"I hope all environmental, civic and all organizations and businesses will tell their people about this series. Perhaps many of our nation's children and their parents will be inspired to visit as many of these wonders as they can." Lloyd Miller, a citizen of Miami-Dade County.
This Sunday, Ken Burns' new series for PBS begins airing, six two-hour segments. Lloyd Miller was one of a small band of citizens who helped to found Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. Episode 6, on October 2nd, talks about the grassroots effort to stop the construction of a deep water port, oil refinery, petrochemical factories in south Biscayne Bay.
Lloyd Miller and Juanita Greene, retired Miami Herald journalist and longtime board member of Friends of the Everglades-- the organization founded by Marjory Stoneman Douglas-- are featured in the series. Both fought tirelessly, decades ago, against the same growth-at-any-costs in South Dade that feature prominently on this blog. I don't know if Lloyd Miller will tell national audiences and posterity about an infamous confrontation by Bill Losner, former Homestead banker: but if he didn't, he should have.
9 comments:
It's because of people like Lloyd Miller, Marjorie and Juanita Green that we have any parks in South Dade. The hardy band that snatched Biscayne National Park from developers will never get the thanks they deserve. I for one thank them every day. Compare the legacy these people will leave with the ones left by Steve Shiver, Bill Losner, the County Commission and the Dade County Farm Bureau. Who do you want to support?
Ken Burns' upcoming series, "Protecting America's Best Idea", a sweeping documentary film about our national parks, will premiere on September 27. This 6-part series will run through October 2nd, with October 1st featuring Everglades and October 2nd featuring Biscayne. You can read more about America 's Best Idea at npca.org/bestidea. And if you happen to be in NYC this week, NPCA is hosting a public premiere of the series in Central Park tomorrow night, as well as a week of activities in celebration of National Parks Week. Check out more at feelfree.org.
One of our own local champions, Juanita Greene, is spotlighted in Episode 6 in a tribute to her indefatigable efforts to create Biscayne National Park . You can also read, see, and hear more about Juanita at http://www.npca.org/bestidea/champion-greene.html
Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns has created a sweeping documentary film about our national parks. The National Parks: America 's Best Idea, a six-episode series, premieres September 27th on PBS stations. Learn more about the film and how you can help protect our parks -- visit www.npca.org/bestidea
Now the Farm Bureau is "green".
Hey what was the deal with Losner and Miller? That would be a good story for the Herald to pick up. (Dn't hold yr breath!)
That episode should be required viewing for all the HABDI supporters. Shiver, Losner, the LBA. Who else? Sergio Pino, Ramon Rasco. Miguel DeGrandy. Daryl Jones. The unreformable majority. Jordan, Martinez, Diaz, Bruno, Edmunson, Soto, Rolle. Maybe they could play it on the plane for Natacha Seijas on her trade mission back from Brazil.
Juanita Greene says in the documentary that it is the people who come up with the good ideas and the politicians follow. Juanita and Lloyd Miller's efforts are still an inspiration today in the ongoing battle to save our natural treasures, including Virginia Key. Come out Sat, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to the Rusty Pelican, to the Virginia Key Public Design Workshop. The ideas that come out of this will be shared with the politicians - so Virginia Key can join the ranks of Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park as one of our wonderful places.
It should be a great series. I caught Ken Burns @ UM in Fall previewing a 45 minute clip of it and doing a Q&A. Easily what he's most passionate about of all his docs.
Why did the Miami Herald publish Glenn Garvin's television so-called "review" of the PBS series. It's an angry screed against nature, naturalists, John Muir, even lichen. At one point he actually opines parks are "unnatural."
Maybe it's because the Herald thinks of seething (rich developer) conservatives as a core constituency like it always has.
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