Environmental conservation and preservation do not often come with new development, but Collier County, the Florida Wildlife Federation and developer Collier Enterprises are trying to change that. The Florida Wildlife Federation wants to ensure public benefit on this land in eastern Collier County while protecting wildlife. It plans on building wildlife crossings, fencing, bear-proof trashcans […]
National group expresses worries for wildlife, taxpayers due to east county development. Developer says it will preserve environmentally sensitive land.
“I took it upon myself to look at the campus and noticed all the native vegetation and how well it was done,” Budd said.
What she saw were littoral shelves filled with pickerelweed, arrowhead and various lilies lining retention ponds, native plants providing food and protection for wildlife and the oasis known as SpeedBridge.
The bridge is named after one of Arthrex’s medical devices, which is used for surgical repair of soft tissues such as rotator cuff and Achilles tendon tears.
Working with a landscape architect, the company was able to use the native plants on the property to create natural habitat for wildlife.
Developer, environmental groups work out compromises over rural villages
Naples Daily News
Between sometimes contentious and hours-long public meetings, developers planning rural villages in eastern Collier County and a handful of environmental groups negotiated further protections for land and wildlife.
Collier Enterprises is moving plans through the county for three villages in environmentally sensitive lands in the county s 185,000-acre Rural Land Stewardship Area.
Plans for the villages Rivergrass, Longwater and Bellmar spurred debate from groups concerned the development would further imperil wildlife habitat and sensitive ecosystems.
While some groups, such as the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, oppose the villages and have even filed a lawsuit over Rivergrass, others sat down with the developer to work out some compromises.