Under the sponsorship of the Guardians of Martin County, and utilizing research conducted by the University of Florida’s Center for Landscape Conservation Planning (CLCP), 1000 Friends of Florida hosted a workshop in Stuart on December 11 to share a presentation projecting the impacts on land use, the environment and the local economy by the year 2040 if Martin County continues to follow its current patterns for growth and development as it absorbs a projected population increase for the period.

We reviewed how the county can aim for a more prosperous, resilient future, and maintain its high quality of life and largely undeveloped western lands, through prudent urban planning, directing growth within its urban services districts and preserving environmentally valuable natural and agricultural lands. Two land development projections for 2040 — one following current patterns of growth, and one directing growth toward urban services districts while preserving undeveloped western lands — were developed by CLCP researchers with additional input from the Guardians and Martin County staff.