 146,000 acre Big Cypress National Preserve Addition Lands. Today we have great news for those who live next door to these lands - or those who missed previous meetings in Miami, Naples or Everglades City. But please continue reading whether you live in south Florida or not. Big Cypress is a NATIONAL PRESERVE - a unit of the National Park Service (NPS) managed for the benefit of all Americans. It is also quite likely the most biodiverse piece of land remaining in the continental United States. A very special part of that land is now under threat from the very agency whose mission statement, written into law in the Organic Act of 1916, is to protect it 'unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations'. Comments can be submitted until midnight, September 30th, at the following National Park Service website:

http://m1e.net/c?1078...

In response to a joint letter from these Broward County environmental organizations:

Broward Sierra
Broward Audubon
Broward Chapter of the Florida Trail Association (Happy Hoofers)
South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association
Green League of Broward County
Broward County Environmental Meetup Group
Broward County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
Mosaic Outdoor Club
South Florida Kayaking Meetup Group
Florida Biodiversity Project

the National Park Service has decided to hold a fourth and final public meeting in Broward County. A big hand is due the leadership of these ten community organizations and the many thousands of members they represent. It was a great example of democracy in action.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 22nd, from 4 to 7:30 PM (or until the last speaker has finished). Location is the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center, 250 Racquet Club Road, Weston, Florida 33326. Phone number is 954-616-1234.

A map is here:

http://m1e.net/c?1078...

Easy directions - take I-595 to 136th Ave. You'll exit onto State Road 84. Stay on 84 (westbound) until Bonaventure Blvd (go across 136th Ave. and Weston Rd). At Bonaventure, take a left under the highway and then a right turn onto Racquet Club Road. The hotel is on the left - ample public parking is on the right.

A road map showing the location of the Addition Lands (northeast section of the Big Cypress National Preserve) is here:

http://m1e.net/c?1078...

We realize it's a work night - come when you can. As long as comments are being given, you will be allowed to sign up to speak. Please be respectful of all points of view whether speaking or listening - this is not a meeting on health care or the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The meeting will be divided in two parts with a break in between. The first portion will deal with the National Park Service's draft plan for the Addition Lands (the Sierra Club supports Alternative F - no motorized recreation in the Addition Lands), while the second half will be a formal wilderness hearing on the possible entry of over 100,000 acres of south Florida habitat into the National Wilderness Preservation System (the Sierra Club supports the designation of wilderness for all 109,000 acres that NPS has judged to be 'wilderness eligible').

The above message was sent to me, and I am passing it along...