The Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park at Dania Beach, named for two civil rights heroes who fought for beach access for African Americans, is described by the state as “the last example of an undeveloped coastal ecosystem in Broward County.” If a state agency has its way, change that “last” to “lost.”

Eight other state parks are targeted for damaging, unnecessary additions: golf courses, pickleball courts, two sprawling lodges and more. None of them are in Central Florida — not yet.

It is horrendous degradation, aimed at a state park system rated as one of the nation’s best. And this could be a harbinger of destruction on a scale that sweeps across Florida’s precious and preserved places like a wildfire.

Fortunately, Floridians of all political persuasions are up in arms. Take the outrage over the desecration of Split Oak Preserve, slated to be riven in two by a new high-speed roadway, and amplify it to a statewide howl of furious protests.

GOP leaders: ‘You want to what?‘

Among them: Some of the state’s leading Republicans.

U.S. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo was among the first to register her objection, and Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, in a response to  another Senate colleague, agreed: “We have worked so hard to restore, preserve, and protect our natural lands over the last decade, it doesn’t seem to make much sense to abandon that strategy in favor amenities that can and do exist everywhere else in this state,” he responded to Sen. Jay Trumbull Jr.’ss post on X/Twitter. Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s chief financial officer, is also unenthused. Even U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz said no.

The worst part of the DEP proposal, as Scott Maxwell wrote today, is that most of the planned amenities are wholly unnecessary. Florida has an abundance of hotel rooms and an overabundance of golf courses (The jury is still out on pickleball). And many of these are operated by private, for-profit entities that don’t need the state competing with them.

Some of the plans would cause serious habitat loss, worst of all at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Stuart. The ruination there would include two 18-hole golf courses and a nine-hole course — replacing more than 1,000 acres of increasingly rare scrub and forest land. It is hugely significant habitat for the Florida scrub-jay, and adjacent to the Loxahatchee River, one of the state’s three Wild and Scenic Rivers.

DEP leaders evidently knew this entire plan was a stinker. It was released on Election Day, when even the most dedicated watchers of state government were somewhat distracted. And it set hearings just one week from that day — eight of them, to be held simultaneously from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 27. It’s backed down from that plan, which was clearly designed to minimize public input and split the attention of conservationist groups.

It was the first smart move the beleaguered agency made. The next one should be a quick, decisive abandonment of this plan.

There is precedent. Clay Henderson, a former Volusia County councilman who is considered the founder of the state land-preservation program Florida Forever, recalled another one-week attack on state preserves: “During his first week in office. Governor (Rick) Scott proposed closing all state parks that didn’t make a profit and proposed golf courses for parks to enhance their revenue. It proved such an unpopular idea that he retracted it on the Friday of his first week as governor,” Henderson said. (You can read the rest of his op-ed later this week.)

On a path to destruction

Until this plan is black-flag dead, we’re going to keep pointing out its myriad flaws. At Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County, in what environmental leaders regard as the second most damaging proposal, a commercial lodge, disc golf course and pickleball courts would ravage the marine hammock.

The third most destructive project is proposed for Topsail Hill Preserve State Park near Destin, where there would be a lodge of 350 rooms, disc golf in scrubby flatwoods, and pickleball. It takes special gall to push something like that on a nature preserve. None of the parks are so remote as to need onsite hotel-style lodging.

This is a massive threat to Florida’s nationally praised, award-winning network of 175 state parks, historic memorials and walking trails. From the system’s inception, it has been properly devoted to the twin purposes of appropriate public recreation and protection of natural resources. They are not inconsistent when the recreation consists of traditional outdoor activities such as swimming, camping, fishing, boating, picnicking and hiking. A few parks have cabins. Many have tent sites. But they are managed to maintain the quiet habitat — in shady forests, swampland, sandy scrub and mangrove-lined waterfronts — needed by Florida’s shyest creatures, including foxes, otters, black bears, bobcats and hundreds of bird species. These are creatures that could never survive on a golf course and, if lodges are built, will find no room at the inn.

If this plan somehow survives the thunder of delayed criticism, Central Floridians who have been paying attention know what’s likely to come next. In Volusia County, activists have been pushing for permission to run ATVs in Tiger Bay State Forest, a critical part of Florida’s conservation corridor. There’s already pressure to break the promises made during the construction of the Wekiva Parkway, a move that could open the door to thousands of houses adjacent to one of Florida’s most scenic and well-loved rivers.

That’s why it is so encouraging to see the anger and condemnation of Florida lawmakers. Now the public should take up that cry, and say not just no, but hell no. Not now, not in a month or two, not ever. ‘Florida Forever’ means forever, not just until another governor gets a money-grubbing gleam in his eye.

This editorial was adapted from one that originally appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board includes Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writers Pat Beall and Martin Dyckman and Anderson. Send letters to insight@orlandosentinel.com.

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