The Northern Turnpike Extension Would Sever Connectivity for the FL Wildlife Corridor

The map says it all. Below you will see the four proposed routes for the Northern Turnpike Extension and lands that have been identified as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. It should be noted that each of the proposed routes would bisect taxpayer-funded conservation lands (e.g. the lands shaded in light green “Florida Managed Lands (2021)) while also paving over the yet to be protected lands that have been identified as strategic and critical importance for realizing the vision of the Florida Wildlife Corridor for landscape-scale conservation (e.g. the lands shaded in dark green). Wherever the NTE is built, it will act as a catalyst for development bringing sprawl that encroaches upon the Florida Wildlife Corridor and permanently severs habitat connectivity for wildlife.

Jennifer Marshall, Director at the Office of Environmental Management for FDOT, told the Panther Recovery Implementation Team (PRIT)-Transportation SubTeam during a recent meeting that the Florida Wildlife Corridor layer has been added as part of FDOT’s environmental screening process for proposed projects. If FDOT wants to avoid the Florida Wildlife Corridor it needs to choose the “No Build” option.