Tropical Audubon members speak loudly for birds, other wildlife and natural habitats in South Florida. Our community can inspire, change and influence the future for our birds, communities and our region’s ecosystems. Want to make a tangible difference? View our Action Alerts below for details on how you can help, volunteer, or get involved!
ACTION ALERTS
Rendering by AtkinsRealis
Take Action! URGE Miami-Dade County to vote NO to New Incinerator within Everglades Restoration Footprint!
The Miami Dade County Board of County Commissioners (MDC BCC) is scheduled to vote November 6 on where to locate and construct a new waste-to-energy incinerator. However, a deferral has been requested to reschedule the final vote (stay tuned!).
Two of the proposed sites known as “Airport West,” and “Okeechobee Road,” are located within areas needed for the Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Restoration Project (BBSEER). Further, the “Airport West” site is adjacent to the Broward County Water Preserve Area (BCWPA) Project's C-9 Basin.
Locating an incinerator anywhere within the BBSEER footprint, whether up against the BCWPA/C-9 Basin or within a water storage and recharge area, would significantly reduce the project's benefits and cause environmental harm through the release of pollutants that would damage sensitive ecosystems, destroy critical habitats, and undermine restoration efforts. Constructing an incinerator in either of these locations could also impact endangered or threatened species, including Wood Stork, Everglades Snail Kite and Florida bonneted bat. Join TAS to urge MDC BCC to demonstrate the County’s commitment to Everglades Restoration by safeguarding and buffering the lands needed to achieve restoration.
CALL or WRITE the MDC BCC and ask them to support Everglades Restoration efforts and reject the development of an incinerator at the “Airport West” or “Okeechobee Road” sites under consideration.
Magnificent Frigatebird at Mangrove Island by Brian Rapoza
Take Action! Protect Biscayne Bay Nesting Rookery! Urge City of Miami to implement
Non-Motorized Vessel Zone or Critical Wildlife Area & increase Enforcement!
Tropical Audubon Society and other conservation groups have come together to help better protect a Biscayne Bay marine bird nesting rookery lying off of Morningside Park. What's at stake: the City of Miami has failed to adequately protect the birds. While well intentioned, the City Commission's November 16 resolution to protect the rookery from “harm caused by humans” did not specify exactly how the City will ensure the rookery's protection.
CALL or WRITE the City of Miami Commissioners and urge them to implement a “Non-Motorized Vessel Zone” or "Critical Wildlife Area" around Mangrove Island and request immediate enforcement of the “Slow Speed Manatee Protection Zone” and “No Anchoring/Docking” legislation along City park shorelines. Click HERE to our letter or personalize your own.
Brown Pelican by Mark Eden
Take Action! Urge City of Miami to Protect Biscayne Bay Nesting Rookery!
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently confirmed a nesting rookery of Brown Pelicans on Mangrove Island in Biscayne Bay off of Morningside Park. Despite FWC posting educational signage to inform the public of the rookery's presence, boats and other recreational watercraft continue to speed very close to the rookery and anchor next to it to fish. Such actions are highly disruptive to the nesting birds, and can cause nest abandonment. Most alarming, 5 Brown Pelicans and a 1 Magnificent Frigatebird were recently found there dead hanging from mangrove trees, entangled in monofilament fishing line with hooks still attached!
To put an end to such brutal deaths, please urge the City of Miami Commission to designate a “Non-Motorized Vessel Zone” around the nesting rookery to prevent detrimental human disturbances and nest abandonment. Let's also urge the Commissioners to designate an “Idle Speed No Wake” zone on the Intracoastal Channel adjacent to the rookery. Marine Patrols should also be increased in this area to enforce both designations.
ATTEND the City of Miami Commission meeting on November 16 and urge Commissioners to protect the Mangrove Island Rookery by designating a Non-Motorized Vessel Zone and Idle Speed No Wake zones, and increase Marine Patrols/Enforcement! The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. at Miami City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, FL. We recommend that you arrive early and bring your ID for check-in.
CALL or WRITE the City of Miami Commissioners by November 15 and urge them to protect Mangrove Island Rookery! Use our letter or personalize your own.
Florida Leafwing Butterfly by Holly L. Salvato
Take Action! Protect Endangered Species & imperiled Pine Rocklands habitat from Theme Park development!
UPDATE: The MDC BCC vote on Miami Wilds has been deferred to December 12.
