BMBA Information on 2022 Environmentally Endangered Land and Water Areas Bond Referendum
The Environmentally Endangered Land and Water Areas Bond Referendum is on your 2022 ballot to be voted on November 8, 2022 (approved by 3 to 1 BOCC vote on 8/2/22). This will make it the 3rd time the EEL program has been on our ballot and, if successful, will secure another 20 years of the program. While the BMBA strongly disagrees with the Malabar trail closure, and despite all that has occurred between trail users and the EEL program over the last year, it is in the best interest of all trail users to vote for the EEL Referendum.
We are urging all trail users to thoughtfully consider whether we are better off with or without EELs? Please review the following before you make your decision and cast your vote:
If we do not extend the EEL program, the portion of land under EEL management that is still owned by the County (19,128 acres, or about 70% of total EEL land) would potentially be subject to development (watch Commissioner John Tobias presentation to his fellow commissioners from BOCC meeting on 8/2/22, link below). About 30% of EEL Managed land is owned by the State of Florida, which makes a transition to development less likely.
Despite the fact that all County Commissioners resolutely voted to close the MSS and the ADA accessible Al Tuttle Trail, three of the four current commissioners have expressed the importance of the program citing the public access and the quality of life it provides for our residents. This gives us hope that we can keep our trail systems viable in the future. The ongoing funding for the EEL program will likely benefit trails even though trails have not historically been a high priority for the program.
The Malabar Trail closures issue is finally going in front of a judge on November 21,2022 so one way or another this will come to it's conclusion. We remain optimistic that the outcome will be a balanced compromise and that the flora, fauna (including scrub jays), and citizens will continue to thrive in what wilderness we still have.
Additional Rescources
We suggest you do not make your decision based on this alone and you do your own research. Below are links to additional resources:
The Malabar Trail closures issue is finally going in front of a judge on November 21,2022. One way or another this will come to it's conclusion. We remain optimistic that the outcome will be a balanced compromise and that the flora, fauna (including scrub jays), and citizens will continue to thrive in what wilderness we still have.
For those unaware of the "Restoration Project," the Brevard County Endangered Lands Program (EELs) is looking to "restore" Malabar Scrub Sanctuary. If the current plan continues, tens of thousands of trees (an EELs estimate of 10,000-20,000 trees) will be removed from the Sanctuary - leaving only a max of 1-2 tree(s) over 15ft tall per acre. By definition, this will be an absolute decimation of the property from a tree perspective. This project is large scale and spans multiple Sanctuaries in South Brevard. For the Malabar and Palm Bay Trail System, after phase 1 (in future) EELs plans to return to "restore" any remaining portion of Malabar Scrub Sanctuary and will attempt to "restore" portions of Turkey Creek Sanctuary as well. It will change the landscape of South Brevard, irreversibly, for forever. Their work, if unchanged, will also destroy the trails on the property where any "restoration" is taking place (leaving them open to the elements as deep sand).
While we are concerned about the Scrub-Jay within South Brevard County, we are also concerned about public access to nature parks that provide this type of primitive passive recreation in our county. Of the 117 parks managed by the county and 21 Sanctuaries, only one, Malabar Scrub Sanctuary, exists in a condition that is conducive to the recreation that takes place on the property today. Once this Sanctuary is "restored," this type of nature immersion will only be available within the County at, the City of Palm Bay Park, Turkey Creek Sanctuary. As we've mentioned EELs hopes to return to "restore" a portion of this property as well. Additionally, according to the EELs Program Management Plan, Malabar Scrub Sanctuary is 1 of 4 Sanctuaries in the County supporting the highest level of passive recreation identified for "broad public access and for the development of Management & Education Centers." BMBA desires to develop a more balanced plan that can help save the Scrub-Jay of South Brevard and consider the uniqueness of recreation at Malabar Scrub Sanctuary.
