Protest Calls Attention to Clearing of the Briger Forest, Despite Police Interference

by Everglades Earth First!

On Friday, December 5, over 50 activists gathered for a rally outside of the Briger Forest in Florida’s Palm Beach Gardens. The group was protesting the Scripps Phase II project, which is currently clearing the 681-acre forest for the construction of a bio-tech city, complete with animal testing labs and shopping malls.

The Briger Forest is a unique mosaic of scrub, flatwoods and wetlands. Florida has more endangered and threatened species than any other continental state, and the habitat found in the Briger Forest is increasingly rare, as so much of Florida’s southeastern corridor has been paved over for development. There are at least 13 species of plants and animals listed for protection likely present in Briger.

Altering the rush hour traffic and neighboring communities to the destruction happening right behind the treeline, Friday’s crowd sang chants, flew flags, swung banners, and displayed signs in solidarity with the wildlife inside. The two-hour protest was completely peaceful, with the exception of one element: the police. Despite the fact that this was a legal gathering of families, students, activists and children engaging in free speech activities, Palm Beach Gardens police—many undercover—surrounded the protest, blocked traffic, followed vehicles, covertly filmed protesters, prohibited participants from accessing public roads, and used loudspeakers to shout their opinions and drown out the chants of the crowd.

Protest to Save the Briger Forest, December 5th and 12th

The last remaining unprotected forest east of I-95 is being illegally cut right now. Activists and concerned citizens from all around will be gathering at 4:30 on Friday, Dec. 5th and 12th, at Donald Ross and Central Ave in Palm Beach Gardens to protest its destruction and help save it from the corporate interests who fail to see its value and beauty.

This 681 acres is currently home to several threatened and endangered species, including the gopher tortoise and snowy egret. It is slated to become home to more strips malls, more residential units and a biotech city complete with animal testing labs.

IF THE BRIGER IS DESTROYED HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO IN YOUR BACKYARD:

• Increased CO2 levels
• A four-million-square-foot “Biotech City“
• Animal testing labs
• Biohazardous waste
• Destruction of threatened and endangered native animal habitat
• More wasted tax dollars (on top of the $580 million already spent)
• 500,000 sq. ft. of strip malls, urban sprawl, and 2,700 unnecessary residential units
• More corruption – 3 of the 7 County Commissioners who voted in favor of Scripps Biotech have gone to federal prison for development-related charges!

DIRECTIONS/PARKING:

From I-95, go east.

Make a left (north) onto Central Blvd.

At the roundabout follow the signs to Main Street. Public parking is plentiful a little ways down.

If you have your car parked by 4:00-4:15, and we will be offering offer shuttles from your car to the protest.

(We do not recommend parking at the Walgreens or on private property. If you need more details, a ride, or aren’t seeing the shuttle please call Tuesday at 561-503-5743.)

TEXT “BRIGER” TO 84576 to find out more.

 

Briger and the Building Boom on Hood Road

Land cleared on the south end of Briger, along Hood Road.

By now, many have noticed that there is land clearing and development going on at the south edge of the Briger Forest. As it stands, the southwest corner of the Briger is the future home of a Jewish Community Center (JCC).

The legality and ecological impacts of this work is yet to be determined, as research is currently under way to investigate whether appropriate permits and approvals exist for this project.

Nonetheless, we are getting organized to defend the forest from further incursion, in what the Palm Beach Post has called “The Building Boom on Hood Road.”

This Summer, the City of Palm Beach Gardens approved building plans for Franklin Charter School on the west side of the forest (also on Hood Road, west of I-95). This side of the forest was found by local volunteer research and the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council to be even wilder and less impacted than east of I-95.

Click here to see an aerial map of what they have in store for one of the last remaining forests in the eastern corridor of South Florida.

And then there is the contentious Scripps-related hospital, which is being opposed by the Jupiter Medical Center.

Last week, Palm Beach County Assistant Administrator Shannon LaRocque-Bass said “The hospital is the trigger for getting the Briger property going.”     

Scripps Florida Palm Beach County

On Feb 14, 2011, two FAU Alumni began an occupation of the tree canopy in Briger Forest. The anti-Scripps tree sit in continues today as a direct deterrent to the expansion of Scripps Biotech in Florida. Click here to see videos and photos. Find out how you can support the tree sitters by contacting: evergladesearthfirst [at] gmail.com

Scripps biotechnology and bio-science facility is reaching it’s Phase II of development. Scripps Phase II will be built on the 700 acre forest, Briger Tract located on Donald Ross Road across from the FAU campus and Scripps Phase I.

We encourage you to do some research to decide if this is something you support or not. If Scripps Florida is not something Palm Beach County feels comfortable housing we invite you to get involved to have your voice heard. You may not disagree with everything Scripps brings- but you may disagree with at least one thing.

Will Scripps Florida Biotechnology be good for our families, communities, environment, and economy?

Here is some info about Scripps Biotech Phase II.

ENVIRONMENT
Scripps Phase II will devastate 683 acres of forest, home to Threatened and Endangered species of plants and animals such as Gopher Tortoise and Hand Fern. The land contains habitats suitable for at least 13 species listed for protection.

HEALTH & SAFETY
Scripps has still not disclosed the hazardous waste they will be disposing and what the associated risks would be. We know they deal with biological weapons such as Anthrax and industry diseases such as Mad Cow. The site is located directly west of two populated neighborhoods, San Michele and Legends at the Gardens. The water on the site drains into the regional canal system, emptying into the Intercoastal Waterway, potentially impacting all who live on the Lake Worth Lagoon.

ECONOMICS
Scripps has already cost taxpayers over $580 million dollars in subsidies from the State and County. In 2009, Scripps was the cause for 33% of Palm Beach County’s tax increase; nearly $40 million. This was the number one reason for last year’s tax increase, resulting from environmental permits being declared illegal. The current plan includes building 2,700 more homes and a new “City Place”, despite the entire Abacoa complex across the street going into foreclosure last year.

ETHICS
Testing and alliance with Genetically Modified Foods (GM’s), Tobacco companies, such as Novartis, Kraft, Monsanto, and Phillip Morris.

Animal Testing and Vivisection of monkeys (specifically Macaques,) dogs, cats, and mice will be routine in Scripps Experimentation. Vivisection research projects using Macaques are already routine at Scripps Florida at FAU. Some FAU students are rallying against this practice. Scripps located at FAU is the largest animal research facility in the state of Florida.

CORRUPTION
Since the original debacle with Scripps, 4 of the 7 Palm Beach County Commissioners who crafted the deal have been found guilty of corruption charges related primarily to crooked land deals.

WANNA HELP?!
Click here for a PDF of our flyer to circulate far and wide

The Low Down On Scripps Biotech

The Briger forest is approx. 700 acres, not 900. Please forgive the typo in this video.