Glossary
Overview
Water Management Districts
In Florida, Water Management Districts are responsible for managing the State’s water supply and water quality, flood protection and floodplain management, and natural systems. The state's five water management districts include the Northwest Florida Water Management District, the Suwannee River Water Management District, the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the South Florida Water Management District.
Built Environment
Land Use
Land use documents how people are using the landscape whether for development, agriculture, conservation, or mixed uses.
Source: NOAA – National Ocean Service
Data Source for Future Land Use and Development Underway: Osceola County GIS
Smart Growth
An overall approach of development and conservation strategies that can help protect our health and natural environment and make our communities more attractive, economically stronger, socially diverse, and resilient to climate change. Smart Growth encourages development that serves the economy, the community, and the environment.
Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
These are mainly human-made chemical compounds that can vaporize rapidly into the air. VOCs are common groundwater contaminants and are widely used as ingredients in household products.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Wildlife Corridor
Wildlife corridors are connected routes of habitat that provide for animals to move to complete their life cycle. Corridors can span anywhere from an entire landscape to a stretch of river.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wildlife Corridor
Connectivity
According to Archbold Biological Station, connectivity is defined as the movement of wildlife across the across the wildlife corridor from habitat patch to habitat patch, facilitating gene flow, recolonization, and adaptation to climate change. Connectivity enables wildlife species to persist in Florida into the future.
Source: Definition draws from Archbold Biological Station's definition of Functional Connectivity
Conservation Easement
A voluntary legal agreement between a property owner and a land trust or government agency that permanently restricts the type and amount of development that can occur on the property, often in exchange for some level of compensation. Conservation easements are perpetual, undivided interests in property to protect natural, scenic, or open space values of real property. The conservation easement purpose includes assuring availability of the property for agricultural, forest, recreational, or open space use; protecting natural resources; maintaining or enhancing air or water quality; or preserving sites or properties of historical, architectural, archaeological, or cultural significance.
Source: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
Conservation Land
In order for a property to be considered conservation land by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI), a significant portion of the property must be undeveloped and retain most of the attributes as is expected to have in its natural condition.
Source: Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI)
Corridor Opportunity Areas
The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation describes corridor opportunity areas as the approximate 8 million acres of unprotected lands that remain in the Florida Wildlife Corridor. These Corridor Opportunity Areas are high priority lands that connect and support the wild legacy of our parks, preserves, refuges for the benefit of nature and people.
Environmental Lands Conservation Program
The Environmental Lands Conservation Program, known as SAVE (Save and Value Environment), was established to acquire and manage environmentally significant lands with a voter-endorsed ad valorem funding source. With this funding, the County was able to issue bonds to purchase nearly 3,300 acres of land for water resource protection, wildlife habitat, public green space, and resource-based passive recreation. Voters decided in November 2024 to renew funding for the SAVE Program.
Source: Osceola County Environmental Lands Conservation Program
Florida Wildlife Corridor
A statewide network of nearly 18 million acres of well-connected and high-quality lands and waters key to conservation, including 10 million acres of protected conservation lands providing support to wildlife and people. Corridors can span anywhere from an entire landscape to a stretch of river.
Resilient and Connected Network
The Resilient and Connected Network (RCN) is a proposed conservation linkage of representative climate-resilient sites, that if conserved, could sustain biodiversity and ecological functions into the future under a changing climate.
Source: The Nature Conservancy
Working Lands
According to Archbold Biological Station, working lands are agricultural areas that are usually privately owned and contribute billions of dollars annually to the state economy.
Source: Archbold Biological Station
Biodiversity and Habitat
Biodiversity
According to the World Wildlife Fund, biodiversity is the different types of species and organisms found in an area including ecosystems they inhabit, working together to maintain balance and support all life.
Source: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Ecosystem
Ecosystem is a community of all living (biotic) organisms interacting together with the non-living (abiotic) environment within a geographic area.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Underrepresented Natural Communities
As defined by Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI), underrepresented natural communities are described as natural communities that are inadequately represented on conservation lands. A natural community generally is considered under-represented if less than 15% of the original extent of that community in Florida is currently found on existing conservation lands.
Source: Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI)
Freshwater
Alternative Patterns of Water Use in 2070
Carr, M. H., Zwick, P. D. (2016). Water 2070: Mapping Florida’s Future – Alternative Patterns of Water Use in 2070. https://1000fof.org/2070project/
Aquifer Recharge
Water that penetrates below the root zone, infiltrating soils and potentially replenishing aquifers.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Home Water Use in Osceola County
Taylor, N., Robb Price, K., Spatz, B., Johnson, P., & Jones, P. (2022). Florida H2OSAV Insights: Home Water Use in Osceola County: AE568, 11/2021. EDIS, 2021(11). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-AE568-2021
Water Management Districts
In Florida, Water Management Districts are responsible for managing the State’s water supply and water quality, flood protection and floodplain management, and natural systems. The state's five water management districts include the Northwest Florida Water Management District, the Suwannee River Water Management District, the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the South Florida Water Management District.
