In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush and Senator Ken Pruitt assembled The Committee for a Sustainable Treasure Coast (CSTC), comprised
of elected officials, governmental agencies, and community leaders from Indian River, St Lucie and Martin County, to address
population growth issues and future planning of the region.
In April 2006, one of the appointed members who served
on CSTCfounded Sustaining Community Lands (SCL) with the purpose of creating a grass-roots organization
dedicated to utilizing the Principles adopted by the CSTC to complete Action Items included in the Committee’s Final
Report relating to Environmental and Rural Lands.
The SCL Vision
Sustaining Community Lands envisions a day when:
• Communities decide where and how they will grow
in based on the nature and amount of land they must dedicate to Community purposes to assure a healthy environment for both
people and wildlife to thrive.
• Communities enact Master Plans under which every development that consumes land
also conserves land in perpetuity.
• Community-based, Sustaining Community Land Conservancies with appropriate
funding help care for the lands, give the people who make up Communities a sense of place and inspiration that becomes part
of the Community identity, and educate the people on the value of conserving the lands within their neighborhoods, towns and/or
regions.
• Local economies support strong communities, diverse opportunities for residents, productive working
landscapes, and stewardship of the natural world.
The SCL Approach
By advocating for conservation, sparking cooperative
efforts, and developing broad-based partnerships and cross-boundary cooperation, Sustaining Community Lands helps create stronger
Communities with livable neighborhoods, strong economies, and healthy natural systems.
SCL's Goal
To bring people in growing Communities together to identify, acquire, manage, and enjoy the
lands they need for a sustainable future and a high quality of life.
SCL's Mission
To help Communities develop
lasting commitments to planning that emphasize the value of permanent conservation and open space and put in place long-term,
Community-wide programs that have dedicated funding sufficient to implement those commitments in perpetuity.
