Envionmental Corridors and their Importance to the Florida Ecosystem. Alexander Smith

Environmental Corridors Natural spaces are not usually confined to the small areas we designate as ''protected areas'' such as state parks or reserves. Wildlife and flora often cannot survive, and definitely not flourish with the encroaching urban spaces. While we cannot preserve every bit of land, we can provide areas for wildlife to expand to new territory without having to interact with humans. Environmental Corridors provide a natural segway between two large pieces of natural land which can be used by wildlife to travel.

Habitat Fragmentation Habitat Fragmentation occurs when a natural space is divided into smaller sections. The natural space is broken up and the regular balanced ecosystem is damaged, causing uneven edge effects on the fragile space.

How Fragmentation Affects Wildlife When resources become scarce, species will try to expand in order to avoid competition. Usually this occurs easily whenever a population grows. Human structures and life provide nearly insurmountable barriers to these animals. They attempt to corss roads or urban areas and are forced back from where they came, or killed in the process.

Species Affected by Fragmentation Florida Panthers are rapidly losing their expansive qualities, and ability to breed. And as such, their allready endangered status has become even more dire. The Black Bear is losing habitat in Florida and may not be as easily seen here because of this. Forests are far more susceptible to fire, because of increased dry edges. Many species, especially short lived ones, suffer from genetic diversity loss because they are forced to breed within the same limeted gene pool instead of being able to interact with other distant populations.

How Corridors Help Solve this Problem Corridors can be as big as a large river or whole miles of forest or as small as a culvert under a highway. Any small area the retains its natural qualities helps wildlife extend to their natual range. Corridors also keep wildlife out of human living space, where they are usually met with hostility for invading “our land.“

The Political Issue Though Florida has always been trying to preserve its natural beauty, before the 1990's ecological corridors were not taken into account, and conservation was solely focused on saving large parcels of land wherever they could. Now, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Forever, and 1000 Friends of Florida are all working together to connect already preserved pieces of land. Unfortunatly, the ariculture, mining and housing industries almost never see eye to eye with conservation and are always trying to expand into not yet protected lands. Under the current administration and financial situation across the country, funding for even the largest agencies is becoming scarce, and conservation is slowing down in the last few years.

Current and Future Projects Underpasses are being built throughout Florida to facilitate highway crossings for wildlife. Current and future conserved lands are encorporating vital corridor areas into their plans. Board walks are being built in areas where they were once thought unnecessary. This helps to not disturb traditional forest undergrowth that is necessary for smaller animals and plants.

What Can be Done Regular and powerful political activism, focusing on ecological corridors and their necessity to Florida's natural spaces. Helping to build natural habitats in your own yard and throughout the community. Not supporting unsustainable industries, especially phosphate mining, overly zealous housing expansion, and even the meat industry.

Bibliography Kruger, Kelsi. "Habitat Fragmentation: Falling Apart at the Seams." Sustainable Linfield. N.p., 03 May Web.. "Thinking about Habitat Fragmentation." Primal, n.d. Web.. "About the Florida Wildlife Corridors Initiative." The Wild Foundation, n.d. Web. 8 Oct Hoctor, Tom. "The Florida Wildlife Corridor Initiative." N.p., 22 Feb Web.. "Greenways for Florida." 1000 Friends of Florida, n.d. Web..