Protecting Our Environmentally Sensitive Lands And Wildlife 12/2011www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program Managing the Selected Properties A detailed management plan is developed by County staff with citizen input. Priority is given to protecting a site’s natural resources. All sites acquired by the County are accessible to the public for compatible, resource-based recreation to the greatest extent possible. No sites acquired for preservation will be used for active recreation, such as organized sports or athletics or undergo any other form of public or private development. ELAPP also pursues funding to acquire and preserve property that may qualify under other state and federal conservation and open space programs. These programs depend on the governing authority to approve, such as the Florida Legislature for state programs. Sherman’s Fox Squirrel For more information regarding the site nomination process, site management, acquisition of approved sites, or to participate in the program, please contact: Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department P.O. Box 1110, Tampa, FL 33601-1110 (813) 672-7876 The Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) is a voluntary program established for the purpose of providing the process and funding for identifying, acquiring, preserving and protecting endangered, environmentally-sensitive and significant lands in Hillsborough County. It is a citizen-based program with volunteer committees involved in every key aspect of the program. ELAPP is not a regulatory program; a property does not become environmentally sensitive because it’s in the ELAP Program, it is in the ELAP Program because of its environmental significance. In January 1987, the Board of County Commissioners approved an Environmentally- Sensitive Lands Ordinance which provided $21 million over a four-year period to acquire environmentally-sensitive lands. In 1990, County voters approved the issuance of up to $100 million in bonds over a 20- year period to acquire additional lands. Finally, in November 2008, voters approved the issuance of up to $200 million in bonds. The ELAP Program was established to conserve and protect those lands which have environmentally unique, irreplaceable and valued ecological resources. These lands must satisfy one or more of the following criteria: • Land containing native and scarce flora and fauna. • Lands that supply a significant habitat for endangered or threatened plants or animals. • Land which plays a vital role in the protection and enhancement of water quality but cannot be protected through other government agencies or regulations. • Land that provides buffer zones, links, or additions to existing environmentally-sensitive lands, or which forms part of a natural greenway. • Land containing unusual, outstanding, or unique geological features. • Land containing significant archaeological sites. Some altered and degraded lands are approved for preservation due to the importance of their location (such as near the bay or along a stream) and restoration to an environmentally beneficial condition is practical. Selecting County Properties The land can be nominated by any property owner, concerned citizen, community or environmental organization. There is no fee or obligation associated with the nomination. Applications and instructions to nominate a “site,” are available through the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. Nominations are taken annually until December 31st and are considered during the following year. Once a site has been nominated, it goes through a review and assessment process to determine its environmental significance. Selected sites are presented to the Hillsborough County Parks Board and the Board of County Commissioners for approval. Through December 2011, the ELAP Program had preserved more than 60,500 acres with a significant portion jointly-funded through state and local government agencies. Public meetings are held to present information and answer questions. After the sites have been approved for preservation through ELAPP, the County’s Real Estate Department will contact the property owner and start negotiations for acquiring the site. Owners are contacted based on anticipated costs, environmental significance of the site, and the owner’s previously- expressed interest in the program. Some properties are donated, while most property will be purchased. There is no guarantee that an approved site will be preserved. ELAPP is a voluntary program. Eminent domain will not be used to acquire property for preservation. Property owners may have their property removed from the program. If a property owner does not wish to sell, ELAPP does not force the sale. If a property owner wants more than the property is worth or more than the program is willing to pay, ELAPP does not have to buy the land. With the annual approval of new sites, the program has far more land to acquire than available funding. If a property owner of a selected site wants to preserve their property, but does not want to sell, they can provide the County with a conservation easement for which the owner is compensated. This is not unlike a water or electric easement. It prevents development, construction, or other activities that would disturb the environment, but the property owners maintain their ownership rights. They do not have to let the public on their property, but the County will enforce the easement to assure the area is protected and left in its natural state. The easement can be customized to each property and property owner. The owner can also retain a life estate if they want the County to eventually own the property. Florida Golden Aster Florida Scrub-Jay Blackwater Creek Preserve Protecting Our Environmentally-Sensitive Lands