Scientists have successfully communicated the benefits of habitat connectivity to the public. Would you like proof? Even land developers in Florida have adopted wildlife corridors in their long-term plans to convert a tree plantation into a mixed residential and commercial community. While it takes foresight to dedicate conservation easements (up to ¾ of the total land tract) before construction crews break ground, local advocacy groups are divided on whether the Farmton Plan truly can be called sustainable.
The Farmton tree farm is 59000 acres (nearly 24000 hectares) of managed and unmanaged forest, wetlands, and agriculture along the west side of I-95. Developers plan to build in higher-density clusters to allow most of the land area to remain as farm, timberland, or conservation easements. Some groups, such as Audubon of Florida, approve of the deal as a balance of development and conservation. Others, such as the Sierra Club of Florida and the Edgewater Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development, oppose the project on the grounds that Farmton is creating a new city in an otherwise undeveloped area. It will encourage thousands to live or work in an area that is more than an hour’s drive from Orlando and fifteen miles beyond the front of exurban expansion in Kalamazoo.
This case study shows how the public accepts that connecting natural areas benefits wildlife populations. Debates over whether this and other projects successfully balance conservation with economic growth will repeat again and again in stakeholder meetings across the country. Future research should examine whether conservation corridors are sufficient for wildlife protection on a landscape scale, especially when developers highlight their dedication to habitat connectivity to sell their plans to the public.