Urban Conservation

Introduction

Florida’s population has grown very rapidly in recent decades. In 1950, Florida was the 20th largest state in the U.S. with a population of less than 3 million. Currently, its population has grown to over 16 million making it the fourth largest state in the nation. Much of Florida’s growth has centered upon coastal communities, however, more and more urban development issues are also becoming part of the interior of the State as well.

As a result of such phenomenal growth, metropolitan areas have become increasingly aware of natural resource concerns that are specific to urban communities. NRCS has responded to these needs by focusing resources and programs to address urban resource concerns. Some urban resource concerns include soil erosion, beach restoration and impacts to threaten and endangered species habitat, water demand and the threat of saltwater intrusion and natural resource education. These concerns and how NRCS has provided technical assistance are discussed below.

Soil Erosion

Though soil erosion can be detrimental to an agricultural operation, when soil erosion occurs in an urbanized area it can pose a threat to human life and property. In the panhandle of Florida, severe gully erosion undermined several communities. In cooperation with local community leaders, NRCS provided technical assistance for the installation of a grade stabilization structure to prevent further erosion and subsequently protecting the lives and property of several residential communities.

Beach Restoration

Florida’s beaches provide vital, tourism dollars to local communities from the millions of tourists that visit every year. In addition to the economic value of beaches, coastal environments are a critical habitat for various endangered species such as the brown pelican and the green sea turtle. Unfortunately in some areas of the State, beaches are being degraded as a result of years of severe erosion. NRCS responded by developing Best Management Practices specifically for the beach shoreline, including the use of municipal compost, irrigation Hallandale Beach water management and mulching

of 3 Section I (A) (8) November 2003 for beach revegation. For example, the Hallandale Beach Xeriscape Recycle and Revegetation (HBXRR) Project is one of the most successful beach restoration projects located in Broward County and involves 25, 000 coastal plants covering approximately 1.5 acres of beach. With the success of the HBXRR Project, local leaders have implemented similar beach restoration projects with technical assistance from NRCS resulting in approximately 24 miles of coastal dunes being restored.

Water Demands

As urban populations increase dramatically in Florida, so do the pressures on water resources. In some areas, Florida residents face water restrictions and increased costs of water usage every year due to tremendous water demands. With increased water demands, saltwater intrusion particularly in the north and southeastern coastal regions, has become a major concern as a result of continued “drawdown” from residential urban water use. As a result, NRCS developed Urban Mobile Irrigation Labs (MILs) in order to assist landowners in conserving water. Urban MILs save millions of gallons of water every year as a result of conducting on-site irrigation evaluations and promoting water conservation and irrigation efficiency to urban residents.

Natural Resources Education

Public information and educational efforts bring the conservation message to both urban and rural residents. Listed below are some examples of natural resource education projects.

Ecosystem Restoration The lake pictured below suffered from massive fish kills as a result of degraded water quality. Through urban conservation efforts, an Earth Day Project was coordinated with local officials in order to educate citizens and increase community awareness regarding ecosystem restoration. As part of this Earth Day Project, 24 bald cypress trees were planted in an effort to restore the lake.

Outdoor Classrooms Outdoor classrooms provide urban residents a glimpse into Florida’s diverse ecosystems. Urban conservation through local communities, schools, volunteers and NRCS technical assistance have Develoe Park Lakeside resulted in numerous outdoor classrooms which have led to tree plantings, invasive exotic species removal and educational activities. The outdoor classroom can range from wetlands, row crop plantings, hydroponic nurseries or native uplands. Natural resources education provides a “gateway” for urban communities to better understand the importance of Florida’s natural ecosystems, our agricultural industry and the interconnectivity between urban development and other these other landuses.

of 3 Section I (A) (8) November 2003 Conclusion As described above urban conservation projects can vary widely. However, NRCS has the resources and programs, including Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), Emergency Watershed Program (EWP), and other USDA Farm Bill Programs that can assist in addressing urban resource concerns.

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