Alexa Santoni is working towards her biology degree at the University of Central Florida.

Editor's note: Alexa Santoni is a student at the University of Central Florida, getting her bachelor's degree in biology. She is currently in Audubon Florida's Conversation Leadership Initiative program. When not studying for class she enjoys knitting, baking, and sewing.

Growing up in rural Florida near protected lands, I was able to have the privilege of experiencing the natural beauty of wild Florida. Natural places provide benefits for both wildlife and people, including making us more resilient in the face of climate change.

Unfortunately, these benefits are at risk in Big Cypress National Preserve, which is a target for oil extraction. Petroleum exploration is still permitted on the land. The state government needs to take action to buy out the remaining petroleum leases. Burnett Oil Co Inc. has withdrawn its permit application to drill, but will seek a new one.

Big Cypress National Preserve is a park of over 729,000 acres of rich swamp lands, closely tied to the wondrous Everglades. Only about 50 miles from bustling Miami, the park provides a quiet escape for people and wildlife alike. Big Cypress contains robust marine estuaries whose niche environments support a staggering amount of biodiversity. Since humans first settled the region over two-thousand years ago it has been known for its plentiful resources. In our contemporary times oil companies are attempting to abuse these natural resources by drilling for petroleum that lies underneath the preserve and threaten the surrounding ecosystems. 

Big Cypress is a special place, one of the last habitats for rare species like the ghost orchid and Florida panther. Oil drilling would not only impact endangered plants and animals but could undermine the quality of water in important waterways of Big Cypress, which feed into the Everglades and provide clean water to much of Florida. Additionally, the Preserve holds importance to the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes who historically have lived on the land. Drilling would undermine the cultural value of the space, as well as continuing a legacy of traumatic colonialism. 

It's time to take oil drilling in Big Cypress off the table. To aid in this cause, naturalists can ask Nikki Fried, [Florida's agriculture commissioner who opposes drilling in Big Cypress], to stop drilling at Big Cypress, keep an eye out for Burnett Oil Inc., and assist Florida's indigenous communities. They may also support statewide conservation efforts and other bills, which will improve our climate change actions.