Speak for the trees!

A cherished coastal preserve is under attack by the campus administration that was appointed last year by Governor DeSantis in the rightwing takeover underway at New College of Florida.*

Take action: Tell the Chancellor of the State University System to uphold the Campus Master Plan that calls for permanent protection of the Uplands Bayfront Preserve.

The clearing of trees for a sporting facility is a clear violation of the Campus Master Plan (CMP), which states multiple times that the Uplands preserve is to remain undeveloped as open space for passive recreational, preservation, and flood control purposes.

Clearing the land may also violate a local tree protection ordinance and federal law protecting mangroves and coastal waters.

The decision to disregard the CMP, local ordinances and federal oversight occurred without input from environmental agencies, students or the neighborhood bordering the preserve, as required.

The destruction of these mature, native trees and mangroves along the coast must be challenged.

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