As concerned residents and members of the Burnt Store Corridor Coalition (BSCC), we are deeply concerned by the increasing wildlife road mortality along Burnt Store Road in Charlotte ad Lee Counties, FL.  The Burnt Store Corridor borders on the 45,387-acre Charlotte Harbor State Park (3rd largest state park in FL) and publicly-owned environmental lands located east of the road.  This entire area has a diverse ecosystem and wildlife, including endangered species.

Current Situation:  With the help of the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, we are documenting the number of wildlife killings happening daily on Burnt Store Road.  The data so far, if annualized, represents over 800 animals killed yearly in just a 12-mile stretch of the road from Janis Rd intersection with Burnt Store Rd to the entrance to the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center.

Background:  The Burnt Store Area Plan, written in 2005 by a public/private partnership group, (Burnt Store Area Plan 2005 (charlottecountyfl.gov)) included in its environmental study recommendations (see map#5, page 122) for 3 types of wildlife corridors, 6 in total.  These are 1 major Wildlife Corridor (Zemel Canal), 3 Flowway Canals and 2 Greenway Corridors.  These crossings would give needed safety for wildlife crossings from the Preserve on the Charlotte Harbor side to the preserves going out to Route 41 on the east side.  To date, none of these have been implemented as recommended in the plan.

The Burnt Store Area Plan went to to explain wildlife corridors.  They "are generally strips of habitat that connect isolated patches of habitat.  Wildlife corridors have... beneficial effects beyond the area they add.   Wildlife need to move across large areas searching for food, nesting sites, and mates.  Corridors are often used by young animals, moving out seeking new territories.  This helps to increase the gene flow between individual habitats, which improves the fitness of species.  This also avoids overcrowding of existing habitates and re-colonization of areas from which animals have disappeared."

Urgency:  Time is even more critical now as more and more developments are added to the corridor, as well as increased building in our current communities.  There are also the upcoming hearings on the widening of 5.7 miles of Burnt Store Road from Van Buren in Lee County to the Charlotte County line and the potential of Charlotte County widening Burnt Store Road to 6 lanes.

Petition Request:  The BSCC stands in opposition to any policies of projects which we feel will endanger our wildlife and diminish our quality of life.  To address these critical issues, we are calling for a new environmental study that will thoroughly document the extent of the wildlife killings and damage to our environment along the Corridor.  We believe that such a study should lead Charlotte and Lee Counties to develop and implement effect solutions for protecting our area's valuable wildlife resources and improving the quality of life along the corridor.

Furthermore, we urge out County Commissions to collaborate with environmental organizations concerned with wildlife conservation during the process.  Their expertise will provide invaluable in identifying best practices from other regions facing challenges while tailoring them specifically for our unique ecosystem in Charlotte and Lee Counties.  

By signing this petition, you express your support for the Burnt Store Corridor Coalition's efforts to protect our wildlife and enhance the overall quality of life along Burnt Store Road.  We call upon local government officials, transportation agencies and environmental organizations to prioritize this issue and allocate necessary resources to conducting this environmental study and acting on the recommendations for long term solutions to protect our wildlife and environment.

(Please note you do not have to donate to sign the petition.)