Miami-Dade mayor: Preserving paradise means making hard choices | Opinion

Miami-Dade County is a place like no other. Our economy, our culture, and our quality of life are inseparable from the natural environment that surrounds us — from the Everglades and Biscayne Bay to the wetlands that quietly protect our drinking water, buffer our communities from flooding and sustain wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.

That is why I vetoed the land use change for Kelly Tractor and the transfer of county-owned land within a critical wetlands area. This decision was not made lightly. It was made with the future of Miami-Dade County firmly in mind.

As mayor, my most important responsibility is to protect the long-term interests of our residents — not just those living here today, but the generations who will call this place home tomorrow. Preserving environmentally sensitive lands is not an abstract ideal; it is a practical necessity for a county on the front lines of climate change.

Wetlands are not “vacant” or “underutilized.” They are living infrastructure. They filter and store the water we drink, reduce flood risk during increasingly intense storms, recharge our aquifer and form the backbone of South Florida’s ecosystem. Once they are gone, they are gone forever.

Miami-Dade has spent decades — and billions of dollars — working to restore and protect these natural systems. Weakening our environmental safeguards now would undermine that work and put our resilience at risk. Economic development and environmental protection are not opposing forces, but development must occur in the right places, guided by sound science and long-standing policy.

This veto reaffirms a simple principle: County-owned conservation lands exist to serve the public good. They are not bargaining chips. Any proposal that compromises protected wetlands must meet the highest possible bar, and this one did not.

Let me be clear: Miami-Dade County values its business community and the jobs it creates. We remain committed to supporting responsible economic growth and working collaboratively with employers large and small. But growth cannot come at the expense of the very resources that make our economy — and our way of life — possible.

We have learned, sometimes painfully, that short-term gains can lead to long-term costs. As sea levels rise and extreme weather becomes more frequent, the importance of preserving natural buffers and water resources has never been clearer. Protecting wetlands today is one of the most cost-effective investments we can make in our future resilience.

My decision reflects the values of a community that understands what is at stake. Miami-Dade residents have repeatedly voiced their support for environmental protection, land conservation and responsible planning. They know that preserving paradise requires courage and consistency.

I welcome continued dialogue with our committed partners on the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, the business community and residents as we work together to build a stronger, more resilient Miami-Dade. But I will always stand firm when it comes to safeguarding our critical environmental protections.

The choices we make now will define the legacy we leave behind. I intend that legacy to be one of stewardship — of clean water, protected wetlands, and a thriving Miami-Dade County that future generations will be proud to inherit.

Preserving paradise is not optional. It is our duty.

Daniella Levine Cava is mayor of Miami-Dade County.