GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION

The basic needs of humans for food, water, and shelter are the same for birds and other wildlife.  Since 1900 the population growth in the U. S. has tripled and by 2050 it could double the current number again.  Population growth is determined for the most part by the number of new births, increased longevity of residents, and governmental policies regarding immigration.  Currently the U. S. lacks a national policy for stabilizing the population.  “Because population growth impacts everything from the construction of water treatment plants to forest fragmentation, from wetlands encroachment to increased crowding of our National Parks”, National Audubon is working to address this issue.  For further details go to http://www.audubon.org and click on Issues and Action and then on Population and Habitat.

The distribution of population is not evenly spaced across the country and some regions become more heavily populated than others.  Florida is one of the faster growing states and its resources are becoming stretched.  Land is being swept up by developers to construct more housing units. Limited water supplies for current residents will be challenged more and more.  As population grows, more drivers mean more cars on the road that devour limited gas and oil supplies, pollute the air, and slow traffic. Fast traveling traffic on roadways near bird and other wildlife habitats kill and maims.  Florida’s ecosystems that support wildlife are being continually threatened despite the Florida Forever environmental protection momentum that had been built up since the late1990s.

AUDUBON OF FLORIDA  http://www.audubonofflorida.org

The Goals of Audubon of Florida regarding Growth Management and Transportation are as follows:

1.    Increase grassroots participation in regional and local plans in order to designate habitat protection areas and require specific conservation lands and mitigation to offset new development.

2.    Focus state growth management oversight on ecosystems and natural areas.  Advocate a greater role for state agencies in protecting resources for regional concern and key environmental restoration projects, such as in the Everglades.

3.    Promote state-led task force processes which marshal the expertise of state and regional agencies and promote public stakeholder involvement to develop a consensus on growth decisions where development threatens vital ecosystems.

4.    Initiate and support innovative approaches to land use planning that take advantage of transfer of development rights and green space preservation-type approaches to setting aside conservation areas as well as rural and farm lands.

5.    Divert highway corridors away from intact ecosystems and natural areas and insist that highway projects that do punch through natural areas are required to provide considerable funding to compensate for the additional growth pressure placed on rural lands.  Require that highway corridor and route decisions be preceded by state, regional, and local decisions on land use which are made in a comprehensive, coordinated process to counter road-induced growth pressures.

6.    Oppose the single passenger vehicle/road building model of growth in an attempt to address the threat of global warming and climate change.  Lobby for increases in funding for mass transit projects and decreases in spending for conventional road projects.