changed:
-
<H6><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN> <EM>A group of Florida Manatees - Photo by Eric Weber</EM><IMG style="WIDTH: 595px; HEIGHT: 222px" height=391 src="http://www.floridahabitat.org/wiki/Manatee_in_canal.jpg" width=502></H6>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Rivers, creeks and wetlands form a logical backbone for much of Florida's wildlife habitat. In contrast to Florida uplands, there is a substantial legal authority for communities to protect their rivers, streams. wetlands and open karst features.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">A <SPAN>buffer</SPAN> is an area of naturally vegetated land along a lake, stream, or wetland that provides numerous benefits.<SPAN> </SPAN>Preserving a buffer protects water resources from neighboring land uses.<SPAN> </SPAN>Nutrient inputs are of great concern because of their abundant sources (fertilizer, septic tank drain fields, leaking sewage lines, animal waste).<SPAN> </SPAN>Excess nutrients in lakes and estuaries cause toxic algal blooms and depleted oxygen.<SPAN> </SPAN>Natural chemical and biological processes within buffers alter or uptake nutrients and pollutants before they enter a water body, thus providing a cost-effective treatment system.<SPAN> </SPAN>Buffers preserve native habitat for wildlife and enhance aquatic habitat.<SPAN> </SPAN>The range of benefits provided by buffers includes (among other things):<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Water quality protection </FONT></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Erosion control</FONT></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Storage of floodwaters and flood damage reduction </FONT></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Aquatic habitat enhancement</FONT></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Habitat for terrestrial riparian wildlife</FONT></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Maintenance of base flow in streams </FONT></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Improved aesthetic appearance of stream corridors</FONT></P>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>Recreational and educational opportunities</FONT></P>
<P class=documentFirstHeading><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Background Papers and Resources<BR></FONT></P>
<OL>
<LI>
<P><A href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW095"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">The Vital Link between Land and Water: The Importance of Uplands for Protecting Wetland Functions</FONT></A><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">, By, Amy K. Taylor, Patricia Sprott, and Frank J. Mazzotti, University of Florida, IFAS Extension. </FONT></P></LI>
<LI>
<P><A href="http://www.floridahabitat.org/wiki/Moler.pdf"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Wildlife Values of Ephemeral Wetlands in the Southeastern Coastal Plain</FONT></A><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">, Presented by: Paul Moler. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission</FONT></P></LI>
<LI>
<P><A href="http://www.floridahabitat.org/wiki/pdf/CoreHabitat.semlitsch.pdf/view"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Core Habitat, Not Buffer Zone </FONT></A><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">- By Raymond D. Semlitsch and John B. Jensen © 2001 Environmental Law Institute. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.</FONT></P></LI>
<LI>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Drafting Effective Lake, Stream and Wetland Buffer Ordinances. By Louis N. Smith and Charles B. Holtman<o:p>,</o:p>Rivers Council of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:State w:st="on">Minnesota</st1:State>:<SPAN> </SPAN>River Leaders <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Summit</st1:place></st1:City><o:p>,</o:p>February 13, 2003.</FONT></P></LI>
<LI>
<P><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">A REVIEW OF THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE ON RIPARIAN BUFFER WIDTH, EXTENT AND VEGETATION. </FONT><A href="http://www.floridahabitat.org/wiki/Buffers_lit_review.pdf"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Buffers_lit_review.pdf</FONT></A><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> By: Seth Wenger for the Office of Public Service & Outreach Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia. Revised Version, March 5, 1999, I n s t i t u t e o f E c o l o g y, U n i v e r s i t y o f G e o rgia, Athens, Georgia.</FONT></P></LI>
<LI>
<P><A href="http://www.floridahabitat.org/wiki/pdf/buffer%20fact2.doc/view"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Buffers:<SPAN> </SPAN>An Efficient Tool for Watershed Protection - Fact Sheet. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Panama City Florida Office.</FONT></A></P></LI>
<LI>
<P><A href="http://www.floridahabitat.org/wiki/pdf/Stream_Buffer_Ord.pdf/view"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">Model Stream Buffer Ordinance from Cherokee, Georgia</FONT></A></P></LI>
<LI><A href="http://hhwq.blogspot.com/"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">The HHWQ blog</FONT></A><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> is a noncommercial site for hydrologic, hydraulic, and water quality modeling and simulation, including associated Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). More than 100 free software applications are available for download and use. </FONT></LI>
<LI>
<P><A href="http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/regulation/rule_dev/wekiva_rule/pdfs/Filing_MSSW_Handbook.pdf"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">St. Johns River WMD Basin Criteria <SPAN> </SPAN>Chapter 40C-41, F.A.C for:</FONT></A><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P></LI></OL>
<OL>
<LI><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(a) <st1:place w:st="on">Upper St. Johns River</st1:place> Hydrologic Basin <o:p></o:p></FONT></LI></OL>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(b) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Ocklawaha</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Hydrologic Basin </FONT></P>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(c) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wekiva</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Hydrologic Basin </FONT></P>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(d) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wekiva</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Recharge</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Protection</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Basin</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(e) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Econlockhatchee</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Hydrologic Basin <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(f) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Tomoka</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Hydrologic Basin <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(g) Spruce Creek Hydrologic Basin <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(h) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Sensitive</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Karst</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Areas</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Basin</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> </FONT></P>
<P class=Default style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">(i) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Apopka</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> Hydrologic Basin</FONT></P>
<H6><EM></EM> </H6>
<H6><BR> A flock of Spoonbills - <EM>Photo by Marsha Drew</EM></H6></BLOCKQUOTE><IMG src="http://www.floridahabitat.org/wiki/Spoonbills-8-12-07%20copy.jpg">
