Explore Agricultural and Natural Resource Issues
Conserving Open Spaces, Natural Lands , and Farmland
Florida is one of the fastest growing states and included 11 of the 100 fastest growing counties in the United States during 2003. Consequently, natural and agricultural lands are in high demand as the pressure to convert these areas to residential and/or commercial uses continues to increase. There are many compelling reasons, however, to conserve natural and agricultural lands in Florida . To learn more see the following UF-IFAS publications:
Managing Coastal Waters
Healthy coastal systems, including estuarine and marine near shore environments, provide homes and food for numerous plants and animals. Additionally, we use these systems extensively for commercial and recreational activities. Human coastal and inland activities can pose threats to the health of coastal aquatic systems. Balancing protection and use of coastal systems creates some difficult public decisions. To learn more see the following UF-IFAS publications:
Managing Florida’s Water Resources
The quantity and quality of water in south Florida directly influences environmental, human, and economic health. Public issues surrounding water are complex and diverse. To learn more see the following UF-IFAS publications:
Managing Invasive Species
Florida 's natural ecosystems are increasingly coming under attack by invading exotic species (plants, wildlife, and insects) which displace native species, thereby degrading the diversity of floral and faunal resources. Florida has ecosystems not found in the other 47 contiguous states, and it also has more non-native species than any state other than Hawaii . Many of these species have become sufficiently abundant or otherwise destructive to be considered pests. To learn more see the following UF-IFAS publications:
Protecting Threatened and Endangered Species
With 100 threatened and endangered species, Florida has the third highest number of listed species in the nation (following Hawaii and California ) (US Fish and Wildlife, 2005). Recent public debates have focused on the process for determining what species are in need of protection or the best method for protecting them. Such decisions not only impact individual species populations, but also influence private property, public use rights, and quality-of-life.
Restoring Florida’s Everglades
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), which covers 16 counties in South Florida , provides a framework for restoring, protecting, and preserving the Everglades . Implementation of the CERP will take more than 30 years to construct and will cost an estimated $7.8 billion. To learn more you can go to The Official CERP Web Siteand/or read the following UF-IFAS publications:
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