Over the last 50 years, more than 8 million acres of forest and wetlands in Florida, 24% of the land area of the state, were cleared for development. Florida's population increased by more than 15% in just the last eight years. The Sierra Club has identified five cities in Florida as being among the ten cities of their size in the nation most affected by urban sprawl. In 1997, over 47 million tourists visited Florida, spending $41 billion to enjoy our natural environment and quality of life. As these statistics indicate, growth, sprawl, and environmental quality are issues of great concern to Floridians.
In response to this tremendous growth in the human population, and in order to preserve the natural environment of the state for future residents and visitors, Florida created the Preservation 2000 program in 1990. This program has resulted in the protection of one million acres of land to date, and has expanded recreation opportunities, enhanced eco-tourism, and brought new economic growth to the state. Under Preservation 2000, the state works with local governments and non-governmental organizations to protect recreational lands, preserve water quality, and support state forests, parks, wildlife management areas, and greenways and trails.
I understand that some of our speakers will be addressing various proposals for the federal government to support open space and environmental quality initiatives similar to Florida's Preservation 2000, and I look forward to discussing the merits of these proposals and working with the members of the committee to identify an appropriate federal role.