A GIS-based decision-support tool to evaluate land management policies in south Florida

The current version is implemented for Miami-Dade County, with the protection of ecological values in the lands between the Everglades and Biscayne National Parks as the focus. The first two components have been implemented in the GIS web-enabled prototype interface and the third component is being developed in draft form in FY08 in consultation with the Florida Atlantic University Dept of Urban and Regional Planning. South Florida’s national parks and wildlife refuges are threatened by accelerated growth of the surrounding built environment which alters the natural hydrology and ecology, and introduces harmful levels of sediment, nutrients and toxins.

Department of the Interior (DOI) scientists and land managers are faced with major informational and financial challenges and conflicting stakeholder interests in their efforts to manage and protect resources to fulfill their stewardship responsibilities. The web-based EPM will contribute to improved public understanding and awareness of the importance of protecting South Florida habitats and ecosystem functions, as well as the possible externalities associated with upcoming land use decisions.