The Perdido Watershed Eco-tourism Project is a citizen initiative. The goal is to preserve the Perdido waterfront for eco-tourism and recreation. It should be the beginning of the Circumnavigate Florida Canoe Trail body being considered for designation as a National Wild and Scenic River. Alabama and Florida have declared it an Outstanding State Waterbody. Alabama has almost all its riverfront in conservation.
The bay has a large area of wetlands not suitable for housing & commerce, but with minimal investment could give great returns from eco-tourism. It requires few and minor tax paid amenities generates little to no need for additional policing and clean up. It does attract responsible and affluent people who spend freely on other enterprises.
The preservation of wetlands is critical to our fisheries, our surface water quality, and even our well water. Conversely, building homes in wetlands means cost for storm evacuation, shelters, and higher insurance rates for all. Therefore, the best use of this area is conservation, recreation, and mitigation banking. The project as envisioned would create and integrate several linear parks. Already existing is the ten mile Glen Key/Jones Swamp to Perdido Bay Park in SW Escambia County, Florida with a spur to Big Lagoon State Recreation Area on the Inter-Coastal Waterway.
Marcus Creek & Bayou are in natural state for most of it's length, largely wetlands under DEP jurisdiction, and has a parallel power line along the upland. They could be used for trails connecting schools, parks, neighborhoods, and commercial areas. A five acre site is designated for an environmental studies/community center on Marcus Creek with a trust for maintenance.
The horse center could become a major economic asset by providing horse trails and campsites in areas ill suited to other economic uses. They could even connect to canoe campsites if desired. Connecting all of the parks would create an ecotourism opportunity to broaden our tourism customer base and seasonal appeal without increasing pollution or risk.
Eco-tourism generates eight (8) billion dollars a year in Florida and is growing at a rate of 30% a year. Escambia County should avail itself of this opportunity to meet economic needs in the same time and place as it meets environmental concerns.
Anne Bennett
Escambia (FL) Soil and Water Conservation District 1
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