Natural Environment
South Florida boasts a richly diverse but fragile natural environment that includes the only subtropical ecological community in the continental United States. Over the last 55 years-a period during which the region's population exploded from 764,000 to almost six million-the vast wetlands in the heart of the region were reduced by more than a third. Habitat for tens of millions of birds and other species has disappeared, and the natural restorative capacity of the underlying aquifers that supply water has been compromised. Only by altering aspects of the region's natural environment have land, water, and other natural amenities been made available to support the current population. The time has come to question whether these practices are sustainable as the region expands by another 2.5 million people in only a quarter of a century. |
Graphs and Tables
- Nesting Wading Birds in South Florida Three-Year Running Averages 1986-2007
- Freshwater Withdrawals in South Florida 1975-2000
- Sources of Freshwater Withdrawals in South Florida 2000
- Fresh Groundwater Use in South Florida by Category 2000
- Historic and Projected Population and Public Water Supply in South Florida 2000-2025
- South Florida Reuse Rates 2005 & 2006
- Public Water Supply Projected Demands and Proposed Projects (Potable)
- Public Water Supply Projected Demands and Proposed Projects (Non-Potable)
- Water Bodies Targeted for Pollution Monitoring 2004
- Beach Erosion in Florida and South Florida 1999-2007
- Beach Advisories in South Florida 2003-2007
- Landings of Fish and Shellfish in South Florida 2000-2006