On December 12, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners (MDC BCC) will be voting on whether to reject or commit to the lease agreement for a 67-acre theme park, hotel and retail development misleadingly dubbed “Miami Wilds.” The development site is located adjacent to and on Zoo Miami property — land that is considered vital to endangered species and the largest and most biodiverse fragment of critically endangered Pine Rocklands outside of Everglades National Park.
ATTEND the MDC BCC meeting on December 12, and voice your opposition to the proposed Miami Wilds development! The meeting begins at 9:30am at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center (address: 111 NW 1st St, Miami, FL 33132, 2nd floor Commission Chambers). We recommend that you arrive no later than 8:30am and bring your ID for check-in.
CALL or WRITE the MDC BCC by December 11 and urge them to explore other locations for the Miami Wilds development that are NOT environmentally sensitive! Use our letter or personalize your own.
Take Action! Protect Endangered Species & imperiled Pine Rocklands habitat from Theme Park development!
On September 6, the Miami Dade County Board of County Commissioners (MDC BCC) will be voting on whether to extend the lease agreement for a 67-acre theme park, hotel and retail development misleadingly dubbed “Miami Wilds.” The development site is on Zoo Miami property — land that is considered vital to endangered species and the largest and most biodiverse fragment of critically endangered Pine Rocklands outside of ENP
ATTEND the MDC BCC meeting on Sept. 6 and voice your opposition to Miami Wilds development! The meeting begins at 9:30am at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center (address: 111 NW 1st St, Miami, FL 33132, second floor commission chambers).
CALL or WRITE the MDC BCC by September 5 and urge them to explore other locations for the Miami Wilds development that are NOT environmentally sensitive! Use our letter or personalize your own. Click HERE to send a letter!
Take Action! Urge Governor Ron DeSantis to VETO a bad bill for the Everglades, Water & Wildlife!
Click HERE to send a Letter to Governor Ron Desantis
On May 2, the Florida legislature passed Senate Bill 540, which, if approved by the Governor, will effectively eliminate legal challenges by average citizens and public interest groups to flawed planning actions. The bill is designed to force the losing party to pay attorney fees and court costs to the prevailing party. This bill will create a significant financial burden for the average citizen, and will deter them from challenging comprehensive plan amendments that could potentially lead to more development and urban sprawl.
Take Action by October 18!
Urge MDC to DENY proposed
"Logistics District" Development
Click HERE to send a letter to MDC Commissioners
Your Voice is urgently needed by October 18 to preserve the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), a long-established invisible legal line adopted by county planners and approved by the county commission in 1975 that protects environmentally sensitive and agricultural land from urban development.
The Miami-Dade County (MDC) Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is scheduled to vote on September 22, for a third time, on an application to move the UDB to accommodate an industrial development on agricultural acres near Biscayne Bay. The proposed “South Dade Logistics and Technology District” (SDLTD), if approved, would permanently remove valuable agricultural land to make way for unneeded industrial land and encourage sprawl. It would also create harmful impacts to water quality, Everglades/Biscayne Bay restoration efforts and endangered/threated species.
Magnificent Frigatebird
Urge MDC to DENY proposed 793-acre Development on Homestead Farmland
Click HERE to send a letter to your Commissioner.
Your Voice is urgently needed by September 22 to preserve the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), a long-established invisible legal line drawn up by county planners that protects environmentally sensitive and agricultural land from urban development.
The MDC Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is scheduled to vote June 1 on an application to move the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) to accommodate an industrial development on 793 agricultural acres near Biscayne Bay. The proposed “South Dade Logistics and Technology District” (SDLTD) would permanently remove valuable agricultural land to make way for unneeded industrial land and encourage sprawl.
Click HERE to send a letter to your Commissioner.
June 5, 2022
Urge MDC to DENY proposed 793-acre Development on Homestead Farmland
Click HERE to send a letter to your Commissioner.
Your Voice is urgently needed by June 1 to preserve the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), a long-established invisible legal line drawn up by county planners that protects environmentally sensitive and agricultural land from urban development.
The MDC Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is scheduled to vote June 1 on an application to move the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) to accommodate an industrial development on 793 agricultural acres near Biscayne Bay. The proposed “South Dade Logistics and Technology District” (SDLTD) would permanently remove valuable agricultural land to make way for unneeded industrial land and encourage sprawl.
Click HERE to send a letter to your Commissioner.
