MIAMI-DADE PARK & RECREATION

NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT DIVISION

Mission Statement

To restore, protect and manage Miami-Dade County's naturally occurring plant and animal communities through resource management, inter-governmental environmental liaison, and community outreach including environmental education and volunteer programming to preserve these areas for present and future generations of South Floridians.

Program Summary 1991-2007

Approximately 21,500 acres of native forest and wetland occur in Miami-Dade County's nature preserve system, including 1,668 acres of globally-endangered pine rockland and 670 acres of upland hardwood forest including State-endangered rockland hammock forest. Less than 2% of Miami-Dade County's original forests remain. In 1991, the Department established Natural Areas Management (“NAM”) to initiate active management of the natural areas under its jurisdiction.

In 1992, following Hurricane Andrew, NAM received a $500,000 grant from the Knight Foundation. This funding made it possible to hire personnel to begin restoring four tropical hardwood hammock forests. The State of Florida provided a substantial post-hurricane grant of $5.4 million in 1993 which supported the continuation of restoration efforts in these hammocks and expansion into pine rockland forests. In 1996, the residents of Miami-Dade County passed the Safe Neighborhood Parks (SNP) Act, which provided an additional $4 million for natural areas restoration. In FY 2000-01, NAM received $500,000 from Miami-Dade County to continue maintenance on 1,234 acres of pine rockland and hammock forest. In the FY 2002, NAM received $800,000 from the County to continue maintaining 1,403 acres of forest and wetlands.  Budget constraints arose in FY 2002 that reduced the original $800,000 to $500,000 which would not be renewed for FY 2003. 

In response to the budget shortfall, it was decided that the Department would apply to the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program to place 17 of its critical nature preserves on the EEL ‘A’ List, which would make them eligible for management funds.  By FY 2004, 16 of the 17 properties had been accepted onto the ‘A’ List.  In FY 2007, the final site was approved.

In 2006-07 NAM conducted restoration activities on 106 properties including 33 park sites, 41 Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Acquisition sites, and 32 sites owned by other agencies. Currently, NAM's funding sources are EEL (89%), County (3%), BIPM grants and outside contracts (6%), and Solid Waste / ME Thompson (2%). Outside contracts and grants include Biscayne National Park, the Florida Turnpike Authority, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Public Works Department, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. In 1996, NAM had 105 employees on seven field crews conducting restoration activities. Currently, NAM has 63 employees and six field crews. NAM's staff also includes biologists, a GIS professional, and administrative personnel. NAM's annual operating budget is approximately $3,500,000.