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Impacts of Sprawl
-NRI 87-92 vs. 92-97

Conversions up from
1.2 Million Acres per year to 2.2 Million Acres per year

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National Map

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Conversions
American Converted 6,000,000 Acres from 92-97
(=~12Alabama Counties)

Conversions are a one time crop

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Alabama Map

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Alabamas Standing
State ranks 13th in total conversions

87-92 130,000 Acres (26K/yr) 92-97 315,000 Acres (63K/yr)

State ranks 10th in Prime Farmland losses to development

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Top 20

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Growth Factors
Population Growth & Migration

0.96% population growth

Cheaper Land Transportation Corridor Development Spreading Infrastructure Larger Lots

2% / yr lot size
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Lot Size
1950s

Average < 1.0 acre / home site

1997

Average > 1.8 acres / home site

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Other Factors
Absentee Ownership Farm Revenue decreases Off farm employment Cheaper imports

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Cost of Community Services

1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 Services / $1.00 in Tax Revenue Commercial Farm / Forest Residential

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Hidden Costs
Emergency response time increases Fire response time increases Insurance (ISO) ratings decrease School bus route time increases (Police response time decreased)

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Other Considerations
Smell Dust Slow vehicles Chemicals

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Environmental Impacts
Farmland / Open land

Storm water sponge Heat Island sink Air Quality buffer

All of these factors will have to be mitigated upon conversion

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Food Production

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Opportunity Lost
Eco Tourism Heritage Trails MicroFarm Enterprises Anything other than Impervious Surfaces

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Help?
Land Trusts

Up from 1 in the 90s to 7 in 02

Farmland Protection Program

$900,000

Forever Wild The Nature Conservancy

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Options
Brownfield redevelopment Greyfield redevelopment Tax breaks Mitigation Banks

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Sloss Phytoremediation

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Paul Kennedy USDA-NRCS 205.251-8139 x135 Paulk@cawaco.org www.cawaco.org