Conservation and Development: Reassessing the Florida 2070 Planning Project with Spatial Conservation Prioritization

Abstract

The state of Florida is renowned for its globally recognized biodiversity richness, but it currently suffers from an ongoing population boom and corresponding urban sprawl resulting in the emergence of severe conservation conflicts, especially in southern parts of Florida. To mitigate the intense competing land use situation and comprehend the dynamic complex relationship between conservation and development, this study argues that both ecological and social dimensions should be taken into account for spatial analysis and underpin zoning decisions empirically in the phase of landscape planning. Choosing South Florida as the study site, we implemented focal-species-based spatial conservation prioritization analysis using Zonation software to identify the highest priority areas and accordingly evaluate two varying land use scenarios provided by the Florida 2070 Project. From a novel perspective of impact avoidance, the inverse prioritization method was applied in this study, intended to minimize negative human impacts and examine the effectiveness and suitability of Florida’s future land use projections. After comparing and integrating social-ecological data through mapping, the study uncovered a holistic view of conservation conflicts in Florida and articulated trade-offs for all parties of the local ecosystem striving to reconcile human–wildlife conflicts in Florida and imply a sustainable win-win strategy in the stage of regional landscape planning.