MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — You called and emailed elected leaders and protested a proposal to build three golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County.

It even became the theme of our Let’s Hear It event in August.

The controversial proposal would have developed golf courses, pickleball courts and hotels in Florida state parks.

Your voices were heard!

Development at eight state parks was introduced after provoking great opposition and a tremendous public outcry this summer.

Part of the reason it became a hot topic until now was because of a Facebook group called “Protect Jonathan Dickinson State Park.”

Jessica Namath created the page in hopes of educating and informing people in one place.

“I knew something was coming and that we would have to take action,” Namath said. “I knew that we all needed to have information very quickly and that we all had the right information.”

The page now has almost 50,000 members.

“I can’t even fathom that size, that number,” Namath said. “It’s overwhelming, of course. But, again, I like to believe that that’s what matters to Floridians about what they see here.”

It has become a massive movement to protect all parks. To this day, members talk about protecting other parks across the state, such as Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach and Big Cypress National Preserve.

Public pressure is working. In October, Palm Beach County commissioners unanimously approved a new resolution to better protect more than 31,000 acres of county-owned natural areas.

Although it’s a big step forward in protecting the land, Namath said he plans to keep the commitment throughout the local and state community. They met before and she said they will meet again.

“Right now we’re focusing on the page just on continuing to make ourselves heard,” Namath said.