EDITOR'S NOTE: Ellen Sugarman is a nationally known investigative reporter. She has given KWTN permission to serialize her new book about environmental terrorism in the Florida Keys. Here is a synopsis of previous chapters. For complete chapters, see our website: www.kwtn.com.
In Chapter 1, officials from County Code Enforcement, the Sheriff's Office and the Florida Marine Patrol— off-duty and in civilian clothes, but armed— pay an unofficial visit to property owners on Little Knockemdown Key. A few days later, the owners were cited, ordering them to tear down unpermitted structures— even though many of those structures had been there prior to the law requiring permitting.
In Chapter 2, Sugarman used Fantasy Fest as a backdrop to introduce us to her cast of characters. In Chapter 3, investigative reporter Kate Anderson hears about an allegfed conspiracy by multiple government agencies to take over private property in the Keys. In Chapter 4, she starts to look into it.
Chapter 5: Officials "raid" Little Torch Key. Chapter 6: Government officials charge a Sugarloaf resident with environmental infractions and, in Chapter 7, they take his house. Chapters 8 and 9: Kate's review of Code Enforcement records seem to reveal a pattern of deceit. Chapter 10: A lawyer tells a property owner, in jail on seemingly trumped up environmental charges, that he can get him off if he will sell his property cheap to the Conservation League.
In Chapter 11, Kate shares her suspicians with the editor of a local newspaper . Chapter 12: The editor suggests that she take a close look at Rev. Clive Farrell and the Conservation League. Kate and a freind head down to Bahama Village to hear Farrell address a meeting of Last Chance. Chapter 13: Kate meets Clive Farrell and asks for an interview. Chapters 14 and 15: The interview.
Chapter 16
"As they say in the Keys, what it is, is. The state of Florida in her great wisdom has seen fit to set aside the largest conservation budget in the U.S. of A," said Rev. Clive Farrell. "In fact, you may be surprised to learn, Kate, that Florida has the most ambitious land acquisition program in the Nation. Three billion dollars by the year 2000 to save the state's best natural lands. More than any other state. In fact, our little ole state of Florida actually has more money for land acquisition than the federal government does."
Kate looked surprised, which, in fact she was—not at what he said, which she already was well aware of, but the way he said it. The Rev was bragging on his connection to Preservation 2000, to a member of the press. "Go on."
She couldn't have stopped Clive. He leaned back in the chair, stretched out his long legs and crossed them at the ankles, relaxing. "What we do, our mission, shall we say, is we buy land from willing sellers to save it from development." Kate wrote the words `willing sellers' in her notebook. "But, let me tell you, it's a lot trickier than it sounds. Here's a for-instance. In Florida, we do a number of different jobs in conjunction with the state agencies. We also cooperate with the federal government, mostly in the person of Fish and Wildlife. In the Keys, they're the agency primarily concerned with saving the wild animals and habitat. First of all, we act as acquisition agent for the government, local, state, whatever.
"You see, we can act so much faster and we have a sizable amount of private money at our disposal. So we can move in when a property becomes available and grab it. Then we hold onto it until the public funds to purchase it loosen up. Then it's a buy-back situation, the government can pick up our option. See what I mean?"
Kate nodded, delighted at his openness. "Do you get paid for this?" she inquired casually.
"At times, we do. A small commission, plus our expenses. So, we also provide other services, most of them we don't charge a cent for," Clive continued. "One thing we can do is identify areas where the worst abuses are going on, help establish priorities. We have an extensive data bank that tracks threatened species in every state. That can be pretty useful, as you can see. Often we act as stewards for properties we have helped save." He leaned towards her and watched her write, smiling. "Stewards, you know, protecting the land. Personally, that's the part of it that speaks to me. That's when I really feel I'm doing the Lord's work."
"As far as the Keys, what's an area you've saved that you're really proud of?"
Clive paused to think about it.
"Well, right now, I'm very interested in the Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine and Little Torch. Yeah, I'd say, that's the project that's closest to my heart. My area-of-critical-concern," he quipped. "Without tootin' my own horn, it's a project we've done ex-treme-ly well with."
"You're proud of it?"
"You bet." He got up and went to his desk, opened a drawer and took something out. "Here, let me give you one of these while I'm thinkin' of it."
He handed her a black-and-white bumper sticker that read: "I SAVED A NATIONAL TREASURE" and had a silhouette of a deer with the words Key Deer Protection Alliance. "Won't that look nice on your car?"
He also gave her another sheet with information about where to send donations or write for information, with the header: Help save an important piece of Paradise. And a letter explaining the project that Clive called "our generic Key-Deer-Pay-Cash letter", explaining that it had been sent out to every single property owner on the two Keys. "We did very well with it, in fact," he added. "Negotiated option contracts on about forty percent of the undeveloped properties after that went out."
Kate thanked him, took the papers and put them in her large purse.
