Concerned about the continuing loss of pinelands and other natural areas, Miami-Dade County voters approved a two-year property tax in 1990 to fund the acquisition, protection, and maintenance of environmentally endangered lands. The Environmentally Endangered Lands Program (EEL) identifies and secures these lands for preservation.

The EEL Program & its partners have brought more than 18,350 acres of Environmentally  Endangered Lands into public ownership since 1990.  Additionally, the EEL Program manages nearly 3,000 acres of natural lands within Miami-Dade County Parks, for a total of more than 21,000 acres protected.  The purchase and conservation of these lands ensure that they are shielded from development and will continue to thrive as natural habitats:

• 631 acres of rockridge pineland
• 272 acres of tropical hardwood hammock
• 16,809 acres of freshwater wetlands
• 620 acres of coastal wetlands
• 19 acres of scrub habitat

Annually, the EEL program considers proposed acquisition sites by the public. Proposals by government agencies are reviewed semiannually. Each site is inspected by county staff and citizen volunteers who are members of the Land Acquisition Selection Committee (LASC). Following a public hearing, LASC recommends sites for purchase to the Board of County Commissioners.

Once approved for acquisition, a purchase is negotiated with the owner. The EEL Program works only with willing sellers to purchase land. To stretch available funds, EEL seeks matching funds and partners.  EEL acquisitions are available for matching grants, joint acquisition agreements, and donations.  The State of Florida’s Preservation 2000 program and Florida Forever have also been important sources of matching funds for EEL.

You can get involved by joining one of the workdays organized by the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program and help to protect and restore natural areas in Miami-Dade County. The workdays are fun, hands-on activities throughout all kinds of interesting natural areas. Community hours are available through this volunteer program.

Help restore wetlands at the Camp Matecumbe Pineland Preserve from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 19. To volunteer, and for more information, call 305-257-0933 x227 or e-mail eel@miamidade.gov.