Issue: Land Conservation and Management

Audubon of Florida

Florida has long relied on public land acquisition to preserve habitat and protect environmentally important lands. However, over the past decades, parts of key ecosystems have been converted to urban uses at a rapid rate. The rate of loss now exceeds the rate of protection and restoration.

Audubon of Florida Goals:

• Increase appropriations for buying state conservation lands to at least $300 million and for water management lands to $200 million in 2008.

• Launch a new acquisition program in the beginning in 2009 to at least double the funds available for land conservation.

• Complete land acquisition for Everglades Restoration and Lake Okeechobee Recovery by 2010.

• Initiate new local and regional public land acquisition initiatives, and support new funding for existing programs.

• Encourage Conservation through Land Use to place conservation easements on private lands as compensation for increased development density.

• Fund management of public lands to restore natural habitats, control invasive species, make appropriate use of prescribed fire, and advocate for protection of these public lands from municipal use encroachments such as utility corridors, schools, roads, etc.

For information on invasive plants in Broward County, click here.

Broward County

In November 2000 voters in Broward County overwhelmingly approved the Safe Parks and Land Preservation Bond Referendum.  Its purpose is to preserve natural lands for future generations and limit overdevelopment.  This was necessary because the pace of development was proceeding rapidly and natural lands were being lost.  Land Preservation efforts include (1) acquiring natural lands for conservation, (2) securing green spaces as buffers between environmentally sensitive lands and conservation lands, and (3) obtaining and restoring open spaces for public parks.