TBO.com - Live in the moment

Proposal Puts Mangrove Protection At Risk

Published: Aug 15, 2007

Almost overlooked in the controversy created by a proposal to get rid of Hillsborough County's wetlands protection division as a cost-saver is that it is the only local agency charged with - or capable of - enforcing the rule against mangrove cutting.

With hundreds of waterfront homeowners throughout the county, many in mangrove areas, the only thing that has kept the roots of thousands of these trees in the water has been the Environmental Protection Commission.

Because for all their proven benefits to fish, crabs and bird life, mangroves also are noted for harboring no-seeums and mosquitoes, as well as blocking the view that waterfront homeowners pay so much to enjoy.

Without the real threat of being caught by a local agency that is capable, at least to some degree, of maintaining enforcement here, it's a sure thing that a lot of mangroves are not going to simply be trimmed, but very likely will disappear.

Of course, a lot of the developers who support the push to get rid of the local wetlands protection would probably like that just fine. Anywhere mangroves disappear becomes potential waterfront millions, and vacant waterfront land of any description has become incredibly valuable during the past decade despite skyrocketing taxes, high insurance rates and the threat of hurricanes.

At a time when pretty much every square foot of undeveloped land throughout the Bay area is under siege from development that assuredly would turn all of it into shoulder-to-shoulder townhouses if not kept in check, cutting back on local protection in any way seems exactly the wrong thing to do, at least to anyone who has the slightest interest in trees and fish and wildlife.

Tampa Bay is one of the few estuarine areas in the nation that has seen its water quality improve over the past 20 years. Much of the reason for that is the vigorous controls on watershed development, the efforts at restoration and the threat of enforcement for those who break the rules.

Throwing all of these duties back to the state or regional agencies is a sure recipe for the gradual turn back toward the Tampa Bay of old. It would be a sad legacy for those on the Hillsborough County Commission who support elimination of the local division.

To be sure, it appears there was some duplication of effort in the past. EPC director Rick Garrity has proposed to eliminate these as he works toward a cooperative solution that will allow the reasonable use of land by those who have borne the risk of purchasing it and paying taxes in hopes of some economic reward.

We cannot bring development to a halt, unless government suddenly decides to buy all the remaining available land - certainly not a bad idea, but not a possibility, either. Our taxes are already too high, and government only buys things with tax money.

The suggestion that people won't be able to afford houses in Hillsborough County as a result of more environmental costs here is silly, of course. The big problem the past four or five years has been taxes, which can run more than the cost of a mortgage on a monthly basis for new buyers, in large part because our local governments sought to spend every dollar of the growth windfall, rather than cutting rates while there was time to avoid the current legislative directive.

The cost of maintaining the wetlands division is a drop in the bucket when it comes to overall costs of government, but the 18 staffers in this division can have a huge and lasting impact on the quality of life here. Our commissioners would serve us well by standing down on the effort to eliminate it and seeking other venues to reduce spending.

It's no easy matter to be a county commissioner these days. You have to make somebody angry, as just about every day any contentious issue is brought up. And some of the personal attacks on those commissioners voting for elimination of the division are likely simply to make them dig in their heels. However, for the good of all of us, it's to be hoped that rancor will be set aside, and that good sense and good government will follow the same path on this decision.

The meeting, open to the public, is Thursday at 9 a.m. at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa.

SEMINAR: Vance Tice of Tightlines Tackle joins captain Mel Berman of WFLA, 970 AM, tonight at 7 in a grouper-trolling seminar at Ferman Chevrolet, 9751 Adamo Drive in Brandon. Tice is the expert angler who popularized downrigger trolling in the shipping channels of Tampa Bay, where he regularly catches gags up to 30 inches long. Free food, drinks and Power-

Pro line packs to guests; (813) 623-2411.