The Impact of Urbanization on Plantations in Broward County, FL

Urban development has been on the rise for some time, particularly in Dade and Broward counties. By the early 1950s, the effects of these developments on land cover were already becoming visible. Although most of the changes in land use up to that point had been driven by agricultural production, urban uses had begun to take up a larger share of the land, especially in Dade and Broward counties. The continuous strip of urbanized land along the Atlantic coast was more clearly defined and stretched for around 160 kilometers from northern Palm Beach County to southern Dade County. In 1993, the insurance company Kemper National Services opened its first office in Plantation and the following year announced plans to double its office space and hire up to 800 additional employees.

Several areas of the Plantation Acres community have attracted the attention of different companies who are seeking to rezone and build more homes than are technically allowed. The city's name comes from the former co-owner of the land, the Everglades Plantation Company, and her unsuccessful attempts to establish a rice plantation in the area. It is too simplistic to say that population growth in South Florida directly caused land-use changes. The rapid population growth and land conversion in South Florida have had a dramatic impact on the agricultural economy of many areas of the region (Solecki et al.). Plantation City Councilman Nick Sortal said that the community is organizing and participating in ways it has never seen before.

By the early 1990s, areas such as southwestern Broward County were already growing rapidly due to improved highway access, low interest rates, and their appeal as less urban locations, but the hurricane helped accelerate land development “years ahead of schedule” (Solecki, 199). The increased population meant a dramatic increase in local demand for land, much of it in non-coastal areas. The monospecific plains of mountain pasture that once lay just south of the swampy forest (mainly in western Palm Beach and Broward counties) have given way to sugar cane plantations and are now only 25 percent of their former size. The full impact of this project on land use in the region won't be seen for another 20 years, but it may be as important as the Flood Control Project for Central and South Florida which was first authorized in the late 1940s. Table 10-5 shows data from 1900—1953 and 1973-1986 which reveals how public investments in infrastructure have affected the evolution of the region's landscape. In southern Dade County and along a stretch of land extending north from the border between Broward-Palm Beach counties, engineer Sanders (later president of Miami Engineering and Construction Company) attempted to create a rice plantation in the Everglades. In 1976, during celebrations for America's bicentennial, a 45-foot oak tree was planted in Fifth Street Park in Plantation to represent the Tree of Liberty.

It passed west of the Atlantic Coastal Range (less than 10 meters above sea level) in a north-south direction through Palm Beach, Broward and Dade counties. Urbanization has had a significant impact on plantations in Broward County, Florida. As population growth has increased over time, so too has demand for land - particularly non-coastal areas. This has led to a decrease in mountain pastures and an increase in sugar cane plantations. In addition, public investments in infrastructure have also had an effect on land use patterns throughout South Florida. The city of Plantation is an example of this trend.

In 1993, Kemper National Services opened its first office there and announced plans to double its office space and hire up to 800 additional employees. This has led to an increase in rezoning applications from companies looking to build more homes than are technically allowed. The city's name comes from its former co-owner - The Everglades Plantation Company - who unsuccessfully attempted to establish a rice plantation there. In 1976, during celebrations for America's bicentennial, a 45-foot oak tree was planted in Fifth Street Park as a symbol of liberty. This serves as a reminder that while urbanization has had an impact on plantations throughout Broward County, it is still possible to preserve some aspects of its history.

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