Land Conservation Committee

Committee Description:

The FLERA Land Conservation Committee (LCC) was borne from a need for  local government land conservation programs to be better able to communicate not only amongst themselves, but to project a unified voice among policy-makers. Land conservation and land management remains a strong value for Floridians.  The function of the Land Conservation Committee is to inform FLERA members on land conservation and management  issues so that they can advocate on our behalf to the FLERA Legislature. The LCC consists of a core group of local subject matter experts and practitioners, supported by the complete roster of local land conservation programs around the state. The current roster of committee members who participate in a quarterly telephone conference calls is below and some of them are not necessarily FLERA members. The purpose of the calls is to provide a sounding board for issues that the various programs may face and encourage local programs to become members of the FLERA organization by expounding on the benefits of being a member.

 Top Legislative Priorities for 2023-24: 

  1. Fully fund Environmentally Sensitive Land Acquisition in the State of Florida.

  2. Advocate for a portion of Climate Resiliency funding be earmarked for the conservation of specific properties as they provide numerous benefits such as 1) protection of threatened and endangered species, 2) reduce need for stormwater facilities, 3) attenuate flooding, 4) provide aquifer recharge, 5) sequestration of carbon, 6) reduces impacts from storm surges, 7) water quality improvements.

  3. Advocate for annual appropriations equal to a minimum of the lesser of 5% of deposits or $50 million in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund for local governments 

  4. Advocate for the removal of Florida Forever program requirement that 100% of the title is in state ownership when County’s and or municipalities provide funding for the acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands.

  5. Advocate for the enhancement or revision of the Florida Communities Trust requirements for  and decrease in infrastructure improvements to be eligible and competitive for grant assistance funding from FCT Program or create a new program that focus solely on the preservation of environmentally sensitive lands.

  6. Fully fund local governments to conduct land management activities in their conservation and preservation lands.

  7. Fully fund Florida Fish and Wildlife Upland Invasive Plant Management assistance funding program.

  8. Monitor for any legislation filed that would help / hinder land management activities for both state and local governments.

  9. Advocate against weakening of any federal or state statute that protects listed species and their habitat.

  10. Monitor the identification of Critically Important Wetlands Criteria as established by the Water Management Districts

  11. Monitor the surplusage of the State of Florida inventory of preservation lands.

Committee Members:

Beth Jackson, Chair (Orange County)
Janet Gil (Miami- Dade County)
Mike Middlebrook (St. Lucie County)
Jon M. Robinson (Sarasota County)
Danielle Dangleman (Volusia County)
Cynthia Guerra (Monroe County)
Tammy Odierna (Pasco County)
Andi Christman (Alachua County)