Letter: Should have covered us

I was very concerned that the efforts of the Conservancy of SouthwestFlorida in relation to the recent Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting on Wednesday in West Palm Beach were not reported in the article, “Manatee, eagle knocked off Florida’s endangered list,” on Thursday.

The Conservancy emailed our position on June 5 to Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Florida Wildlife Commission, the vice chairman, executive director, board members and Gov. Jeb Bush.

In short, our detailed, science-based document urged the commission to consider the implications of down-listing any species, advocated upgrading the status of the gopher tortoise, urged them to stand firm in resisting any down-listing influence and to err on the side of caution and work to ensure these species’ persistence in perpetuity.

More importantly, I actually attended the meeting in West Palm Beach as the only environmental representative from the Southwest Florida area and gave testimony throughout the day.

The Conservancy continues to stay true to its mission and will remain active in preserving Southwest Florida’s unique fauna and flora and quality of life. The Southwest Florida community and Conservancy members need to be aware of the efforts made on behalf of all of us.

Andrew McElwaine/President and CEO, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida