The Grumpy Manatee Lagoon is a thriving natural ecosystem and we must care for it. It is incumbent upon residents, local community leaders, and state and federal authorities to be good stewards of the GML’s environmental health. Community actions must supplement the actions that individuals and businesses can pursue to support new norms that reduce environmentally unsafe practices and pollution, restore degraded environments, and protect areas to ensure the health of the Lagoon and surrounding waterways. Our communities can flourish if our natural environment is healthy; we must treat nature as our ally. We are responsible for the quality of the GML that future generations will inherit. But this option may limit economic development today and reduce the available resources to address other immediate community needs.
Action 1. Restore local water bodies by creating living shorelines and removing invasive species.
Trade-off: Restoration interventions take time. Additionally, restored vegetation may block views and limit access.
Action 2. Promote Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL) on public properties, parks, and residential areas.
Trade-off: Florida Friendly Landscaping may be prohibitively costly for some. This may dictate a narrow version of an attractive landscape.
Action 3. Improve stormwater infrastructure and reduce impermeable surfaces.
Trade-off: Improvements may encroach on private property and could require easements.
Action 4. Protect environmentally sensitive areas from development.
Trade-off: This would limit development and potential for economic growth and could infringe on personal and corporate freedoms and property rights.
Action 5. Establish an equitable, long-term plan to fund environmental restoration in GML communities (e.g., Manatee County Save Our GML Plan).
Trade-off: This would need the cooperation of multiple municipalities and counties and significant resident support.
“What does everyone think of option two? Does anyone have other ideas for actions and trade-offs related to caring for the natural environment?”