Pine rocklands plants adapted over thousands of years to seasonal wildfires and fire suppression is a major threat. Other serious pressures include land conversion for urban development and agriculture and invasion of exotic plants.
Pine Rocklands in Miami-Dade County
Concerned about the continuing loss of their irreplaceable pinelands and other natural areas, Dade County voters approved a two-year property tax increase in 1990 to acquire, protect, and manage environmentally endangered lands.
With $80 million in land acquisition funds, Metro Dade's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program has been in the rather unusual business of buying high value pineland and other natural areas from willing sellers and NOT developing them. Once a natural area is acquired, staff initiates its restoration and management, funded by the interest from a $10 million EEL management fund.
Lands are selected for EEL acquisition on the basis of their biological health and viability, their vulnerability, and their manageability. Since the program's inception, 850 acres of privately held pineland have been selected for acquisition. These acquisitions have included the two largest pineland sites remaining in private ownership.
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