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“It was beautiful back then,” Karppe said wistfully.
The undeveloped stretch of 1,132 acres abounded with deer, and Karppe said she used to see endangered Florida scrub jays. The land no doubt also held rare animals still seen on an adjacent ranch, such as Sherman’s fox squirrels and gopher tortoises.
“We just saw all kinds of nature,” Karppe said. “It’s not there anymore. There’s no room for it anymore.”
Environmental impact is clear
The environmental damage at Rancho Bonito, an unlicensed off-road vehicle park in northwest Polk County, is undeniable. The property draws hundreds of vehicles on weekends, ranging from dirt bikes and four-wheelers to monster trucks. ....

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