NOTABLE COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Nature vs. Man

COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION

By Steve Wright

State governments hold no monopoly on innovative vehicles for land conservation. County governments are getting in on the act as they seek ways to balance development and preserve resources.

Some are so noteworthy as to deserve recognition. The Trust for Public Lands and National Association of Counties this year presented its Fourth Annual County Leadership in Conservation Awards to various communities, including the following trio:

South Park Heritage Area, Park County Land & Water Trust Fund, Park County, Colorado

A community of less than 20,000 located near metropolitan Denver, South Park saw huge population growth in the 1990s. The result was a significant decrease in ranching and a diversion of agricultural water for municipal uses.

These challenges served to unite ranchers and miners, business leaders and local government officials with the goals of conserving resources, fueling the economy, preserving historic properties, nurturing resource-based tourism and managing growth.

In 1994, the South Park Heritage Area was born, giving rise to the Park County Land & Water Trust Fund in 1997 which leveraged more than $4 million in sales tax into a $20 million budget that includes donations and grants.

There has been “tremendous public support for conservation in Park County, and as a result, the broad spectrum of partners that have contributed both financially and in-kind to conservation projects,” said Dieter Erdmann, Director of Conservation Operations for Colorado Open Lands, a land trust.

Park County’s and its partners’ accomplishments include:

• Preservation of 23,000 acres associated with water rights, wetlands, and riparian habitat.

• Restoration of 13 miles of degraded streams, benefiting habitat, water quality, and storm-water control.

• Programmatic developments for citizens including new interpretive exhibits and recreational activities, such as the South Park Flyfishers Program.

In November 2006, voters reauthorized the Fund through 2018 by an 81 percent margin.

“Park County’s conservation program is built on this foundation of the public benefits of private land conservation. Each conservation success is seen as a community success.” said Erdmann.

Open Space Acquisition Policy Plan, Suffolk County, New York

With its proximity to New York City and repository of high quality drinking water,
Suffolk County became a target for development in the 1980s. Concerned about what further growth could bring to the community, the County pioneered a Purchase of Development Rights program. The County worked with landowners to support limited future land use in exchange for payment from the County.

In 2004, through an issuance of bonds approved by the voters, the County funded the Save Open Space program to acquire open space, farmland development rights, and parks. Another measure passed in 2007 extended the life of the program through 2030.

Through its visionary methods, Suffolk County has created “one of the most successful programs for land preservation in the Country, investing nearly $1 billion to preserve over 50,000 acres in the past four decades,” said Carrie Meek Gallagher, Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Environment & Energy.

“Today, Suffolk County has a population of almost 1.5 million people. With rapid growth since the mid-20th century, preserving and protecting our environmentally sensitive lands, parklands and historic farmland uses has been a high priority to the citizens of this County over the last three decades. It is essential that we balance the needs of our large population with the need to protect those resources that sustain us,” Meek said.

Parks and Conservation Lands, Martin County, Florida

Situated along Florida’s coast, Martin County is feeling the pinch of growth. But here uncontrolled growth could bring more blacktop and sprawl. The County’s unique location includes the delicate Indian River Lagoon. Threats to the Lagoon mean impacts on watersheds leading to the Everglades and other fragile wetland and upland systems.

Over two decades, Martin County has acquired nearly 48,000 acres of land to meet both conservation needs and the needs of public access land. The “Lands for You” bond referendum in 1989 created a $20 funding mechanism that leveraged $50 million in land purchases.

In 1996, Martin County voters approved Healthy Rivers, a three-year, one-cent sales tax which generated $50 million -- leveraged into more than $300 million -- for preservation of more than 42,000 acres of land in the Everglades watershed and Indian River Lagoon landscapes. Another voter-supported half-cent sales tax in 2006 funds clean water, wildlife, beaches, and parks and will generate $60 million.

“These acquisitions have proven to be one of the very best programs in our region for preserving large tracts of open space for multiple generations to come. They have also served as great leverage when going to Wash., DC and talking to our elected officials about matching dollars for construction of Everglades restoration,” said Commissioner Doug Smith, Martin County Board of County Commissioners.

“It is because of the vision of our local taxpayers in taxing themselves that we have the opportunity to accomplish these goals.”

Wright frequently writes about Smart Growth and sustainable communities. He and his wife live in a restored historic home in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana. Contact him at: stevewright64@yahoo.com