The lush mangrove and sawgrass marshes of south Florida are the last
of a great wilderness that, until the 20th century, stretched for
hundreds of miles. Our Everglades shelter countless species, including
endangered Florida panthers, Cape Sable seaside sparrows and American
crocodiles.
But this natural wonder is besieged. Fifty years of
encroaching development have disrupted natural water flows, harmed
wildlife with pollution run-off and destroyed 50 percent of the
Everglades' unique, species-rich wetlands.
Environment Florida is urging Miami-Dade County Commissioners to protect the Everglades by
blocking proposals from big developers and land speculators to move Miami-Dade
County’s Urban Development Boundary further west into the Everglades — a move
that would rollback more than 20 years of protection for the Everglades.
Take action
Big developers and land speculators are pushing to move Miami-Dade
County’s Urban Development Boundary further west into the Everglades — a move
that would rollback more than 20 years of protection for the Everglades. Send an email to Miami Dade County Commissioners urging them to
“hold the line” on development in the Everglades.
Background
Like the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River, the Everglades
is a cherished part of the American landscape. Over time, however,
this unique ecosystem has experienced the negative effects of human
development - loss of wetlands, disrupted timing and flows of water,
deterioration of water quality, reductions in wading birds and other
species, declining lake and estuary health, and loss of native habitat
to exotic species.
The Promise of Protection
In the 1980s, Miami-Dade County planners created the Urban
Development Boundary to stop development that would disrupt natural water
flows, harm wildlife with pollution run-off and destroy the Everglades' unique,
species-rich wetlands. The intention was to direct development in a way protects
the Everglades and other areas that are vital for agriculture and natural
habitat, that help to replenish our drinking water supply, and help control
floods during major hurricanes.
A recent deal between the state of Florida
and US Sugar to purchase vast areas of land near Lake Okeechobee for Everglades restoration is good news. But other
proposals would put the Everglades at risk. The Miami-Dade County Commission
recently voted in favor of several development proposals that would destroy
vast tracts of the Everglades outside the boundary designed to protect them,
including a big-box Lowe’s store and another retail center. Even worse, Lennar Corp. is advancing another
project that would pave wetlands outside the development boundary to make way
for a new subdivision of more than 6,000 new homes.
Holding the Line on Everglades Protection
Miami-Dade Commissioners can stop these
new proposals by maintaining the Urban Development Boundary at a public hearing on December 18th, 2008. Concerned citizens will have the opportunity to let their voices be heard at Stephen Clark Government Center at 9:30 AM.
Environment Florida is mobilizing Floridians on the streets, at
their doors, through the media, and the over the internet to urge our commissioners to
“hold the line” on
development in the Everglades.
