When people compare a map of Florida as it is currently to a map reflecting predicted development by the year 2060, there is usually a gasp.The amount of anticipated development is stunning, and the byproduct is the loss of wildlife as the lands they inhabit become urbanized. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) tackled the challenge of predicting what may be in store for wildlife 50 years from now if growth trends continue. The results are available in the FWC publication “Wildlife 2060: What’s at stake for Florida?” This document looks at the future of Florida’s fish and wildlife resources in a practical and objective way.

The FWC report is based on a study, “Florida 2060” conducted by 1000 Friends of Florida (www.1000friendsofflorida.org ), a not-for-profit organization that monitors growth in the state.

“As the state agency whose mission is to manage fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people, it is our responsibility to predict what could happen to the resources we have been charged to conserve. It is what people expect of us,” said Ken Haddad, executive director of the FWC. “Our scientists and managers have ‘crunched’ the numbers for the Wildlife 2060 report and assessed what might happen to fish and wildlife if growth continues on its same course.”

The report provides specific examples of how Florida’s species could be impacted by growth. Recent predictions indicate the state’s human population may double to 36 million in the next five decades. The amount of urbanized land in Florida also is expected to double. To accommodate the increase in population, the report projects that by 2060, roughly 7 million additional acres of Florida land will be developed.

“The development of 7 million acres represents a substantial loss of habitat and exceeds the size of Vermont,” said Dr. Thomas Eason, conservation initiatives coordinator for the FWC. “Continuing the current trend clearly would be detrimental to wildlife, but it also would be detrimental to people. Fishing, hunting, bird-watching, all kinds of outdoor activities, which brought many of us to Florida in the first place, would be greatly diminished. This affects our quality of life and our economy.” The revenue from hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and boating brings billions of dollars to the state annually.

Wildlife 2060 illustrates how continuing the past patterns of urban sprawl could result in fragmented natural places.

“Natural habitats could become islands in a sea of development,” Eason said. “Corridors for some animals to move about the state will be cut off by roads, subdivisions and shopping malls.”

Another prediction is that human-wildlife encounters will increase. As development encroaches on what was habitat for wild animals, people and wildlife will come face-to-face. Many animals will be displaced by human development, and humans will have to learn to live with those that remain. Large predators such as panthers, bears and alligators will pose great challenges for people living with them.

Though the state faces a daunting situation, the executive director of the FWC doesn’t believe the battle is lost.

“On the contrary, I have confidence that Floridians will band together to ensure that we do the right thing for our fish and wildlife while boosting our economic growth and quality of life,” Haddad said. “But, we must bring the best out in people to reach solutions, and we must bring virtually all interests to the table to make that happen.”

Rodney Barreto, chairman of the FWC, encourages everyone to do all they can to change what is happening.

“Get involved in land-use planning and decision-making, and become good stewards of the land,” Barreto said. “Become educated about what to vote for and encourage your policymakers to support initiatives that help wildlife, provide incentives for private land conservation and encourage smart growth. I am confident the future for our wildlife is bright.”

The FWC hopes the report motivates Floridians to look at growth more wisely and inspires people to get involved to keep the quality of life that diverse wildlife and healthy habitat provide.

To view the 28-page report, “Wildlife 2060: What’s at stake for Florida?” online, visit MyFWC.com/wildlife2060 .

From Staff and Wire Reports
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Kate Santich |Sentinel Staff Writer

August 15, 2008

With top economists expected to announce grim budget news for Florida — possibly the worst for the state’s government in decades — an unlikely alliance of groups representing children, the elderly and taxpayers is demanding a solution.

The alliance, Florida’s People — Florida’s Promise, is bracing for an additional state revenue shortfall of perhaps more than $1 billion, its leaders said Thursday. The exact figures will be announced today.

But already the group has some 50 agencies across the state — including the Florida AARP, the Florida Coalition for Children and Florida TaxWatch — that have pledged to work together to resolve the funding crisis. And 750 individuals have signed the group’s petition seeking more creative solutions from state lawmakers than the slash-and-burn approach of the past legislative session.

“This is the largest back-to-back, year-to-year decrease in state funding. You have to go back to the Great Depression to find an impact like this,” said Florida AARP spokesman Dave Bruns. “These are historic times, and we need historic leadership.”

The group will hold the four “town hall” meetings across the state — the first on Saturday in Maitland. More than 25 elected officials and candidates have been invited.

“We’re saying to them, ‘We’re not going to just stand by and take another 5- or 10-percent reduction in our funding. It’s not going to work,” said Glen Casel, president of Community Based Care of Seminole, part of Florida’s privatized child-welfare system. “I recognize the difficult situation the legislators are in. But tearing out the safety net of our society is not the solution.”

This past legislative session, advocates found themselves battling one another trying to preserve their own programs. The situation grew so competitive that one legislator bluntly told an advocate: “I’m sick of hearing about who’s the most vulnerable.”

In the end, some programs were saved — Florida’s program for the medically needy, for instance — but cuts overall were dire.

Advocates with Florida’s Promise argue that streamlining some programs and closing tax loopholes could help raise money in a relatively painless way.

“If I take a charter fishing boat in the state of Florida, I don’t have to pay any taxes [on the trip],” Casel said by way of example. “Now, who’s chartering a fishing boat? Someone who can afford to pay 6 or 7 percent tax.”

Another possible answer is collecting state sales tax on remote commerce, such as via the Internet, mail order and catalogs, Bruns said. That could generate an estimated $2 billion a year.

Response from Staff and Wire Reports @ BassOnline.com

We are personally and professional offended that some would consider taxing the fishing charter industry in Florida. A industry this state has taken for granted, at the same time has enjoyed for years the fruits of the industry.

We would suggest our state lawmakers to step back and look at how bad this industry has already been impacted by fuel and other rising cost. With an estimate 40% of the charter business to go out of business over the next two years, an additional added tax to a already hurting tourism industry doesn’t seem to support the problem, but may simply increase the inevitable. Lawmakers have already effected the fishing industry in so many ways. One example that comes to mind is the budget cuts to FWC, it has left the industry with inadequate law enforcement and underpaid biologist trying to support the most lucrative industry in the state.

While Florida tourism has ridden the wave from the fishing industry, they have continued to look at it with blinders on. It may not be the fuel cost, drop in tourism or raising of taxes that kills the Florida fishing industry. But the diversion of our tourist to other states, which do understand and appreciate the economic impact of the industry.

We would suggest everyone start looking at ways to save it, other then ways of continuing to brake it down.