LOVERS KEY, Fla. — This past week the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) announced its 2024-2025 Great Outdoors Initiative. It's caused an outcry from residents from across the state. The initiative plans to add golf courses, hotels, and pickleball courts across 9 different state parks. While none of those parks are in Southwest Florida, the concern from local environmental organizations is could places like Lovers Key State Park might be next.
"I am very worried about the precedent some of these actions would set," said Matt DePaolis, Environmental Policy Director, Sanibal Captiva Conservation Foundation.
"If it starts to go into one place, even if this is on the opposite end of the coast from us, we have to really start thinking about the big picture," said Codty Pierce, Calusa Waterkeeper
Florida DEP's Great Outdoor Initiative has groups like the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation and Calusa Waterkeeper concerned about changes to nine Florida state parks could mean to others in the state.
"When you take it from the stance of a lot of us that participate in outdoor activities, especially those that are more nature minded, this feels like a direct assault," said Pierce.
According to the initiative, these parks could see disc golf courses and pickleball courts added. Plus, two state parks could have 350 hotel room lodges built, while another could have three golf courses built.
"It just seems to run directly counter to everything we are learning about resilience, everything we are learning about coastal communities, and everything we are learning about water quality really," said DePaolis.
Speaking directly to proposed golf courses in Jonathan Dickson State Park in Stuart, Fla., Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce is concerned about the water usage and possible pollution it would cause.
"The water usage is obviously going to have a large impact on the environment,” said Pierce. “The divergence of water, so the overflows from the ponds that are there, excess runoff from irrigation. All that is going to have an impact on the local watershed."
While these proposals aren't in Southwest Florida parks, there is concern about that could mean for the future.
"What about Lover's Key? We have a number of areas that I think would be at threat of further development that we don't want to see," said Pierce.
Fox 4 has reached out to FDEP for comments about these changes and any other future plans for parks in Southwest Florida, but they have not gotten back yet.
Public meetings were set for August 27th at each of the affected parks where residents can learn more and address their concerns, but Friday night were postponed to September 2nd.
