Matanzas Pass Preserve * Blog 11

Wait. We’re going to the beach, but not really? Rumor has it that we get cookies and lemonade on this field trip though. Silver lining?

When my classmates and I walked into the Estero Bay Historic Cottage, a very nice woman, Jo, presented us with just that—chocolate chip M&M cookies, Publix lemonade, and crackers and a homemade spread. It was the easiest, smartest way to win a crowd over.

She spoke of her life on the island. As she grew up, Jo watched the growth and change of the island for 50-60 years. She explained that there was pretty much nothing when her family first settled on the island. The ocean water was crystal clear up to 15 feet below her and her friends as they swam in the water.

What could be most interesting about her speech was how the use of the island evolved over time. Jo said that there was literally nothing on the island but a small population of people and a school after some time. Basically, the people who lived on the island provided for themselves because it was expensive to import goods and services at the time. Progressively, Jo’s island was found by more and more fisherman who eventually bombarded the coastline.

This economic upswing brought more and more advertisement to the semi-unknown locale. Tourism has been a huge reason to why there are so many more people, restaurants, fishermen, etc. on the island destroying parts of the environment, but stimulating the local small businesses.
Walking through the Matanzas Pass Preserve gives insight to what used to be there not even a century ago. It was like history museum—a small bit of land preserved for future reference of the past. I saw lots of Mangroves of course, but also quite a few small crabs scurrying around the area under the boardwalk. I can only imagine how the island looked before people and technology arrived.

I think currently the island is not 100% sustainable. Nowhere really is, but I think it once used to be. From the stories Jo told us, the island was very environmentally friendly because of the people who lived there. With time, technology and the urge of humankind to dominate nature, the island became less sustainable.

Thousands of cars drive to Ft. Myers everyday for work and/or play. There is so much energy being used because of that alone. The people in these cars, however, have places to go and things to do, thus spending more of the earth’s resources.