A
Anonymous
Guest
Could there be a link between this trail and the curfews that just happened in Osceola county? Could it be, since environmental tourism is a hot $$$$ generating activity, that local elected officials sold out traditional activities for big $$$ environmental tourism?
Is there any link between promoting and conducting courteous and quiet activities to the ability to protect and advance such activities?
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl ... 8187.story
Journey on the Kissimmee
Kayaking adventurers draw attention to the imperiled Everglades region.
By Daphne Sashin
Orlando Sentinel - http://orlandosentinel.com
Posted March 24, 2007
A small group of adventure-seekers pushed their kayaks into the cool water
coursing behind the majestic Rosen Shingle Creek Resort on Friday morning,
grinned for photos and began paddling toward Lake Okeechobee.
It was the start of a 12-day, 140-mile wilderness trip that will take the
travelers -- environmental advocates from various county, state and
nonprofit groups -- from Shingle Creek in south Orange County through the
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, along the Kissimmee River's partially restored
channel and into the largest freshwater lake in the Southeast.
Besides showcasing the opportunities for boating, hiking and camping, the
trip is meant to make more people aware of Central Florida's connection to
the Everglades.
"That which we put in our water, or that which we discharge, can eventually
find its way . . . to the Everglades," Harkley Thornton, Central Florida's
representative on the South Florida Water Management District governing
board, told a crowd gathered at the resort before the expedition began.
"We're at the top of the hill, so everything from Orlando goes south."
Environmental groups throughout Florida have been trying to convey that
message as state and federal agencies undertake an $11 billion restoration
of the Everglades region. They are spending a half-billion dollars more to
reverse the ecological damage caused when the Army Corps of Engineers turned
the meandering Kissimmee River into a massive drainage ditch in the 1960s.
Another $200 million will build reservoirs and marshes to soak up the
polluted runoff that currently overflows Lake Okeechobee and gets pumped
into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, killing fish.
Throughout the trip, the travelers will learn more about the Kissimmee River
restoration and meet with experts in agriculture and land acquisition. They
will talk with students about reducing the polluted storm water that skates
down driveways in south Orange and Osceola and harms the lakes and rivers to
the south. They will spend their nights in tents in publicly accessible
campsites.
Some will kayak the whole journey except for two swampy areas in Shingle
Creek, which they will portage around to avoid getting stuck. The others
will pick up the Florida Trail at the Kissimmee River and hike the southern
half.
Doug Alderson, a field director with the state's Office of Greenways and
Trails, will collect GPS readings for a future trail guide. Bob Mindick, an
Osceola parks planner, will scout out potential locations for observation
decks. The team will file daily reports on the Department of Environmental
Protection Web site.
The expedition was hotelier Harris Rosen's vision, state officials say.
Since he began planning the 1,500-room luxury hotel and golf course on
Universal Boulevard, he has advocated for a continuous ribbon of public land
so people could walk from Shingle Creek to Lake Okeechobee.
For now, local governments and other agencies are committed to creating a
public trail along Shingle Creek, which runs from south Orange to Lake
Tohopekaliga in Osceola.
"Osceola County, Orange County, the city of Kissimmee and the city of
Orlando all agree that a continuous trail is a long-term goal," said Bill
Graf, spokesman for the water-management district. "There's pretty regular
conversations between the various agencies and jurisdictions to eventually
realize the dream of a continuous trail that starts just south of State Road
50 and winds its way to Lake Tohopekaliga."
Rosen said he didn't even know Shingle Creek ran through the property before
he took an aerial tour of the site he bought for $30 million. As he learned
more, he wanted to protect it, he said.
"Without it, that precious ecosystem doesn't exist," Rosen said of the creek.
Rosen arranged for Bright House Networks to fund a documentary about the
expedition, which will air on Channel 21 later in the spring. The crew with
Rezolution Productions also will provide Central Florida News 13 with daily
updates, which can be accessed by Bright House customers on Channel 300.
Daphne Sashin can be reached at dsashin@orlandosentinel.com or 407-931-5944.
