Using a variety of high-tech tracking systems, Penland's research team determined that in the 18-year span the parish lost 52,216 acres of wildlife habitat, including wetlands, to development.

Representatives of several environmental groups said the lost acreage is roughly equal to 80 percent of the total Bayou Lacombe watershed.

Neil A. Armingeon of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation said Penland's findings show that, at the current growth rate, by 2050 more than 200,000 acres, or almost half of the 540,899 acres in the parish, will be developed.

He said the study confirms "the worst fears of a lot of us who have been advocating some strong growth controls."

Penland noted that most of the growth resulting in habitat loss has occurred along the east-west parish corridor south of Interstate 12. Among documents released during his presentation was one showing the amount of developed land in 1982, most of it in the Slidell area, compared with the amount of developed land in 2000. The graphic shows that development in the western part of the southern parish corridor nearly equals that in the eastern end.

Barbara Dodds, of the St. Tammany League of Women Voters, said the study reinforces the "worst fears of our organization going back to 1979 when we did a study without benefit of the computer and satellite technology now available and warned that without controls on growth we would soon be seeing what we are seeing. Then and now our concerns mostly fall on deaf ears among our governmental leaders."

Maurice LeGardeur, president of Save St. Tammany, said the study results are "shocking."

"We knew it was bad, but not this bad," he said. "It seems there is less to save in our parish than we thought. We need to rethink our priorities. If we've decided to save the lake and not pave over it, should we continue to . . . pave the shore."

Bill Sussky, of the local Sierra Club, said the results, "although a shock, can be of help. Now we have hard data to take to those in control of planning decisions and show them what will happen if we don't get some checks and balances on the development of this parish."

Penland's study shows that of the 52,000-plus acres consumed by development, more than 11,000 are classified as pure wetlands, and 34,000 acres are wetland forest habitat. The rest of that loss is described as shrub and scrub wetland habitat. "Keep in mind that 640 acres equals one square mile. That will give you a strong idea of how much has been lost."

Armingeon said the loss of wildlife habitat is "a triple whammy. We are losing a lot of the wildlife that has been a major attraction in the parish . . .; we are experiencing increasing water quality problems; and we know that continued flooding is a major problem in the parish."

Penland said wildlife habitat and wetlands serve as natural collectors of rainwater runoff, and increased development -- more concrete over what was once wooded areas -- contributes to more flooding.

Armingeon said Penland's study will be delivered to Parish President Kevin Davis and committees working to create a comprehensive plan for St. Tammany, which had a population of nearly 192,000 according to the 2000 census.

The study was commissioned by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation using money from a federal grant to pay Penland and his research team.

Basin Foundation environmental coordinator Jill Mastrototaro said she will set up a series of public meetings beginning in St. Tammany Parish and going around the lake basin helping citizens find ways to protect wetlands. A new publication called "A Citizen's Guide to Protecting Wetlands in the Pontchartrain Basin" published by the Basin Foundation will be distributed free at the public meetings. She said dates have not been set.