Readers of the Cape Gazette have no doubt noticed the increasingly frequent letters to the editor on the topic of rampant development that’s destroying the county we all love so much. Woodlands with ecosystems centuries in the making are being clear-cut at breakneck speed. Wetlands left and right are being obliterated with fill-and-build construction that tempts out-of-staters with pretty facades that hide possible future foundation problems and potential mold. Waterways and beaches are increasingly littered with trash left behind by visitors who see our beloved Sussex as a commodity rather than the place that sustains us.
When we watch the nightly weather and take stock of the climate crisis that wreaks havoc, we tend to locate the cause in some hazy distance: greenhouse gases, the burning of fossil fuels, failure to ramp up renewable energy sources, etc. All of these factors are real, and important, yet alongside them is the reality that stares us right in the face: the bulldozing of Sussex County.
Drive Robinsonville Road to see wanton destruction of woodlands in its full awfulness, and as you do so, listen: the pileated woodpeckers you used to hear are gone because their habitat has been destroyed. So are the owls, and the hawks and the wood thrush. And look: you won’t glimpse a deer because they, too, have fled in search of cover, as have the foxes, weasels and flying squirrels.
The commodities that are being built in place of the woodlands aren’t all that different from the wood that’s being harvested in the Amazon and destroying the world’s lungs. What is global is indeed local, and we need to act in the here and now to do our part for those who follow us.
We have formed the Sussex Preservation Coalition to this end. As a coalition, we bring together 15 other organizations invested in preserving our environment, along with scores of individuals donating time and energy to the same goal.
Please visit our website to see what we are doing: providing tools for concerned residents to keep abreast of dockets before Sussex County Council and planning & zoning, along with tips for addressing those bodies; building a library of helpful documents to orient folks to county planning and issues key to our plight; posting action alerts on timely events and listing meetings of allied organizations on our calendar; sponsoring speakers and roundtable discussions at our monthly general meetings; collaborating to draft and forward ordinances; archiving links useful to anyone trying to preserve Sussex County; offering virtual billboards to talk back to the trending blight of real estate billboards polluting our view; and more.
We have even launched a podcast that explains our mission and offers interviews with specialists to educate us all on topics such as the flora and fauna that have no one to speak for them but us. Go to sussexpreservationcoalition.org where you will find a tab to volunteer your talents, knowledge and conviction. Come join us!
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A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.