Source: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
Watersheds
According to The Nature Conservancy, a watershed is an area of land where all water that enters it, either through precipitation or springs, drains to a common outlet or outflow point. Or, to switch the phrasing, that piece of land is shedding water to a single point.
Source: The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Wetlands
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wetlands are defined as lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is covered by shallow water. Wetlands recharge groundwater, improve water quality, provide clean drinking water, and increase flood storage. Wetlands also provide wildlife habitat, offer food and fiber, and support cultural and recreational activities.
Source: The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Resilience
100-year Floodplain
According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) the 100-year floodplain is the area of land that has a 1-percent-annual-chance of flooding in any given year which is also referred to as the base flood.
Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer
500-year Floodplain
According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) the 500-year is the area of land that has a 0.2-percent-annual-chance of flooding in a given year, which means there is a 1 in 500 chance of a flood of this magnitude happening.
Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer
Climate Change
Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates. Changes observed in Earth’s climate since the mid-20th century are driven by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning. Natural processes, which have been overwhelmed by human activities, can also contribute to climate change.
Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Community Resilience
The ability of communities to prepare for natural hazards, adapt to changing conditions, and recover rapidly from disruptions and stressors.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index
Floodplain
A floodplain is a flat low-lying area of land next to a river or stream or coast that has the potential to flood due to rain, tidal surges or other storm events.
Source: The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Heat Islands
Heat Islands are defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as structures such as buildings, roads, and other infrastructure that absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes such as forests and water bodies. In cities, structures such as pavements, buildings and other surfaces are highly concentrated and greenery is limited, resulting in “islands” of higher temperatures relative to outlying areas. These pockets of heat in urban areas are referred to as “Urban Heat Islands.”
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Hurricane
As defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a hurricane is a tropical cyclone or localized, low-pressure weather system that has organized thunderstorms but no front (a boundary separating two air masses of different densities) and maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index
Hurricane Risk
FEMA defines hurricane risk as a community's relative risk for hurricanes when compared to the rest of the United States.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index
Low Income
In Florida, a person or family is considered low income when the total annual adjusted gross household income of which does not exceed 80 percent of the median annual adjusted gross income for households within the state, or 80 percent of the median annual adjusted gross income for households within the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) or, if not within an MSA, within the county in which the person or family resides, whichever is greater.
Source: The 2024 Florida Statutes. Online Sunshine – Official Internet Site of the Florida Legislature
Nature-based Solutions
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
Source: The Nature Conservancy
Opportunity Zones
According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), opportunity zones are areas in low-income communities that can spur economic growth and job creation.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Race/Ethnicity
Race and ethnicity metrics are based on Census Block Group data from the American Community Survey (2018–2022 ACS 5-year Estimates) from the United States Census.
Resilience
Resilience is the ability, process and outcome of successfully adapting to and recovering from disruptions and stressors.
Source: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2010.482186
Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the WUI is the zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development. It is the line, area or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels. These WUI lands and the communities adjacent to and surrounded by wildlands are at risk of wildfires. Wildfires are a growing hazard posing a major threat to life and property.
Source: FEMA U.S. Fire Administration
Parks and Recreation
Park Need
The Trust for Public Land describes “Park Need” as the need for parks in a community which means identifying neighborhoods where there is a significant lack of parks and the need to develop new ones in those areas.
Source: Definition draws from Trust for Public Land
Home Page
Land Use
Land use documents how people are using the landscape whether for development, agriculture, conservation, or mixed uses.
Source: NOAA – National Ocean Service
Data Source for Future Land Use and Development Underway: Osceola County GIS
Natural Infrastructure
According to NOAA, natural infrastructure, also referred to as green infrastructure, uses existing natural areas to provide cost-effective and sustainable solutions that bring multiple benefits to help reduce flooding, erosion, and runoff. Natural Infrastructure can also be used alongside engineered solutions that mimic natural processes known as called gray infrastructure to minimize risks.
Nature-based Solutions
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
Source: The Nature Conservancy
Smart Growth
An overall approach of development and conservation strategies that can help protect our health and natural environment and make our communities more attractive, economically stronger, socially diverse, and resilient to climate change. Smart Growth encourages development that serves the economy, the community, and the environment.
Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
About Page
Connectivity
According to Archbold Biological Station, connectivity is defined as the movement of wildlife across the across the wildlife corridor from habitat patch to habitat patch, facilitating gene flow, recolonization, and adaptation to climate change. Connectivity enables wildlife species to persist in Florida into the future.
Source: Definition draws from Archbold Biological Station's definition of Functional Connectivity
Ecosystem
Ecosystem is a community of all living (biotic) organisms interacting together with the non-living (abiotic) environment within a geographic area.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Equitable Conservation
Work that acknowledges and seeks to repair the negative social impacts conservation has historically had on people – indigenous, local, and communities of color – through changes in our practices, outcomes, and culture.
Source: The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Land Use
Land use documents how people are using the landscape whether for development, agriculture, conservation, or mixed uses.
Source: NOAA – National Ocean Service
Natural Infrastructure
According to NOAA, natural infrastructure, also referred to as green infrastructure, uses existing natural areas to provide cost-effective and sustainable solutions that bring multiple benefits to help reduce flooding, erosion, and runoff. Natural Infrastructure can also be used alongside engineered solutions that mimic natural processes called gray infrastructure to minimize risks.
Nature-based Solutions
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
Source: The Nature Conservancy
Smart Growth
An overall approach of development and conservation strategies that can help protect our health and natural environment and make our communities more attractive, economically stronger, socially diverse, and resilient to climate change. Smart Growth encourages development that serves the economy, the community, and the environment.
Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Equity in Conservation
Census Profile for Osceola County
U.S. Census Data source
Equitable Conservation
Work that acknowledges and seeks to repair the negative social impacts conservation has historically had on people – indigenous, local, and communities of color – through changes in our practices, outcomes, and culture.
Source: The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Equity
Fair and just systems, institutions and practices that ensure all people have full access to power and resources to achieve their potential and thrive. Equity requires acknowledging the impacts of systemic racism, exclusion and discrimination, and dismantling all barriers to participation, opportunity and self-determination.
Equity Lens
An equity lens is a process to analyze the impact of the design and implementation of policies, practices, and decision-making authority on historically excluded and marginalized individuals and groups in our conservation strategy and science work.
Source: Definition draws from The Nature Conservancy in Washington’s Equity Statement and Definitions
Florida Wildlife Corridor and Climate Change
Florida Atlantic University. (2024, April 16). Florida Wildlife Corridor eases worst impacts of climate change. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 16, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240416115958.htm
Gender Equity
Fairness of participation, decision-making, treatment and outcomes/benefits based on gender. Gender equity is a precondition of gender equality (UNFPA, 2005) and is an aspect of the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) TNC is committed to as we work on behalf of both nature and people.
Source: Definition draws from TNC’s Guidance for Integrating Gender Equity in Conservation
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
Peoples and communities who possess a profound relationship with their natural landscapes, which they depend on for cultural, spiritual, economic and physical well-being. Original inhabitants and migrants who have a close relationship with the landscape are likewise considered to be IPLCs. TNC recognizes the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples as codified in international law.
Source: TNC's Human Rights Guide for Working with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
Inequality and the Biosphere
Hamann, M., Berry, K., Chaigneau, T., Curry, T., Heilmayr, R., Henriksson, P., Hentati-Sundberg, J., Jina, A., Lindkvist, E., López-Maldonado, Y., Nieminen, E., Piaggio, M., Qiu, J., Rocha, J., Schill, C., Shepon, A., Tilman, A., Bijgaart, I., & Wu, T. (2018). Inequality and the Biosphere. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 43(1), 61-83. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-025949
Interested Parties
These are the relevant groups to engage and are connected to conservation goals and priorities, and to improve their awareness of inequities in the socio-ecological systems we work in.
Source: Definition draws from TNC’s Conservation By Design Module for Interested Parties
Racial Equity
Fairness of participation, decision-making, treatment and outcomes/benefits based on race. Racial equity is a precondition of racial equality.
Source: Definition draws from The Nature Conservancy in Washington’s Equity Statement and Definitions
The nature gap
Rowland-Shea, J. Edberg, S., & Fanger, R. (2023, October 20). The nature gap. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-nature-gap/
Underserved Populations/Communities
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), underserved populations or communities are groups that have limited or no access to resources or that are otherwise disenfranchised. These groups may include people who are socioeconomically disadvantaged; people with limited English proficiency; geographically isolated or educationally disenfranchised people; people of color as well as those of ethnic and national origin minorities; women and children; individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs; and seniors.
Social Vulnerability
According to FEMA, social vulnerability is the susceptibility of social groups to the adverse impacts of natural hazards, including disproportionate death, injury, loss, or disruption of livelihood.
Source: FEMA