"A Portal, Not A Fence"

Environmental protection can be compatible with economic development, according to David Anderson, Executive Director of the Florida Audubon Society. Anderson praised the West Bay Sector Plan at last week’s RACC meeting, telling the crowd that the planning and cooperation in Bay County is a model for the entire state.

Anderson briefed the gathering on the feasibility study underway to determine if the organization will build an Audubon Nature Center in West Bay. Anderson said the vision is to use the nature center to create a “portal, not a fence” for the 40,000-acre West Bay Preservation Area that would be established once the airport has relocated.

According to Anderson, Audubon Nature Centers welcome visitors, teaching them to experience and enjoy nature while protecting it. Anderson cited the example of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Ft. Myers, an Audubon Nature Center that welcomes 250,000+ visitors each year.