The South Florida project was undertaken to
present some of the most important information
known about South Florida, selected districts with-
in South Florida, and ecosystems of South Florida
in such a manner that decision-makers could utilize
the information in guiding the future course of the
region and its varied communities.
 This report is a summary of parts of the
South Florida Study concerned with Lee County,
Florida, one of the fastest growing counties in
the nation. The report describes new methods of
giving an overview of the county complexity. Lee
County has some 30 municipalities, over 500,000


acres of uplands, swamps, marshes, agricultural
and urban lands, and a population of over 125,000
people that is growing at the rate of some 5% to
6% per year. The author presents information,
suggests alternatives, and lays groundwork for
current governmental channels and democratic pro-
cesses to decide what the best course of action
might be for addressing the issue of growth in an
era of resource limitations. This report is an
overview of a county its parts, and the inter-
actions of energy, money, people and the landscape.
The overview suggestions are made to enhance three
goals of the county: economic vitality, conser-
vation, and the quality of life.


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