For decades, leisurely drives through western Madison County would take you through rolling hills rich in farmland, pastures, and timber. Row crops could be found growing in the mellow, brown loam soils along rivers and creek bottoms. Prime cattle would be grazing in knee-deep Bermuda grass, loafing under mammoth oaks. During spring, blooming Dogwoods would explode resembling that of a new-fallen snow through the moist soil basins. During winter, Possumhaw would line the fencerows revealing their vibrant red berries offering food and cover for cardinals, cedar waxwings, and quail. Life was good, and more importantly, simple. Alas, nothing lasts forever.
These same serpentine roads and the local landscape that once afforded peace and tranquility have gone by the wayside. Thousands and thousands of acres have now been reduced to a sea of red dirt as far as the eye can see. In the name of progress, blades of steel from bulldozers and giant excavators have gouged Mother Earth to the core. Native American campsites, rich in artifacts and history, have been destroyed, never to be explored and studied again. Clear running streams, once lined with ancient cypress trees, have been filled in with rock and concrete, offering no place of refuge for the minnow, the mink, and the wood duck. It is a tragedy for a once vibrant ecosystem, and it will never be the same again. Gone forever.
The culprit, in the name of progress, is Amazon, Madison County, and other business entities. Have you driven down Highway 22 lately, west of Canton? Have you seen the vast development at the Madison County Mega site where huge data centers are being constructed at Mach II speeds? Eroded soils washed onto the pavement, cover the local two-lane roads making them slick as glass when it rains. Flagmen are constantly stopping traffic to allow for movement of equipment that continues to destroy the land while laying massive pipelines up and down the right of ways.
Not that long ago, local residents who travel these roads, could be in town or at work in just a few minutes. Now one can be “stuck” in traffic for 30 minutes or more due to the increased congestion. Local citizens’ utility bills have doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled, to pay for the increased demand for water by other entities. Of course, local utility groups deny this and state otherwise, but don’t pour water down my neck and tell me it’s raining.
Are there benefits for this development that far outweigh the carnage that is taking place? We can discuss this as well. Farm and timber land that was once valued at three thousand to four thousand dollars per acre is now being sold at 30,000, 40,000, and even 50,000 dollars per acre. This is not a typo. Let me do some simple math for you. Example: 300 acres sold for fifty thousand dollars per acre equals 15 million dollars. Can you comprehend this? There is no way someone can turn down this kind of money. If someone is in the right place and someone else offers this kind of money for a parcel of land, then good for them. I don’t blame them one bit and I’m happy for them.
Before my phone starts ringing off the hook and my email blows up, I’m sure there are those who will rebut my opinion of the extreme damage and loss of wildlife habitat due to this construction. Also, keep in mind, this is just one site here locally. I’m sure there are thousands of other sites being developed all over the country. I just hate to see prime wildlife habitat, beautiful streams and rivers, and pristine bottomland hardwoods totally destroyed for the dollar.
I remember this country 50 years ago and what it was like for the nature enthusiast, the farmer, and for residents. Maybe their lives are better due to this massive development. Maybe it is a blessing for the farmer to sell his land and go out of the farming industry with the commodity prices we are currently enduring. Maybe we will reduce emissions by ordering our tennis shoes through Amazon and not burn fuel and emit carbon into our atmosphere. Maybe local merchants can get a better job with benefits by closing the doors of their family business and seek employment with these giant conglomerates. I’m sure I am missing something. Please enlighten me.
The other afternoon I was sitting in one of my favorite haunts and I could watch equipment move thousands of yards of soil next to me. Smoke filled the air from the huge piles of timber and stumps that were being burned. Backup sensors echoed relentlessly through the swamp. Dump trucks shook the land from constant banging of tailgates dropping loads of fill dirt. I counted no less than 100 vehicles passing by when only a few years ago you might have noticed three or four. There was no way to relax and enjoy the evening. All in the name of progress.
I could go on and on, but why? It’s not going to change, and in fact, it’s probably going to get worse. I suppose I just needed to get this off my chest. Deer have been pushed out of their domain, and the wild turkeys have been concentrated making them and their poults much more vulnerable to predators. But on the bright side, at least your orders of merchandise will be there in a matter of minutes as opposed to a day or two. I invite you to take the Canton exit off I-55 and ride a few roads to look at “progress.” Why not, everyone else is riding. As I mentioned earlier, enlighten me and sway my opinion that what is taking place is a good thing. I promise I will be open-minded unlike many when they say, “don’t confuse me with facts, my mind is made up.”
If there is a silver lining to this dark cloud, at least I was blessed to experience what this once beautiful country offered. I saw it all. Words will never be able to describe what flourished here back in the day. I should be thankful for being a part of it and rest assured I am more than thankful. I do know of several other parcels of land that have not been demolished for the benefit of mankind and the bank. They are more difficult to get to, and perhaps this is the reason they are still intact. I won’t share their location in this article but if you long to experience untouched streams, rolling hills full of majestic whitetail bucks, and endless coveys of quail, give me a call sometime. I might be willing to share it with you. Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it. jeff.north@northag.net
