The Florida Beaches HCP seeks to preserve the unique and precious wildlife and natural resources of Florida’s coastline. Florida’s beaches are important to many user groups, from commercial fishers to wildlife watchers to the millions of vacationers that visit the state each year. Florida’s coast is a major source of economic prosperity for the state, but it is also home to many rare species and fragile, dynamic ecosystems. Preserving these species and their habitats will ensure not only the fulfillment of our responsibility as stewards of the state’s natural resources, but also the continued economic importance of and the quality of life on the coast for future generations of residents and visitors to the state.

The HCP is being developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and with input from a broad range of contributing partners. The HCP process is in the early stages, so please check back often for updates and more details on how development of the plan is progressing.

The FDEP has decided to pursue HCP as a result of Incidental Take Permits (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act, which requires the development of a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The intent of the HCP is to minimize and mitigate impacts to federally listed species that may occur as a result of activities permitted by FDEP's Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) Program. The FDEP is currently developing an HCP, which will be known as the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan, or Florida Beaches HCP.

Questions that the link below answsers.

What federally listed species will the Florida Beaches HCP protect?
What are the benefits of a multi-county HCP?
How is the Florida Beaches HCP being developed and who is responsible for the plan?
How long will it take?
Should I become involved in the development of the HCP?
What is the Endangered Species Act?
What does "Take" mean?
What is an Incidental Take Permit?
What is a Habitat Conservation Plan?
What is the Coastal Construction Control Line?
Why do beaches in Florida need a Habitat Conservation Plan?
Why is the CCCL Program developing a Habitat Conservation Plan?

For more complete information go to http://www.flbeacheshcp.com/Default.aspx

           One would never think of bunnies as being endangered. We think of them as being very populous, and all over the place. In fact, there is one species that is endangered and it is native to Florida. This species is called Sylvilagus palustris hefneri or the Lower Keys Marsh rabbits. This particular species is named after Hugh Heffner, the playboy bunny founder who contributed money to research rabbits in the field.

           The Lower Key Marsh rabbit is very dependant on its habitat for survival. It only eats certain plants and grasses that are in the marshes. It also relies on the way the marsh is naturally, for shelter. Unfortunately, with habitat destruction due to human encroachment and vehicles, these rabbits are losing their homes and their lives. There are about 300 rabbits left today. The rabbits do not have enough genetic diversity in their genes according to researchers to be able to adapt easily to new situations.  The rate of survival goes down with less genetic diversity. The US Fish and Wildlife Service are hoping to relocate the rabbits in order to help prevent its extinction. They are hoping to put them in an area where they are least likely to be disturbed and help them grow again.  

           What happens when humans feed wild animals or help it to adapt to the human habitat? They wind up having to be put down or put into a zoo. In this case, a wild whooping crane, an endangered species, became to tame to be left out in the wild. It was not fearful of humans and would approach them or their surroundings for food. He had to be captured and put into a zoo, never to migrate or fly again.

            The workers of Operation Migration, a program to help the whooping cranes learn to survive and learn to migrate take great care to not reveal their human selves to the cranes from the moment of birth. They do everything in disguise; showing them how to eat, drink, socialize and even migrate. Once the cranes learn the route once, they never forget it. But when humans get involved with the cranes and allow the cranes to feed off of them, the cranes’ survival rates decrease. They never learn to adapt to the wild again. In this case, for the first time since the program Operation Migration started, they had to take a crane away from its flock. It was something they hoped and thought they never had to do.

 http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/article1009620.ece

The past few months have seen increased discussion of alternative energy sources including wind energy here in the United States. Private investors including oil-man T. Boone Pickens have touted exploitation of the Midwest’s wind potential through high-profile television ads in this time of four-a-gallon gas prices.  With 40,000 new turbines expected to be erected, the Fish and Wildlife Service remains wary, but understands the importance of developing renewable energy, and remains
committed to cooperation to increase the vitality of both interests.  The U.S. Department of the Interior established a Wind Turbine Advisory Committee (WTAC) for the purpose of making recommendations to the Secretary on maintaining wildlife habitat. Whooping cranes typically fly at altitudes of at least 500 feet: So far no whooping cranes have been killed by wind turbines, which are usually about 300 feet high.

The danger comes, however, upon their nightly landing.  According to Tom Stehn, of the FWS, the placement of wind farms could result in huge losses of natural habitat if birds avoid their usual migration routes. Note how the migration route overlaps the wind power map. whooping crane migration map  Another article notes that other species, such as the Prairie Chicken, avoid nesting near tall structures such as turbines.  The corridor reaching from North Dakota down into Texas is recognized as some of the greatest wind potential.  Industry officials from organizations such as the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) are aware of the potential impact on wildlife and aim to minimize it, but emphasize the role in all areas of development of protecting wildlife and not singling wind power, since, according to Nature, one bird is killed for every thirty turbines--a number much less than many other man-made features.   Most environmental groups, the FWS,  and the Secretary of the Interior support renewable energy sources such as wind, but wish to work together to protect the interests of both sides.

Articles on this topic: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/03/04/wind-farms-cranes.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23389384/

Fact Sheets on Wildlife Impact from the American Wind Energy
Association

http://www.awea.org/pubs/factsheets.html

 WTAC site—they are meeting this week, so this site may have
updates soon

http://www.fws.gov/habitatconservation/windpower/wind_turbine_advisory_committee.html

FWS on Wind Energy

http://www.fws.gov/habitatconservation/wind.html

The Florida Legislature decided to designate the Loggerhead sea turtle as the official Florida Saltwater Reptile recently.  It joins a list including an official saltwater fish (Atlantic sailfish), freshwater fish (Largemouth bass), reptile (American Alligator), flower (Orange blossom), and of course, song (Old Folks at Home).  The designation is meant to help recognize the threats faced by this important species. Ninety percent of all nesting of Loggerheads within the United States occurs in Florida.  According to the Fish and Wildlife Commission, nest counts of Loggerhead sea turtles, the most common kind in Florida, have declined thirty-seven percent over the last 19 years. The species, alongside several other sea turtle species, continues to be threatened by habitat encroachment, illegal harvesting, pollution, including light pollution, and many other man-created obstacles.  

Read more about designation and protection at the FWC site:

http://myfwc.com/whatsnew/08/statewide/News_08_X_SeaTurtleSymbol.htm

The List of Official Florida Symbols:

http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/fl_symb.htm

The FWC has even more information on threats, prevention, and more:http://research.myfwc.com/features/category_main.asp?id=1289