MAJOR CONFLICTS 



Most of the multiple-use conflicts in Southwest Florida are caused by 

 population growth. As the region has grown, major urban and industrial devel- 

 opments have either been proposed or completed, and the growth shows no early 

 sign of abatement. Inevitably, growth led to conflicts between those who 

 would completely preserve existing natural ecosystems and those who would 

 alter land use for development to the maximum extent possible. 



The Big Cypress area is an example of how the degradation of one area 

 adversely affects nearby areas. The Sanibel Island conflict traces citizens' 

 action to preserve their natural resources and way of life on this barrier 

 island: Charlotte Harbor illustrates the multi -faceted problems that beset a 

 major residential development. 



This section discusses six areas of major conflicts in Southwest Florida 

 over the past quarter century. They are Rookery Bay, Marco Island, Florida 

 Keys, Big Cypress, Sanibel Island, and Charlotte Harbor. These areas were 

 selected to give broad geographical coverage and to illustrate some major 

 examples of conflicts arising from rapid growth and urban development. There 

 are many other major multiple-use conflicts in the region, some of which date 

 back many years, such as port development in Tampa Bay, and oil development in 

 Collier County. 



COLLIER COUNTY 



Collier County consists of 526,000 ha (1,300,000 acres) of flat sandy 

 lowlands, wetlands, mangroves, and estuaries. Its coastal area (80,900 ha or 

 200,000 acres) is a fragile ecosystem of mangrove swamps, estuarine meanders, 

 thin barrier beaches, and sandy low-lying shorelands. The county's estuarine 

 resources were virtually undeveloped until the early 1960's when the heavy 

 demand for waterfront development began. It was then that the construction of 

 drainage canals in the interior watershed, dredging of estuaries, and the 

 destruction and filling of mangrove swamps around Marco Island began in earn- 

 est (Clark 1974). 



The process of urbanization has continued, and today the county's leading 

 industry is residential construction. Collier County currently is attempting 

 to resolve the impacts of its growth and its effects on cultural, economic, 

 and ecological stability. The current major problem is the shortage of fresh 

 water. The drought of 1981 led to serve restrictions on water use and caused 

 saltwater intrusion. Massive fill and land drainage projects helped aggravate 

 the problem. 



A conflict between environmental protection of wetlands and residential 

 development is illustrated by the Rookery Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and the Marco 

 Island residential subdivision. 



Rookery Bay Wildlife Sanctuary 



Because of increasing residential, industrial, and recreational devel- 

 opment in the immediate and adjacent areas of Rookery Bay, there has been 



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