We need 1,000 signatures ASAP to show the Collier County Planning Commission that we do not want to lose 3,000 acres of citrus groves to more residential and commercial real estate to the proposed development of Corkscrew Grove East and West. Click here to read the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation’s open letter to the Collier County Planning Commission.

Florida’s citrus groves are in trouble. Developers are turning once-thriving orange groves into barren landscapes set for new real estate development.

The Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation, Inc., alongside countless Floridians, write to strongly condemn Alico, Inc.’s proposed development of Corkscrew Grove East and West—two 1,500-acre villages in eastern Collier County on land that once thrived as citrus groves. This 3,000-acre project, announced on March 13, 2025, threatens to further erode Florida’s citrus heritage, devastate local ecosystems, and undermine the livelihoods of small farmers already struggling to survive. We urge you to reject this application and prioritize the preservation of our state’s agricultural legacy over short-term corporate profit.

The Corkscrew Grove Villages, while claiming alignment with the Collier County Rural Land Stewardship Area (RLSA) program, pose significant environmental risks. Alico’s plan includes 6,000 acres for conservation, but this gesture feels hollow when compared to the 3,000 acres of former groves that will be bulldozed for 9,000 homes and 560,000 square feet of commercial space. Corkscrew Grove risks repeating these mistakes, threatening the Florida Wildlife Corridor and local ecosystems in eastern Collier County. This development further marginalizes small citrus farmers already battered by industry neglect. Alico’s decision to develop rather than support citrus recovery deepens this crisis, paving over the very land that could sustain future generations of farmers.

When you sign this petition, we all become one step closer to saving as much of these remaining acres of citrus groves as we can. While we may not be able to stop this development or reduce its scope, this resident-driven petition still sends a message to the CCPC for future grove demolitions in Collier County and beyond.

The Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation is the first and only nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the backbone of Florida's citrus legacy, small farmers. Your contribution helps to save small, family-owned citrus groves—with volunteer support, advocacy, and economic grants—from state-sponsored destruction. Because without orange groves, Florida is a lost cause to corruption. Take a stand and donate today to stop the decay. 🍊