October 05, 2017
By Florida Sportsman Editor
Florida Conservation Coalition commends the action to preserve Florida ecosystems
Scientists identified, studied, and ranked over 2 million acres of environmentally sensitive lands throughout Florida that the Legislature must conserve.
Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island) recently filed legislation, SB 370, that would allocate $100 million annually to the popular Florida Forever land conservation program.
In 2014, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved the Water & Land Conservation Amendment (also known as Amendment One) to restore funding for conservation and recreation land acquisition. However, in the three years since the Amendment passed, less than 4% of dollars from the Amendment have been allocated to land conservation statewide.
“We're very pleased to see that Senator Bradley is acting as a champion for his constituents, the vast majority of Floridians, and paying heed to our Constitution by offering to dedicate Amendment One funds annually to land conservation,” FCC Vice Chairman, Commissioner Lee Constantine said.
Scientists identified, studied, and ranked over 2 million acres of environmentally sensitive lands throughout Florida that the Legislature must conserve to protect the water supply of our citizens, prevent increasing losses from flooding, provide critical wildlife habitat, and promote a vibrant quality of life for residents and visitors of Florida alike.
The Florida Conservation Coalition (FCC) applauds this show of leadership before the official start of the legislative session. Florida Conservation Coalition member and affiliate organizations look forward to working with Senator Bradley and the rest of the Florida Legislature to ensure this legislation meets the needs of Florida's premiere land conservation programs including the Florida Forever priority list, the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, and the Florida Communities Trust program.
“The conservation needs of our state are great and Senator Bradley's bill provides a starting point to address them. In the wake of Hurricane Irma, it is more clear than ever that conserving critical lands is necessary not only for our environment, but also for our economy and our way of life.” Commissioner Constantine added.
