Environment of Florida

Caverns at Florida Caverns State Park

The state of Florida possesses a rich and diverse array of land and marine life and a mild subtropical climate. These assets have drawn tens of millions of people to settle in the once rural state over the last one hundred years; Florida's population increases by about 1,000 residents each day. Land development and water use have transformed the state, primarily through drainage and infill of the wetlands that once covered most of the peninsula.

Most of Florida consists of karst limestone veined with water-filled caves and sinkholes, which provide homes to many species of aquatic life, some unique to particular Florida locations. As urban and suburban development have increased over the last decades, demand for groundwater has also risen, resulting in damage and drying out of portions of the cave system. This has led to ground subsidence as dry caves collapse, threatening property as well as ecosystems.

Restoration of the Everglades has long been recognized as an environmental priority in the state. In 2000, congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a $7.8 Billion, 30 year project aimed at preservation and restoration of the region and its unique combination of environments.

Population growth and development

Ortona Lock and Dam, a part of the Army Corps of Engineers project to control water flow in the Everglades.

The Everglades ecoregion, highlighted in a satellite photograph

The United States Census of 1900 identified only four cities in the state of Florida with more than 5,000 inhabitants: Jacksonville, Pensacola, Key West, and Tampa. The total population of the state was recorded as 528,542. The southern third of the state was sparsely populated, and much of it was partially submerged marshlands. A few attempts at diverting the flow of water from Lake Okeechobee to the land to the south had occurred as early as the 1880s, but it was not until the election of Governor Napoleon B. Broward in 1904 that any significant drainage occurred. Broward had campaigned on a platform that included draining the Everglades and selling off the resulting land. Beginning in 1906, and continuing until 1913, over 225 miles of canals were dug, creating the Miami Canal, the North New River Canal, and the South New River Canal. An even more ambitious and expansive program followed, resulting in the construction of six large drainage canals and numerous smaller canals, totaling 440 miles; 47 miles of levees; and 16 locks and dams over a 14 year period, from 1913-1927. As land was reclaimed from the Everglades, farmers moved in. Vast farming areas sprang up in southeastern Florida and the northern Everglades. Development was further spurred by the Florida land boom of the 1920s, during which a speculative wave resulted in a frenzy of planning, land redevelopment, and construction continued until 1926, when the bubble burst. Between 1926 and the beginning of World War II, growth in the state was slow and relatively stable.

As World War II came to an end, thousands of people moved to Florida, bringing about a sharp population increase. The state's population in 1940 was 1,897,414; in 1950, it was 2,771,305, an increase of 46.1%. The Tampa Bay area and South Florida were the biggest-growth areas, although almost all of the coastal areas along the peninsula saw strong growth.

By 1945, a prolonged drought in Florida spotlighted the first signs of the consequences of altering the environment. Saltwater intrusion became an issue in wells in the southern part of the state, and large wildfires consumed parcels of farmland, destroying the peat which had made the land so fertile. Extensive flooding in 1947, during which 90% of the state south of Orlando was underwater, made it clear that the current drainage projects were not beneficial to the environment, to farmers, or to the developing cities. 1947 was also the year that Everglades National Park was dedicated, and the year in which Marjory Stoneman Douglas published The Everglades: River of Grass, which warned of the damage that had occurred to the fragile ecosystem. The following year, the state of Florida created the agency which eventually became the South Florida Water Management District, responsible for water quality, flood control, water supply and environmental restoration in 16 counties, from Orlando to the Florida Keys.

During the 1960s and 1970s, continued growth along both coasts of the state and along Interstate 4 increased the strain on the ecosystems of the state. Portions of Big Cypress Swamp were drained for development, until the creation of Big Cypress National Preserve in 1974. Additional acreage was added to Everglades National Park in 1989. In 2000, Congress passed a federal effort to restore the Everglades, named the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), with the objectives of "restoration, preservation and protection of the south Florida ecosystem while providing for other water-related needs of the region." and claiming to be the largest environmental restoration in history. The plan involves cooperation between the federal government, state, and local governments, and encompasses 18,000 square miles in 16 counties. It is estimated that completion of the program will take 30 years, at an approximate cost of $7.8 Billion.

As the Southeast Florida area approached buildout, growth shifted to more rural areas in central and north Florida. Between 2000 and 2006, Flagler County was the fastest growing county in the nation, and both Osceola County and St. Johns County were among the 25 fastest growing; Flagler County was identified as a Metropolitan Statistical Area on 18 December 2006. The sharp growth in Flagler County (and neighboring St. Johns County) has had a negative impact on the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, endangers wildlife such as manatees and bears, and threatens the water supply for the region.

Energy, water, and waste management

Florida ranks forty-fifth in total energy consumption per capita, despite the heavy reliance on air conditioners and pool pumps. This includes coal, natural gas, petroleum, and retail electricity sales. It is estimated that approximately 4% of energy in the state is generated through renewable resources. Florida's energy production is 6.0% of the nation's total energy output, while total production of pollutants is lower, with figures of 5.6% for Nitrogen Oxide, 5.1% for Carbon Dioxide, and 3.5% for Sulfur Dioxide.

It is believed that significant energy resources are located off of Florida's western coast in the Gulf of Mexico, but that region has been closed to exploration since 1981. Governor Charlie Crist and both of Florida's senators, Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez, oppose offshore drilling and exploration. Former governor Jeb Bush, originally opposed to all drilling, changed his position on a bill introduced introduced into the House of Representatives in 2005, which would allow unrestricted drilling 125 miles or more from the coast. Martinez, Nelson, and Crist opposed that bill, but Martinez and Nelson voted for a Senate alternative which prohibited drilling within 125 miles of the Panhandle coast, and 235 miles of the peninsular coast.