"Something else, just as background," Clive said as he walked over to a bookcase and started riffling through some papers. "The League already owns about ten million acres in North America. Did you know that? Here, let me give you one of our Annual Reports. You can take a look for yourself, at your leisure."
He glanced at his watch. "Y'know what? I have a meeting, right about now. What say you call me and come in another time? With questions? This is a lot to absorb in one sitting."
Kate wanted one more thing from Clive. "ABout your partnership with Preservation 2000? Is it just a working partnership or does it involve an actual contract?"
"Excellent question, I see you're thinking. I don't have time to really go into this, but, can I just say, Yes. We have a number of contracts with the state." Kate couldn't tell if this was an evasion or if Clive really felt pressed for time.
"And the CARL list? Are you involved in that?"
Clive gave her a smile. "Let's just say, the League was instrumental in getting three Keys projects at the top of the list. North Key Large Hammocks. Coupon Byte. Of course, the Key Deer Preserve. And Tropical Flyways..."
There was a knock on the door. Clive called out, "Come in."
The door opened and in walked a tall slender woman with a `captain's tan'—the white outline of sunglasses created a raccoon effect—followed by a short pudgy man with a baby face, lank blond hair and large gray eyes. They stopped when they saw Kate, but Clive gestured for them to come in. Kate stood and gathered her things.
"This is Kate Anderson, she's going to do a story on the League. You two know each other? Captain Nicky, Kate?" The women nodded, smiling and greeting each other. Captain Nicky was one of the most popular backwater fishing guides in the Keys. She looked stunning, as usual. Perfectly coiffed short black hair, make-up, a sleeveless blue t-shirt and tight jeans that showed off her well-muscled body.
"And this's my right hand man, Donald Renford. Donald, Kate." Kate noticed that the Rev had segued right back into his signature drawl. She hadn't realized how middle America his accent had become during their talk.
"We're doin' our very best to book Captain NIcky here day and night for the next three months. I understand her clients aren't at all happy with that." He took a few steps and clasped Nicky in a hug. "But, we are. Far as I'm concerned, there's no one better out on the flats."
Kate thanked Clive for his time, shook the hand he offered, then turned and left the room. Before the door closed, she heard Donald Renford say, "I didn't see an interview on your calendar."
On the way out, she stopped in the reception area and loaded up on all the written materials, brochures, magazine she could find. She also took a couple of posters that would look great on the wall in her office and some maps. More grist for the mill.
Before going home, she stopped at the Miami News bureau to talk to one of her friends, Ruby Christine. Ruby was a big woman with curly red hair, a great smile and a voice that wouldn't quit. She was a reporter by day, a lounge singer by night. She also appeared in much of the theater around town. Kate asked her to go into the News' archives and get her some clips on the Conservation League.
"Sure. How far back you wanna go?" Ruby asked, interested.
"A yea or two. Use your judgment, according to how much you find."
"I'll tell you right now, I'm gonna find a shitload on that group. They're a regular p.r. machine, environmentalists on the make."
"Then let's say fifty, sixty pages and leave it at that. Thanks a lot Ruby. I'm double parked, I better run."
"Sure, Babe. Glad to be of help, you know I'm your love slave," Ruby laughed. Say, make it a point to stop over at the Holiday Inn. I'm there with Dave and Eddie, Thursday to Sunday. Singin' the blues. The guys'd love t'see you."
Kate thanked Ruby and said she'd be sure to stop by. "Call me when you have the clips, I'll run over. I might even buy you a Cuban lunch for your trouble."
"What I really want from you is the dirt on the League." Kate grinned and made a gesture of zipping up her lips. "That good, eh?" Ruby shouted, laughing. "Well, I guess I'll have to settle for lunch. El Siboney?"
"El Siboney, you got it," Kate called back as she went out the door.
To be continued next week.
Willing Seller is a work of fiction. The events and characters portrayed are imaginary. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is coincidental.
Ellen Sugarman's writing has appeared in publications such as Newsday, Time, Vogue, Ms., Penthouse, New York Times Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Sun Times, and the Miami Herald's Tropic Magazine.
As a freelance television producer, she has worked with ABC, Fox News, A&E and the BBC. Several years ago, she produced a segment on environmental terrorism in the Florida Keys for ABC's 20/20. Although scheduled to run several times, the show was ultimately killed, reportedly because of pressure from the Nature Conservancy.
The program did air in the Keys, however, after activist Peter Anderson was able to obtain a videotape of the show and paid for time to run it on local cable television.
Among a number of shocking revelations, the program documents that former State Attorney Kirk Zuelch, while a member of the local Nature Conservancy board, offered to drop charges against property owners accused of environmental crimes if they would sell or give their land to the Nature Conservancy. Zuelch quickly resigned from the Nature Conservancy board after he was interviewed by 20/20.
Anderson encouraged viewers to tape the show when it ran on local TV. If you want to see this show, KWTN has a couple of loaner copies. Info: 292-2108.