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North Central Florida Environmental Summit: Socio-Demographic and Ecological Insights

The North Central Florida Environmental Summit presents an extensive analysis of socio-demographic and ecological parameters in 16 counties spanning 12,400 square miles, which includes key insights into population distribution, economic factors, and environmental issues. With a population of 962,306, this region exhibits a unique demographic profile, including significant poverty and education challenges. The summit will elaborate on the local economy, featuring industries like phosphate mining, tourism, and agriculture, and environmental concerns such as pollution and waste management.

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North Central Florida Environmental Summit: Socio-Demographic and Ecological Insights

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  1. North Central Florida Environmental Summit: A Socio-Demographic Analysis and Ecological Characterization February 16, 2002 • Mary Davis, PhD Candidate, Dept of Economics • Thomas T. Ankersen, Director, Conservation Clinic • Tom Hoctor, UF Geoplan Center • Amy Knight, Florida Natural Resources Inventory • Luther Quinn, M.S. Candidate, Inter. Ecology

  2. What is North Central Florida? • Political Boundaries • Socio-Demographic Statistics • Economics and Industry • Environmental Issues

  3. Political Boundaries • Counties included in NCF profile • 16 counties covering 12,400 square miles, 19% of the total Florida land area

  4. Political Boundaries • Regional Planning Councils • North Central Florida, Northeast Florida, Withlacoochee

  5. Political Boundaries • Water Management Districts • Suwannee, St. Johns, Southwest

  6. Socio-demographics • NCF population in 2000 - 962,306, 6% of the total FL population • Distribution of the population • Alachua, Marion, and Clay counties constitute 64% of the NCF population • Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, and Union all have less than 15,000 persons each

  7. Socio-demographics • Population Density • 78 persons per square mile • Florida average is 300 • Most densely populated counties are Clay and Alachua • Least dense are Lafayette, Taylor, and Dixie

  8. Socio-demographics • Population Growth 1990-2000 – 26% • State average – 23.5% • Highest growth area is Gilchrist County at 50% • Smallest growth in Putnam County at 8%

  9. Alachua County Growth SequenceSeparate PowerPoint

  10. Socio-demographics • Major cities • Gainesville, Alachua • Ocala, Marion • Lake City, Columbia • Palatka, Putnam • Orange Park, Clay • Perry, Taylor • Live Oak, Suwannee • Starke, Bradford

  11. Socio-demographics • NCF poverty rate (1997): 20.1% • State poverty rate: 14.4% • Lowest rate in Clay County at 7.7% • Highest rate in Hamilton, Lafayette, and Dixie

  12. Socio-demographics • NCF Per Capita Income: $18,300 • FL average is $19,855 • Alachua county has highest income level - $25,650 • Union County has the lowest level - $12,750

  13. Socio-demographics • High school education • NCF graduation rate: 65.4% • State average: 74.4% • Alachua and Clay have highest rates at above 80% • Dixie and Madison have lowest records at around 57%

  14. Socio-demographics • University Education: percent to receive a Bachelors Degree • NCF: 10.4% • FL: 18.3% • Alachua County 34.6% • Baker, Dixie, and Lafayette: 5-6%

  15. Socio-demographics • 2000 Unemployment Rate for NCF: 3.8% • Highest unemployment in Taylor County with 6.7% • Lowest rate in Alachua County at 1.9%

  16. Economics and Industry • Heavy Industries • Phosphate Mining • Cement Plants • Pulp Mills

  17. Economics and Industry • Government Services: over 80,000 employees • UF: 1998-00 operating budget of over 1 ½ billion dollars • Prisons: 17,000 inmates housed in 20 NCF facilities, including the FL State Prison in Bradford County

  18. Economics and Industry • Tourism • NCF is a favorite spot for outdoor enthusiasts • In 2000-2001, there were approximately 1,300,000 visitors to NCF area state parks and managed areas, and over half of those visits were to local springs

  19. Economics and Industry • 7,600 farms covering over 1 ½ million acres • Major crops: • Tobacco, Corn, Cotton, Peanuts • Livestock • Total beef cattle – 300,000 heads • 72 producing dairies • 272 poultry farms (broiler and egg)

  20. Economics and Industry • Forestry/timber • 70% of NCF land devoted to forestry • State average is around 50% • Alachua and Marion have lowest use at 53% • Baker has highest at 92%

  21. Economics and Industry • Transportation infrastructure • Over 200 road construction projects are currently in progress • 62 projects have been completed within the past year

  22. Environmental Issues • Polluting Industries • Major industrial facilities releasing toxic substances, reported by the EPA in the Toxics Release Inventory • Original TRI Industries • 4 NCF companies are listed in the top ten facilities in Florida for on and off-site releases • Buckeye Florida L.P. in Perry; • Georgia-Pacific Corp in Palatka • Eveready Battery Co. in Alachua • Gold Kist Live Oak Processing Plant in Live Oak

  23. Environmental Issues • Seven New Industries reported by TRI • 2 NCF companies listed among the top ten polluting facilities in FL • Seminole Generating Station in Palatka • GRU, Deerhaven Generating Station in Gainesville

  24. Environmental Issues • NCF Superfund Sites • Approximately 97 Superfund sites are located in NCF • 5 sites are either currently listed or have been listed on the National Priorities List • Currently on the NPL • Cabot Carbon/ Koppers in Alachua County • Brown Wood Preserving in Suwannee County

  25. Environmental Issues • Solid Waste Disposal • NCF average was 1 ton per capita in 1998 • State average is 1.77 tons • Largest contributors to solid wastes are Alachua County residents with 1.8 tons • Least amount of waste comes from Lafayette with .34 tons per capita

  26. Environmental Issues • Groundwater: • NCF withdraws 365.4 million gallons of groundwater per day • Marion and Taylor counties consume the greatest amounts at over 50 million gallons each per day • Total demand on the groundwater system is projected to increase by 35% in the next 20 years

  27. Environmental Issues • Surface Water: • NCF withdrawals of surface water totals 173 million gallons per day • 95% of the withdrawals occur in Suwannee and Putnam counties • Minimum Flow Requirements • 47 MFL’s have been set for the NCF area, all of them within the St. Johns Water Management District

  28. Environmental Issues • List of Impaired Waters: • 12 watersheds within the NCF boundaries reported their waters as impaired in 1998 • The number of water bodies within these watersheds total 185 • Reported impairments are the result of nutrients, coliform, dissolved oxygen, toxic chemicals, turbidity, and total suspended solis

  29. Environmental Issues • Fish and Wildlife Advisories • Rivers: Oklawaha, St. Mary’s, Wacassassa, Suwannee, Santa Fe, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha • Lakes and ponds: Altho, Eaton, Kerr, Ocean, Mill Dam, Swim • National Wildlife Refuge: Lower Suwannee

  30. Environmental Issues • Habitat Loss • Wetlands converted: • Suwannee River: 188 lost, 45 created, 7,343 preserved, 14,028 improved • St. Johns River: 4,351 lost, 3,409 created, 30,549 preserved, 1,254 improved

  31. Environmental Issues Local Government Environmental Programs • Only Alachua and Marion counties have departments specifically devoted to environmental protection • Only Alachua and Marion counties have local government land acquisition programs

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