Addressing Issues Related to Florida's Coastal Management Policies
The Sea Turtle Conservancy initiated a campaign to address the threats to Florida's nesting sea turtles posed by coastal development, construction of sea walls, and increasing reliance on beach nourishment to protect poorly sited upland development. STC's new initiative, dubbed the Free the Beach Campaign (FTBC), seeks to eliminate or reduce the continued destruction of Florida's remaining coastal habitat by addressing the root causes—poorly designed coastal management policies and ineffective enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
Latest News:
Florida Beach Management Working Group
STC represents the interests of the environmental/coastal stakeholder in the Florida Beach Management Working Group. The Working Group was established to look at the effectiveness of the Florida's statewide beach management program, specifically the state's beach nourishment and renourishment projects, project design, and related engineering and environmental studies.
Read the Working Group's final report submitted to the 2009 Florida Legislature  .
Florida Coastal and Ocean Policy Report Card .
Law Review Article: Eroding Long-Term Prospects for Florida's Beaches: Florida's Coastal Construction Control Line Program Sea Grant Law and Policy Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (June, 2008)
Law School’s Full Report on Florida's Beach Protection Policies
STC Summarizes Florida’s Coastal Policy Issues in Sarasota County Magazine, April 2008
Preparing for a Sea Change:
Preparing for a Sea Change - A Strategy to Cope with the Impacts of Global Warming on the State's Coastal and Marine Systems (Full Report)
Preparing for a Sea Change - A Strategy to Cope with the Impacts of Global Warming on the State's Coastal and Marine Systems (Executive Summary)
Accompanying press release
For the past 6 months, STC has worked with 6 other national conservation groups to produce the report, Preparing for a Sea Change - A Strategy to Cope with the Impacts of Global Warming on the State's Coastal and Marine Systems. This cutting edge report is essentially a survival guide for reducing the impacts of and adapting to climate change and sea level rise. The authoring groups make up the Coastal and Ocean Coalition (http://www.flcoastalandocean.org/), of which STC is an organizing member. STC, contributed greatly toward the report's sections on sea level rise, coastal development and beach management. The report includes a list of actions the state and federal government should take to help Florida reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts we already know are coming. It is intended to provide guidelines for concrete, science-based action on the critical issues Florida faces in light of global warming and to stimulate informed debate for the preservation of the signature natural resources that make her unique.
 Higher Ground: The Battle to Save Florida's Beaches - Produced by STC in partnership with award-winning environmental filmmaker CAVU (Clean Air, Visibility Unlimited), the film is drawing attention to the complex issues threatening Florida's beaches and sea turtles, while calling for progressive new policies that will control coastal development and help Floridians adapt to the reality of an eroding shore.
Comprehensive Beach Preservation Bill Passes In Favor of the Beach-Going Public and Coastal Wildlife May, 2007
STC participates in Coastal Policy Debate
On April 18, 2007, Gary Appelson, Caribbean Conservation Corporation's Policy Coordinator, participated in a debate on coastal management policy issues confronting Florida. The Debate was organized by the Florida Public Interest Foundation, as part of its Growth In Florida series. Listen to Gary's comments.
The entire debate with Charles Pattison of 1000 Friends of Florida, Laura Geselbracht of The Nature Conservancy , and Gary Appelson can be heard at www.growthinflorida.com/Growth_In_Florida.html. STC is leading the debate calling for coastal policy reform, promoting polices that discourage new construction on Florida's fragile frontal dunes, and seeking innovative strategies that support a managed retreat from critically eroding shorelines.
STC and others call on Florida's next governor to protect coast and ocean
Nothing defines Florida more than its coast. Florida's beaches, dunes, and nearshore habitats are among the most biologically rich in the world, providing habitat for a diverse array of flora and fauna. This September 2006 issue paper (Florida's Coastal and Ocean Future) produced by STC and 7 other conservation groups provides a blueprint for how local leaders and decision makers can -- and must -- take action to protect Florida's marine and coastal ecosystems. Information about Florida’s Coastal and Ocean Future
Members of the Coastal High Hazard Study Committee announced
The committee is comprised of 18 appointed members, including Florida coastal legislators and representatives of various state agencies and interest groups. Out of the 18 members, only one appointment was set aside to represent the environmental community. STC was selected to fill the “environmental advocacy” position and will be represented on the committee by STC’s Policy Coordinator, Gary Appelson. Information about the Coastal High Hazard Study Committee, meeting times, agenda and minutes can be found on the web at: http://www.dca.state.fl.us/fdcp/dcp/chhsc. STC encourages those with concerns or expertise on the need for coastal policy reform to get involved in this process. Meetings are open to the public.
 Information related to Florida's coastal management policies:
On September 7, in a surprise announcement, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida issued an Executive Order calling for a study of coastal development policies (pdf below). The Executive order established a Coastal High Hazard Study Committee of 18 appointed representatives of various agencies and interest groups. The committee is to report back to the legislature after studying and formulating recommendations for managing growth in Coastal High Hazard Areas, which are defined as the Category 1 hurricane evacuation zones. The Committee will serve as a forum for identifying and recommending land use policies that safeguard the public from natural hazards, protect property rights, preserve coastal ecosystems and enhance economic development and tourism opportunities. There is little doubt this will be quite a balancing act.
STC has been calling for coastal management and policy reform for over a year and has met with legislative leaders, the Governor's staff and with the heads of several agencies. We applaud the Governor for this effort. STC intends to be involved in this study and review process. Documents related to the September 7, 2005 announcement.
Beginning in the Fall of 2003, STC began working with the University of Florida Conservation Clinic on a variety of matters addressing Florida's coastline.
Documented Impacts of Beach Armoring Structures on Sea Turtle Nesting Behavior
For more information about STC's Free the Beach Campaign, please contact Gary Appelson or David Godfrey or call 352-373-6441.
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