Brevard County Environment

In 1987, Brevard hosted the last member of the Dusky Seaside Sparrow, now extinct. [ [http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/bi/1999/projects/group4/Decker/extinct.html extinct species ] ] There have been only two such avian failures since listing of endangered species began in 1973. This event has presented a challenge to ensure that other environmental concerns are addressed in a timely manner.

Environmental challenges in Brevard are highlighted by the amount of waterline, the amount of wetlands, the quantity of residents and visitors to the area, as well as the usual threat to air quality from commuters. Assisting in this is the Florida Space Coast Clean Cities Coalition which headquartered in Brevard. It encompasses a nine-county area. [ [http://www.clean-cities.org/ Space Coast Clean Cities Coalition ] ]

Land preservation/animal habitats

There are a number of wildlife refuges in the county. There are the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. the Canaveral National Seashore, the St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge, and the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. [http://www.dodpif.org/iba/CapeCanaveralAirStn_ABC.pdf] [ [http://www.cccturtle.org/florida.php?page=carrref Caribbean Conservation & Sea Turtle Survival League :: CCC's Sea Turtle Survival League Programs & Projects ] ] [ [http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/subrefuges/SJ.html Saint Johns National Wildlife Refuge - Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida ] ]

Local taxes support an Environmentally Endangered Land (EELs) Program to protect environmentally sensitive areas. The convert|294|acre|km2|sing=on Enchanted Forest in Titusville was the first land set aside under this program. It preserves a significant sample of the natural communities that were originally found in this region, including xeric oak scrub, mature hardwood forests, wetlands and pine flatwoods. [http://www.brevardparks.com/eel/enchforest/ Environmentally Endangered Lands Program: ENCHANTED FOREST SANCTUARY ] ] A recent controversy was solved when the County decided to rehire the Nature Conservancy to negotiate the purchase of EELs. [ [http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070908/NEWS01/709080347/-1/archives The article requested can not be found! Please refresh your browser or go back. (A9,20070908,NEWS01,709080347,AR) ] ]

In 2008, the county built a $3 million convert|5700|sqft|m2|0 building Barrier Island Center south of Melbourne Beach, Florida. It is intended as a learning center. [cite book | author = White, George |title = EEL plans May opening for center | publisher = Florida Today | date = January 14, 2008]

Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

The convert|140000|acre|km2|sing=on Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge provides and opportunity to observe animals in their natural habitat. It is home to many species of birds, wild boars, deer, alligators, bobcats, armadillos and other creatures . There are nature trails, a US Ranger Nature Center and a seven mile (11 km) scenic drive through a wild bird habitat. [ [http://www.nbbd.com/godo/minwr/ Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Titusville Florida ] ]

Enchanted Forest

The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary preserves a diversity of the natural habitats found on the Space Coast. Several miles of hiking trails allow visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the Sanctuary. There is a wonderful wealth of plant life in the Sanctuary as both temperate (northern) and subtropical (southern) species grow here together. There are five basic habitat types in the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary: oak, scrub, mesic and hydric hammock, wet prairie, and pine flatwood. Wildlife species found here include the Eastern Indigo snake, Florida scrub lizard, gopher tortoise, white-tailed deer, and bobcat.

Every April, the Friends of the Enchanted Forest present "Earth Day Family Fun Fest." About 800 attend. [ [http://www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/friends/index.html Friends of the Enchanted Forest , a Nature Sanctuary ] ]

Erna Nixon

The Erna Nixon Park is a 54 acre natural Florida hammock and nature preserve that features a convert|2345|ft|m|sing=on long elevated boardwalk with convert|640|ft|m of trail that winds through three different ecosystems. Signs on the nature trail identifies many different plant species. A nature center with exhibits is on the site. [ [http://www.brevardparks.com/nature/ernanixon.htm ERNA NIXON PARK: Nature Center & Trail, Brevard County Parks and Recreation-Florida ] ]

Bird habitats

President Teddy Roosevelt established Pelican Island in 1903 as the nation's first federal wildlife refuge. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/columns/story?columnist=guest_columnist&page=c_col_guest_USFWS_Williams ESPN - Celebrating a century of conservation ] ] The island is home to more than 30 species of birds, including brown pelican, wood stork, snowy egret and great blue heron. Loggerhead sea turtles and other endangered species rest along its banks. [http://www.nbbd.com/godo/pinwr/PelicanIsland.pdf]

The Space Coast contains most of the sites included in the Florida East Coast portion of the "Great Florida Birding Trail." [ [http://floridabirdingtrail.com/updtwntr99.htm Great Florida Birding Trail - Winter 1999 Trail Update ] ]

The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival (Space Coast Flyways Festival) is held in January. [ [http://www.nbbd.com/fly/ Birding - Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival - Titusville Florida - January ] ] It attracts 2,500 attendees, the third largest in the US.

