Mangroves are trees that grow in tropical and subtropical areas near the water. In Florida, there are over 555,000 acres of mangroves, and most of them are protected for conservation. Even though some waterfront properties have mangroves, it is possible for people to live alongside them. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Florida encouraged development of waterfront areas and draining of swamps and marshlands. But now, the state values wetlands and limits development in sensitive areas. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were a lot of rules and confusion about trimming mangroves, which led to a big argument between property owners and the government. In 1992, a well-known environmentalist got in trouble for pruning mangroves at a golf course. He could have been fined a lot of money. The next year, he and a property owners’ association asked for a hearing to make the rules simpler. In 1995, Florida changed its laws about trimming mangroves. The new law makes it easier for people to trim mangroves on their private property without needing a permit. But it’s still not allowed to completely remove or kill the mangroves without a permit. Local governments can’t make stricter rules for trimming mangroves near the water, but they can make stricter rules for other areas. If someone does damage a mangrove, they have to replace it. A new law about trimming mangroves in Florida has caused a lot of controversy. Some people think it will harm the environment and take away local control over mangrove protection. Others believe it will benefit property owners by making it easier to trim mangroves. There is also concern about the loss of revenue from permit fees. It’s a big debate about who should have the power to decide how to protect mangroves in Florida. The Dade County Board of County Commissioners strongly opposed the Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act because it didn’t protect mangroves well and took away local government’s authority. Despite the opposition, the Florida Legislature passed the act. People were confused by the new rules and some residents trimmed mangroves in a harmful way. This caused concern for the wildlife that depended on the mangroves. The new law allows property owners to trim their mangroves to improve their view, but some people are worried about the negative impact on the environment. Landowner Thomas J. Ewing supports the new law because he thinks it gives property owners more control. However, scientists are concerned that trimming the mangroves could harm the animals that live there. The law only requires a professional trimmer to do the work and there are no limits on how much can be trimmed, unless it destroys more than five percent of the mangroves. It’s hard to catch people breaking the law without a permit requirement. In 1996, Senator Jack Latvala worked to change the rules about trimming mangroves. He wanted to make sure people couldn’t trim as many mangroves without a permit. The Senate approved his changes, but the House made some changes that weakened the bill. They allowed more trimming on private islands and made it easier for people with small lots to trim their mangroves. Despite these setbacks, the bill still made some big improvements. You need a special permit to trim mangroves in Broward County. The law was changed to give the county more control over permits and rules for trimming mangroves. There are specific rules for how much you can trim, and you can get fined for illegally cutting them. Be careful or you could get in trouble! The land in Florida is used for food production and homes, so it’s important to manage the mangrove areas. Some people think mangroves should be categorized into three groups: reserved, managed, and altered. Each group would have different rules for how they can be used.
In Malaysia, the government has rules for cutting mangroves and encourages certain types of trees to grow. They see mangroves as valuable for wood and other products. India has also held meetings to talk about how important mangroves are and how to protect them.
When planting mangroves, it’s important to consider the land and the waves. Areas that aren’t likely to be used for buildings could be turned into mangrove swamps to make up for ones that have been lost. Mangroves protect the land from hurricane tides, but they need to be protected from erosion too. Research and monitoring are important for managing mangroves. There should be protected areas to stop them from being harmed, and to help them recover. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems has rules to protect mangroves that should be included in laws. These rules say that nature should be respected, conservation should be practiced, and resources should be used sustainably. Mangroves in Florida are important for providing food and shelter to animals and protecting the coast. But poorly planned development has led to their degradation. The government has laws to protect mangroves, but some changes have made it easier for property owners to cut them down. This has caused concern among environmentalists. It’s important to protect these valuable ecosystems from further harm. Kellyalexis Fisher earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees with honors from two universities, and she also earned a law degree. She was recognized for her writing in a contest sponsored by the Environmental and Land Use Law Section.
Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/man-let-em-grow-the-state-of-florida-mangrove-laws/
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