Sanibel, FL

Sanibel Island, Florida, is home to a landmark wildlife habitat protection program that is as groundbreaking today as it was when conceived back in the 1970s. Shaped by renowned planner William Roberts from Wallace, Roberts, and McHarg and scientist John Clark of the Conservation Foundation, and defended by land use legal heavyweights Fred Bosselman and Charles Siemon, the Sanibel Plan was one of the first major land use plans based primarily on sound ecological principles. The plan has stood the test of time, supported by a judicious mix of regulations, acquisition, restoration, and education strategies. Habitat protection has become part of the culture of the island and a way of life. Sanibelians are proud they have demonstrated that humans can coexist with fully functioning natural systems without destroying them. They live with wildlife as part of the community instead of pushing it into a corner. And in the process, they have shown that resource protection can make good economic sense.

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