Swamp and overflow land also was similarly disposed of by the State. By 

 the end of the Civil War, several railroad companies that had built lines into 

 Florida were bankrupt or otherwise disbanded, and their property reverted to 

 the State. The Internal Improvement Board underwent financial hardship as a 

 result and was forced into receivership. To solve this problem, the State 

 sold 1.6 million ha (4 million acres) of Southwest Florida land to Hamilton 

 Disston of Philadelphia for one million dollars (25 cents per acre). 



In the latter half of the 19th century, Florida remained largely un- 

 touched and out of the way of national development. The land was inexpensive, 

 but it was also swampy and poorly served by transportation. By 1900, the 

 State had about half a million residents, most of whom lived in the northern 

 part of the State. 



Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, practical methods were 

 devised for filling submerged land. The State immediately began disposing of 

 its submerged land and the rush of development that began then shows no signs 

 of slowing today. 



Population Growth 



The population of Florida grew from 55,000 in 1845 to almost 10 million 

 in 1980, and it continues to increase at an average rate of about 7,000 people 

 per week. Sand dunes have been leveled, bays have been polluted, estuaries 

 have been dredged and filled, rivers have been channelized, and the State has 

 increasingly had to cope with multiple-use problems of development. A recent 

 feature article in Sports Illustrated (January 1981) has gained some notoriety 

 in Tallahassee and the rest of the State. The title of the article, "There's 

 Trouble in Paradise," gives an indication of its tone. According to the 

 authors, "in no state is the environment being wrecked faster and on a larger 

 scale" (Boyl6 and Mechem 1981). Although the article is largely an editorial 

 statement and subject to dispute, it does emphasize the socioeconomic and 

 environmental problems confronting Florida as a result of urban development, 

 and clearly illustrates many types of multiple-use conflicts. 



A number of major developments have taken place in Southwest Florida over 

 the past several decades. Perhaps the most significant one has been the sub- 

 division of wetlands for residential development to accommodate the rapidly 

 growing population. 



Development has been especially intense near the coast where growth is 

 the most environmentally damaging. Subdivision expansion into wetlands has 

 been especially acute in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties. 



Current Status 



Florida's past experience has shown that the allocation of land and water 

 resources often provides short-term losses to the public as a whole. In 

 recent years the State has recognized that large water-related coastal 

 projects often have major adverse environmental effects and is attempting to 

 develop several approaches to minimize the damage. The ongoing, rapid 

 development of the State and Southwest Florida continues to create conflicts 

 among the many competing uses for the land and water resources. 



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