*****************************************
Since they are filming this event to show MILLIONS how great the trail concept is, is there any interest in doing a PBS or Cable Access program on the service of airboaters? Might be able to put something together with the right people. If so, let me know........
PW
Is there any link between promoting and conducting courteous and quiet activities to the ability to protect and advance such activities?
*********************************************
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl ... 8187.story
Journey on the Kissimmee
Kayaking adventurers draw attention to the imperiled Everglades region.
By Daphne Sashin
Orlando Sentinel - http://orlandosentinel.com
Posted March 24, 2007
A small group of adventure-seekers pushed their kayaks into the cool water
coursing behind the majestic Rosen Shingle Creek Resort on Friday morning,
grinned for photos and began paddling toward Lake Okeechobee.
It was the start of a 12-day, 140-mile wilderness trip that will take the
travelers -- environmental advocates from various county, state and
nonprofit groups -- from Shingle Creek in south Orange County through the
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, along the Kissimmee River's partially restored
channel and into the largest freshwater lake in the Southeast.
Besides showcasing the opportunities for boating, hiking and camping, the
trip is meant to make more people aware of Central Florida's connection to
the Everglades.
"That which we put in our water, or that which we discharge, can eventually
find its way . . . to the Everglades," Harkley Thornton, Central Florida's
representative on the South Florida Water Management District governing
board, told a crowd gathered at the resort before the expedition began.
"We're at the top of the hill, so everything from Orlando goes south."
Environmental groups throughout Florida have been trying to convey that
message as state and federal agencies undertake an $11 billion restoration
of the Everglades region. They are spending a half-billion dollars more to
reverse the ecological damage caused when the Army Corps of Engineers turned
the meandering Kissimmee River into a massive drainage ditch in the 1960s.
Another $200 million will build reservoirs and marshes to soak up the
polluted runoff that currently overflows Lake Okeechobee and gets pumped
into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, killing fish.
Throughout the trip, the travelers will learn more about the Kissimmee River
restoration and meet with experts in agriculture and land acquisition. They
will talk with students about reducing the polluted storm water that skates
down driveways in south Orange and Osceola and harms the lakes and rivers to
the south. They will spend their nights in tents in publicly accessible
campsites.
Some will kayak the whole journey except for two swampy areas in Shingle
Creek, which they will portage around to avoid getting stuck. The others
will pick up the Florida Trail at the Kissimmee River and hike the southern
half.
Doug Alderson, a field director with the state's Office of Greenways and
Trails, will collect GPS readings for a future trail guide. Bob Mindick, an
Osceola parks planner, will scout out potential locations for observation
decks. The team will file daily reports on the Department of Environmental
Protection Web site.
The expedition was hotelier Harris Rosen's vision, state officials say.
Since he began planning the 1,500-room luxury hotel and golf course on
Universal Boulevard, he has advocated for a continuous ribbon of public land
so people could walk from Shingle Creek to Lake Okeechobee.
For now, local governments and other agencies are committed to creating a
public trail along Shingle Creek, which runs from south Orange to Lake
Tohopekaliga in Osceola.
"Osceola County, Orange County, the city of Kissimmee and the city of
Orlando all agree that a continuous trail is a long-term goal," said Bill
Graf, spokesman for the water-management district. "There's pretty regular
conversations between the various agencies and jurisdictions to eventually
realize the dream of a continuous trail that starts just south of State Road
50 and winds its way to Lake Tohopekaliga."
Rosen said he didn't even know Shingle Creek ran through the property before
he took an aerial tour of the site he bought for $30 million. As he learned
more, he wanted to protect it, he said.
"Without it, that precious ecosystem doesn't exist," Rosen said of the creek.
Rosen arranged for Bright House Networks to fund a documentary about the
expedition, which will air on Channel 21 later in the spring. The crew with
Rezolution Productions also will provide Central Florida News 13 with daily
updates, which can be accessed by Bright House customers on Channel 300.
Daphne Sashin can be reached at dsashin@orlandosentinel.com or 407-931-5944.
*****************************************
Since they are filming this event to show MILLIONS how great the trail concept is, is there any interest in doing a PBS or Cable Access program on the service of airboaters? Might be able to put something together with the right people. If so, let me know........
PW
