One of the greatest features of Burnt Store Road is the abundance of green space surrounding the developments. While not all of this vegetation could be described as “pristine wilderness”, it is certainly an improvement on what is encountered in many other parts of the State. I’ve often pondered how so much natural habitat came to be preserved and wondered how it is managed. It is hard not to be confused by the bewildering array of terms and acronyms used to describe the various managed areas and jurisdictions involved in land conservation. What are the differences between preserves, reserves, refuges, land trusts, wildlife management areas, state forests and state parks? What are the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) and the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP) and how do they interact with all of the agencies who own and manage conservation land in the area? This chapter attempts to decipher the maze of high minded organizations involved in local conservation and provide a context and explanation for the protected spaces around us. Trust me – it can get a bit complicated!
I’ve deliberately not dwelled on the subjects of gopher turtles, scrub jays, and other at risk species in this book, and for the moment at least, have left the subject of our water challenges for a future project.