The Welcome Back Songbirds Festival is held at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in April. [ [http://www.nbbd.com/npr/miwa/Habi-Chat/03summer-habichat.pdf Microsoft Word - 3F870F38-20F0-2010CD.doc ] ]

Floral pests

Native flora is threatened by various imported species including the Brazilian pepper tree. [ [http://eelbrevard.com/eel/pubs/pepperfree2003.pdf Pepper Free by 2003 ] ] Possession and cultivation of this tree is illegal. Large numbers of volunteers periodically cut down these invaders, particularly along waterways.

Water quality

Brevard County has convert|8000|mi|km of waterline, presenting a challenge to water environmental management.

In December 2005, four communities including Cocoa Beach, flunked the salinity test in the adjacent Indian River lagoon. This was too LOW due to excessive fresh water runoff, a frequent problem in the area. Each community must address this problem.

Watershed Action Volunteers (WAV) provides workers, from among their 300 members, to help monitor water quality, conduct nature surveys, planting sea oats and other eco-friendly tasks. [http://sjr.state.fl.us/education/wav/wav_county_highlights.html] Brevard had 1 million gallons of escaped sewage in 2004. Aging sewer systems was blamed. Brevard stood tenth in the state, which is consistent with its population. [ [http://www.cleanwaterfund.org/pdfs/NewSewageReportFinal.pdf 2006SewageReport7 [1 [1.25.06ngFINAL.doc ] ]

Palm Bay has hosted Water Fest featuring many water games for children. The Fest teaches water conservation. [http://www.palmbayflorida.org/PalmBayerSpring2007.pdf]

Oceanic Applied Sciences and Environmental Solutions (OASES) is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation that is dedicated to scientific research and education. [ [http://www.newoases.org/Goals/index.htm OASES Goals ] ] It is Christian.

t. Johns River

The St. Johns River Water Management District maintains and protects local waterways and estuaries such as the St. Johns River, the Indian River, and the Banana River. [http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/programs.html] convert|300|mi|km in length, the St. Johns is the longest river in Florida. It flows north, one of the few rivers in the Northern Hemisphere that does so. Among other things, the District often restricts irrigation, during drought, to early morning or late afternoons to avoid evaporation (and therefore unnecessary additional irrigation).

The St. John's Watershed Action Volunteers provides workers, from among their 300 members, to help monitor water quality, conduct nature surveys, planting sea oats and other eco-friendly tasks. [http://sjr.state.fl.us/education/wav/wav_info.html]

Ocean

In 2005, divers and biologists want to restrict fishing and ocean dumping at Oculina Reef to protect the deep-sea coral that grows only here, about convert|30|mi|km offshore from Cape Canaveral to Fort Pierce. They are seeking a federal designation of a "National Marine Sanctuary." They are opposed by area fishermen. [ [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/news/rarereef2005.html Scientists Scour Rare Reef ] ]

A local state representative is attempting to force cruise lines, affecting Port Canaveral, to dump their sewage, which is now treated, at least convert|14|mi|km out. [ [http://www.floridatoday.com/blogs/brevardwatchlist/2007_02_28_archive.html Florida Today Blogs ] ] This was successfully blocked for the 2006 legislative session by yet another local state representative.

Marine life

Sea turtles nest on Brevard shores. They are sensitive to night lights which have affected their reproduction. The not-for-profit Sea Turtle Preservation Society (STPS) educates the public about marine turtles. They rely on the donations from the public, its membership, and the efforts of its dedicated volunteers. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permits STPS to work with these endangered and threatened sea turtles. STPS is not an enforcement agency. The organization teaches people each year through lecture presentations, exhibits at area events, and through turtle watches during the sea turtle nesting season. [ [http://www.seaturtlespacecoast.org/archives/Spring%202005%20Newsletter.htm STPS - Sea Turtle Preservation Society ] ]

The convert|900|acre|km2|sing=on Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge contains a twenty mile (32 km) section of coastline from Melbourne Beach south. This is the most important nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles in the western hemisphere and the second most important nesting beach in the world. [ [http://www.cccturtle.org/florida.php?page=beach Caribbean Conservation & Sea Turtle Survival League :: CCC's Sea Turtle Survival League Programs & Projects ] ] Twenty-five percent of all loggerhead sea turtle and 35% of all green sea turtle nests in the United States occur in this twenty mile (32 km) zone.