May 24, 2022
Urge MDC to DENY proposed 793-acre Development on Homestead Farmland
Click HERE to send a letter to your Commissioner.
Your Voice is urgently needed by May 19 to preserve the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), a long-established invisible legal line drawn up by county planners that protects environmentally sensitive and agricultural land from urban development.
The MDC Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is scheduled to vote May 19 on an application to move the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) to accommodate an industrial development on 793 agricultural acres near Biscayne Bay. The proposed “South Dade Logistics and Technology District” (SDLTD) would permanently remove valuable agricultural land to make way for unneeded industrial land and encourage sprawl.
Click HERE to send a letter to your Commissioner.
May 11, 2022
Act Now to Protect the Environment
Urge your Commissioner to Support Miami-Dade County's Budget
September 10, 2021.
PAST ACTION ALERTS
Take Action to Protect Biscayne Bay!
Urge MDC to DENY proposed 793-acre Development on Homestead Farmland
The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to vote September 9 on an application to move the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) to accommodate a proposed industrial development on 793 agricultural acres near Biscayne Bay, just north of the Homestead Air Reserve Base. The proposed “South Dade Logistic and Technology District” would permanently remove this valuable agricultural land to make way for unneeded industrial land and encourage sprawl. The application contains numerous flaws and, if approved, will have serious long-term adverse impacts on our county, including Biscayne Bay and its critical buffer lands.
Click HERE to send a letter to your Commissioner.
September 2, 2021
Take Action: Urge MDC to VOTE NO on Urban Expansion!
Your Voice is urgently needed by May 13 to preserve the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), a long-established invisible line that protects environmentally sensitive and agricultural land from urban development.
May 10, 2021
ACT NOW: Protect Biscayne Bay! Urge MDC to vote “YES” on Fertilizer Ordinance
Excessive fertilizer use on urban landscapes in Miami-Dade County (MDC) contributes to adverse impacts on water quality affecting Biscayne Bay and other waterways, by impairing them with increased levels of nitrogen and phosphorus.
April 16, 2021
ACT NOW: Protect Urban Development Boundary — Endorse Draft UEA Report!
Protecting lands outside the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) is critical for the well-being of Miami Dade County (MDC).
April 13, 2021
Tell MDC it’s Do or Die for 4 endangered local species!
If you haven't yet contacted our Miami-Dade County Commissioners on behalf of the endangered Florida bonneted bat, Miami tiger beetle, Florida leafwing and Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak butterflies TODAY is Do or Die!
October 19, 2020
Urge MDC to save habitat for 4 Endangered FLA species!
Miami Wilds is a proposed hotel and water amusement park project adjacent to Zoo Miami. If constructed on this proposed site, its development will negatively affect the survival of at least four federally listed endangered species.
October 7, 2020
Help SAVE the Florida Bonneted Bat — urge FWS to expand Protected Habitat!
In a recent e-newsletter we were pleased to report that on June 9 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally proposed designation of 1.5 million acres of critical habitat for the Florida bonneted bat, listed as endangered in 2013.
July 27, 2020
Urge Congress: Don’t let Interior Dept. gut Migratory Bird Treaty Act!
The Department of the Interior is fast-tracking efforts to permanently gut the critical protections in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), a 100-year-old law that protects more than 1,000 bird species.
June 18, 2020
Chirping About: Judge rules in favor of Everglades!
In a big win for Miami-Dade County residents, our drinking water supply, Everglades Restoration and crucial habitat for birds and other wildlife, a judge this week ruled against Miami-Dade County’s proposed SR-836 extension outside of Miami-Dade County’s Urban Development Boundary (UDB) intruding into the Everglades wetlands.
April 2, 2020
Click NOW to SAVE the Migratory Bird Treaty Act!
We all have a lot on our minds right now, but, unfortunately the birds can't wait. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is in immediate peril.
March 18, 2020
LAST CALL: Click NOW to Protect the Everglades!
Your voice is needed! Please stand up for our Everglades wetlands and the Redland Agricultural buffer that protects the River of Grass!
January 22, 2020
Urge Miami-Dade to Vote in FAVOR of Everglades Protections
Your voice is needed! Please stand up for our Everglades wetlands and the Redland Agricultural buffer that protects the River of Grass!
January 14, 2020
Join us for Everglades Action Day + pre-event Training Workshop
Put your Advocacy Skills to work for the Everglades and the birds and wildlife that call the River of Grass home.
January 11, 2020