In 2006, the state enacted "Farm to Fuel" initiative, an effort to increase production of renewable energy from crops, agricultural wastes and residues produced in the state of Florida. On 22 January 2008, Florida's Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner announced funding for four commercial ethanol and biodiesel production facilities, and an additional eight demonstration and research projects.

In July 2007, Florida Governor Charlie Crist announced plans to sign executive orders that would impose strict new air-pollution standards in the state, with aims to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. Crist's orders would set new emissions targets for power companies, automobiles and trucks, and toughen conservation goals for state agencies and require state-owned vehicles to use alternative fuels.

Florida obtains much of its drinking water from the Floridan Aquifer and the Biscayne Aquifer, as well as from surface water from Lake Okeechobee and other lakes, but population increases have begun to strain available sources. The state has built 120 desalination plants, more than three times as many as any other state, including the largest plant in the United States. Additionally, an electrodialysis reversal plant in Sarasota is the largest of its type in the world, and a nanofiltration plant in Boca Raton is the largest of its type in the western hemisphere.

Increasing landfill space is also an issue. St. Lucie County is planning to experiment with burning trash through plasma arc gasification to generate energy and reduce landfill space. The experiment will be the largest of its kind in the world to date, and begin operation no later than 2009. If successful, experts estimate that the entire St. Lucie County landfill, estimated to contain 4.3 million tons of trash, will disappear within 18 years. Materials created in the energy production can also be used in road construction.

Parks

The beach at Bahia Honda in the Florida Keys

Everglades National Park

See also: List of Florida state parks

Areas under control of the National Park Service include:

• Big Cypress National Preserve, near Lake Okeechobee
• Biscayne National Park, in Miami-Dade County south of Miami
• Canaveral National Seashore, near Titusville
• Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, in St. Augustine
• De Soto National Memorial, in Bradenton
• Dry Tortugas National Park, at Key West
• Everglades National Park in Southern Florida
• Fort Caroline National Memorial, at Jacksonville
• Fort Matanzas National Monument, in St. Augustine
• Gulf Islands National Seashore, near Gulf Breeze
• Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, in Jacksonville

Areas under the control of the USDA United States Forest Service include:

• Apalachicola National Forest along the east bank of the Apalachicola River,
• Choctawhatchee National Forest near Niceville,
• Ocala National Forest in Central Florida, and
• Osceola National Forest in Northeast Florida.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service is responsible for one sanctuary:

• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Biodiversity

Florida is a richly biodiverse state, with 3,500 native vascular plants and 1,500 vertebrates, a higher number than all but three other states. A 2003 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization study stated that the Florida Straits had the highest biodiversity in the Atlantic Ocean, and were the home to 25 endemic species found nowhere else.

Flora

File:Melaleuca quinquenervia2.jpg

Dense stand of Melaleuca in the Everglades

Approximately 1,300 plant species (31% of total) are non-natives which have become established; 10% of these are considered invasive. The three most ecologically damaging are Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), which has taken over 703,500 acres in south and central Florida, and forms single-species environments; Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia), which has invaded 488,800 acres - more than 12% of total land area in South Florida, and was spreading at an estimated 50 acres /day; and Australian Pine (Casuarina spp) which covered 372,723 acres, and whose fallen needles release a chemical into the soil which inhibits the growth of native plants.

Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticilatta) is the most significant invasive aquatic plant species in the state; Aggressive biological, chemical and mechanical management has reduced the effects of Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes).

Red tide has also been an issue on the Southwest coast of Florida. While there has been a great deal of conjecture over the cause of the toxic algae bloom, there is no evidence that it is being caused by pollution or that there has been an increase in the duration or frequency of red tide outbreaks.

Fauna

The Florida Scrub Jay is found only in Florida.

See also: List of wild mammal species of Florida and List of Florida birds

Endemic species in Florida include the Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri), Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma okaloosae), and Key Deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium).

Due in part to its prevalence in the exotic pet trade, Florida has a large number of non-native species. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission tracks 31 species of mammals, 196 species of birds, 48 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians, and 55 species of fish that have been observed in the state. Many of the identified species are either non-breeding or stable populations, but several species, including the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus), Gambian Pouch Rat (Cricetomys gambianus), Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus), and Burmese Python (Python molurus bivittatus), have created significant impact on the delicate ecosystems of the state, especially in the tropical southern third of the state.

People Birdwatching in Florida.

Florida is a popular destination for Bird watchers, because of the many species that can be found in the state at various times of the year. The Florida Ornithological Society maintains the official state list of the birds of Florida, which currently contains 498 species. A study published in 2003 by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission documented 196 species of birds which were confirmed to breed in the state, with an additional 19 species listed as possible or probable breeders.

Sport fishing is also popular in Florida; over 250 different species of fishes (including 73 non-native species) can be found in Florida. Florida's fresh waters are host to 34 confirmed breeding species of exotic (introduced) fish, a higher number than any other place on earth. There are more than 1000 species of fish in Florida's inshore waters.

Since their accidental importation from South America into North America in the 1930s, the Red imported fire ant population has increased its territorial range to include most of the Southern United States, including Florida. They are more aggressive than most native ant species and have a painful sting.

Florida's Atlantic coast is home to the only extensive coral reefs in the continental United States, and the third largest in the world. The entire reef system in the Florida Keys is encompassed by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and significant portions of reef are protected as part of Biscayne National Park.

See also

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection

External Links

• The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• Executive Order 07-126 establishing climate leadership by example
• Executive Order 07-128 Action Team On Energy and Climate Change