The Marine Resources Council focuses on issues affecting the Indian River Lagoon through its programs on shoreline restoration, water quality monitoring and right whale watching. [ [http://www.mrcirl.org/who.html Marine Resources Council - Who is the MRC ] ] It is possible to watch right whales from December through March as they migrate to their summer home in the South Atlantic. [ [http://www.brevardzoo.org/conservation/current_news_mrc.html Brevard Zoo | ] ]

A recent inventory disclosed a growing incidence of diseases, including cancers, lesions and tumors in dolphins, turtles and fish. Most recently, some shrimp and blue crab populations have been infected with a flesh-eating parasite, and scientists warn health problems may one day arise in people who use the estuary as well. The increasing appearance of invasive species -- such as an Asian green mussel recently found -- which can beat out other species for space in the lagoon and erode native diversity. Shrinkage has been documented in the lagoon's rich biodiversity and degradation of its water quality from crystal clear to murky green, which threaten its fisheries and Brevard's tourism industries.

The Space Coast Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association (SCCCCA) is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources. It is primarily interested in conserving fisheries for sportsman. [ [http://www.ccaflorida.org/chapters/spacecoast.html CCA Florida Space Coast Chapter ] ]

Beaches

Lawmakers have purchased access to the ocean and beaches. Developers and owners were anticipated and not allowed to "wall off" ocean beach access as they have done elsewhere. [ [http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/MLBHIHF-Hilton-Melbourne-Beach-Oceanfront-Florida/localguide.do Hilton Melbourne Beach Oceanfront - Local Guide ] ]

The City of Satellite Beach has permanently preserved 37% of its oceanfront in its natural state (prevented it from being developed). [www.satellitebeach.org/06%20FEB%20History.doc]

2005 - For the third year in a row, five of Brevard County's beaches were picked as some of the nation's cleanest, according to the (National) Clean Beaches Council. [ [http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/060803.asp NRDC Press Archive: Dangerous Pollution Levels Prompt Record Number of Beach Closings Nationwide ] ] Brevard's beaches that made the list are Alan Shepard Park in Cocoa Beach, Cherie Down Park in Cape Canaveral, Ocean Avenue Beach Park, Spessard Holland Park in Melbourne Beach and The Boardwalk in Indialantic.

Nearby is the Canaveral National Sea Shore Park, a twenty-four mile stretch of undisturbed ocean beach near the Kennedy Space Center. Visitors take self-guided tours assisted by information from park rangers. [ [http://www.nps.gov/cana/ Canaveral National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service) ] ] Travelocity.com named this park among the top ten Florida beaches as well as among the top ten Family Attractions in Florida.

Marine pests

Authorities monitor water quality to try to free the waterways from floral pests such as the water hyacinth and hydrilla. [ [http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA007 Creating Wildlife Habitat with Native Florida Freshwater Wetland Plants ] ]

Air quality

Despite its location by the ocean, air quality is not always as good as it should be. [ [http://www.dep.state.fl.us/mainpage/em/2007/wildfire/health/20070510_orlaqi.pdf Air Quality Index ] ] One website scores the county as lowest in the US for certain particulates [ [http://www.scorecard.org/community/index.tcl?zip_code=32901&set_community_zipcode_cookie_p=t&x=7&y=3 About Your Community ] ]

Alternative solutions

Energy

The Florida Solar Energy Center conducts education and research into alternative energy sources including hydrogen, building construction, as well as solar thermal and photovoltaics. [ [http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/ Florida Solar Energy Center ] ]

ewage

A local firm has developed a self-contained sewage system which recycles water for use in boats, campers, remote camps. It sells for $15-$20k. When it becomes more consumer priced, this could have a positive effect on local lagoon and estuary water quality. [ [http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/BUSINESS/708210327 The article requested can not be found! Please refresh your browser or go back. (A9,20070821,BUSINESS,708210327,AR) ] ]

Footnotes