North Port adds natural resources division aimed at protecting green space from development

NORTH PORT, Fla. - North Port is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and its appeal includes everything it has to offer outdoors. As developers move in, though, city officials are working to ensure green space is preserved and actions are taken to protect the area. 

From Gopher Tortoises to Scrub Jays, North Port is home to an array of Florida wildlife. 

"It just helps enrich our lives I think to share the planet with these other creatures," said Edie Driest, the chair of North Port Friends of Wildlife. 

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As development has encroached on their territory, North Port Friends of Wildlife have been a voice to those who can’t speak out for the past nine years. 

"We understand development is going to happen, but how can we strike a balance and that is the big key," said Driest. 

That is what the city is working towards, and they've formed a natural resources division to help. 

"We want to be able to focus on areas that we can protect," said Alaina Ray, the director of developmental services who will oversee the division. "We want to change tactics from what we did previously and require developers to preserve areas rather than simply clear-cutting everything. We want them to develop in a thoughtful way."

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Permits for land clearing and tree removals are on the rise. 

The soon-to-be seven-person department will be made up of arborists, a natural resources manager, urban forester, environmental planner and environmental specialist. They will oversee protection of critical habitats for endangered and threatened species while working to protect native forest areas.

The division plans to also boot tree protection efforts, while starting a city wide planting plan.

"Being able to stay on top of that growth and at the same time looking towards preserving areas that are critically important to us," said Ray. 

Ray has a background in environmental sciences and planning and said their efforts will be vital for future generations. Some steps will help lessen impacts from future storms and higher temperatures.

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"We all know the flooding that we had in Ian here. The more pavement you put down the more flooding you have, the hotter it becomes," she said. 

Funding for the division comes not from taxpayers, but from developer fees for permit and mitigation to help ensure North Port remains green. 

"We are literally taking the money that they are giving us to remove trees, and we are taking it right back and putting it into preserving the environment going forward. We want to make sure that we are able to dedicate the resources that are needed to ensure their protection," said Ray. 

The City of North Port is also working to rewrite land development codes with additional environmental provisions. That's to ensure when developers come in, they design projects to preserve critically important areas.