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From the Desk of
Representative Byron Donalds

Our Southwest Florida Paradise
by Congressman Byron Donalds
outhwest Florida is an economic, Not only is our community home to many incredible natural
demographic, agricultural, and wonders, but it is an economic powerhouse. Between Lee and Collier
Senvironmental treasure with many Counties there are a combined 3,976 lodging establishments and 1,132
inherent benefits that should be recognized, farms spanning 235,650 acres and grossing a combined $294,100,000
acknowledged, and appreciated. annually. Together, Lee and Collier Counties notably produce 2,980,000
Our recent history begins on May 13, boxes of citrus annually. This combined output results in $1,037,100,000
1887, when the Florida State Legislature in annual exports and 443,810 in total employment, with the largest
partitioned Monroe County to create Lee local industries being health care and retail trade.
County. Nearly thirty years later, on May 8, Sporting culture has also become an important part of our economy
1923, Lee County was partitioned to create and our community. Collier County is ranked number one in the State
Collier County. Everglades City is the birthplace of Collier County–the of Florida in golf courses per capita while Lee County ranks number
largest county in our state, and nearly double the size of Lee County four statewide. There is even a golf course for every seven square miles
in square mileage. Both counties share a combined 95 miles of pristine, in Lee County. Moreover, we are a baseball hub that is home to the
white sand beaches, with 154 public access points. Notably, eighty spring training facilities for the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins,
percent of Collier County is set aside for preservation purposes. the regular season home of the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, and the
Collier County hosts twenty-five different natural environmental consistently successful Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles basketball
communities, is home to twenty-five threatened/endangered species team. Above all, Estero, is home to the Florida Everblades ice hockey
and has afforded special county protections to eighteen specific species team–minor league affiliate of the Florida Panthers National Hockey
including the Florida panther, the sea turtle, and the Florida black League franchise. The Everblades are back-to-back champions, have
bear. In addition, Collier County hosts six state parks, twenty bodies won the most championships in league history and swept last season’s
of water, and five federally designated lands including Big Cypress finals.
National Preserve, Everglades National Park, Florida Panther National Overall, there is nothing more important to a community than its
Wildlife Refuge, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, human capital. Together Collier and Lee counties are home to 1,193,090
and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. people including 73,334 veterans, 168,385 students and a projected
On the other hand, Lee County hosts ten different natural population of 1,619,113 by 2050.
environmental communities, is home to twenty-three threatened/ All of these factors have contributed to the rapid growth of our
endangered species, has afforded special county protections to forty- community over the past decades. Recently, I introduced a resolution
five specific species and possesses one of the world’s largest populations on the floor of the House of Representatives alongside Congressman
of bottlenose dolphins and West Indian manatees. Furthermore, Lee Mario Diaz-Balart, that recognizes, acknowledges, and appreciates the
County is home to twelve state parks, eight bodies of water, 400 miles economic potential, demographic conglomeration, agricultural diversity,
of canals, and the federally designated JN “Ding” Darling National and environmental paradise that Lee County, Florida, and Collier
Wildlife Refuge–part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem County, Florida, have to offer.
in the United States. The natural beauty of our community has I am proud to be a resident of Southwest Florida and I am honored
attracted the attention of the nation and as a result Lee County and to represent the paradise we are blessed to call home in the halls of
Collier County respectively rank as the third and fifth top destinations Congress.
for second homes in America.

CONTACT MY OFFICE

Collier County Office Washington, DC Office
3299 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 105, Naples, FL 34112 1719 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 239.252.6225 Phone: 202.225.2536

14 Life in Naples | December 2023