These prescribed fires were approved by the Florida Division of Forestry and the Matlacha Pine Island Fire Control District and were conducted by experienced burners under the supervision of a Certified Burner. A Certified Ecologist from KECE arranged and documented the fires. Representative photographic documentation is provided below.

Approximately 43 acres of slash pine/saw palmetto habitat were burned on the south side of the island during the September/October 2010 fires. During the February 2011 controlled burn, approximately 100 acres of freshwater/brackish coastal high marsh, with saw palmetto habitat inclusions, were burned. The fires were conducted during appropriate winds to keep smoke away from State Road 78 (a.k.a. Pine Island Road). Also, caution signs were placed along Pine Island Road to inform motorists that a controlled burn was in progress.

Native plant regeneration was observed within just a few days after the fires were completed. This recovery process is currently ongoing, plants are continuing to rejuvenate, and it is clearly evident that controlled fires have a positive effect on the native plant communities of Little Pine Island.

Additional prescribed fires are planned on Little Pine Island for September, 2011 and annually thereafter until appropriate burn cycles are established on the island. These fires will be properly coordinated with the agencies previously mentioned above.

The Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) has been obtained for the Deep Lagoon Preserve project. Restoration activities commenced in May 2010. Deep Lagoon Restoration Plan

The Imperial Marsh Preserve ERP application has been submitted for review, and restoration activities are expected to commence in the fall or winter 2010.

In order to create a fire safe community, these residential/preserve interface areas required immediate and continuous mechanical treatment, consisting of cutting and mulching the existing forest material in an effort to significantly reduce fuel loads. Kevin Erwin Consulting Ecologist, Inc. (KECE) was instrumental in assisting the Viera East Community Development District (VECDD) to accomplish this task. KECE continues to provide habitat management services to the VECDD annually to maintain fire wise and fire safe communities within Viera East.

Gulfstream Natural Gas System's pipeline route in Florida.

During the environmental permitting process, KECE assessed dozens of properties across central Florida to identify available private lands that had the potential to provide on-site and regional restoration value for mitigation and to provide net environmental benefits to offset the unavoidable disturbance to native ecosystems (198  acres of forested wetlands and 473 acres of non-forested wetlands) due to the pipeline  construction.  Pursuant to this evaluation, Gulfstream and the permitting agencies identified two Gulfstream Mitigation / NEB sites: Manatee (200 acres) and Lake Wales Forest (400 acres). KECE also finalized design plans and provided construction supervision of the Port Manatee Spoil Island (60 acres) restoration project that was conducted by Gulfstream as part of an access agreement. Additionally, KECE provided oversight for the Harbor Key coastal strand restoration that focused on the removal of dense exotic vegetation from ecologically sensitive areas.
These four habitat restoration/enhancement projects total more than 676 acres in Polk and Manatee Counties. The Manatee and Lake Wales Forest restoration sites are inland and include approximately 596 acres of exotic vegetation removal and control, 185 acres of forested wetlands restoration, the creation of approximately 34 acres of marsh, and more than 200 acres of upland habitat enhancement. These two inland sites are expected to reach the permit success criteria by 2010. The Port Manatee spoil island and Harbor Key restoration sites are coastal ecosystems including approximately 30 acres of exotic vegetation control, 16.4 acres of mangrove/tidal creek creation, and approximately 42 acres of upland enhancement. Both coastal restoration sites have reached permit success criteria.

Additional information on Gulfstream Natural Gas System, LLC

Historically, this site supported a mixed hardwood/bay forested wetland basin surrounded by upland pine and scrub habitats. Agricultural activities had severely impacted this area over the past 60 years through activities such as wetland draining and clearing for cattle/citrus production. However, the most significant change occurred approximately 40 years ago when a large canal system was installed throughout the wetland breaching an isolating sandhill ridge. This activity ultimately drained the site into the Lake Arbuckle system and the property was subsequently cleared and converted to improved pasture for use by cattle.

KECE devised multiple restoration methodologies and subsequently received agency approval. Site hydrology was restored by strategically placing a series of water control structures to retain storm-water on-site. Once appropriate hydrology had been achieved, native habitats were restored through plantings/seeding of native vegetation and the control of exotic vegetation. In total, approximately 143 acres of wetland forests, 34 acres of marsh, and more than 220 acres of uplands (including approximately 170 acres of scrub habitat) have been restored or enhanced on this mitigation site since this project’s inception.

KECE has been the primary consultant on the project and conducts project management/maintenance activities including construction over-site, land management and hydrological/vegetative monitoring. The LWF site has met the Environmental Resource Permit  restoration success criteria, and was released by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the US Army Corps of Engineers in December 2010. Gulfstream plans to donate the restored property to a public agency or private conservation group to preserve the scrub and wetland habitat which is contiguous to the Arbuckle Tract of the Lake Wales State Forest.

Preservation of the LWF site will also benefit numerous plant and animal species that occupy the Lake Wales Scrub Ridge area. KECE ecologists have documented 97 bird species, 18 mammal species, 33 reptile species, and 18 amphibian species utilizing the restored and enhanced habitats. Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) were found less than a quarter mile to the southeast in the Arbuckle Tract of the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest in October 2003 and are expected to immigrate to the site as the restored scrub habitat matures and corridors are established.

Species Already Documented on the Property

Photographic History:

December 2004

KECE designed, managed, and monitored the exotic removal process on the Harbor Key mitigation site. Initial removal of the exotic plants on Harbor Key was carried out in April and May of 2001. Annual monitoring has documented that the exotic vegetation eradication has successfully eliminated greater than 95 percent of all exotics without damaging the native vegetation or impacting archeological resources.

Prairie Pines Preserve includes the conservation of over 2,700 acres of hydric and mesic pine flatwoods interspersed with depressional marshes that provide valuable habitat and food for a wide variety of fish and wildlife species. According to the park’s Vision Statement, “The preserve will provide an exceptional resource-based experience for visitors through opportunities such as horseback riding, hiking, birdwatching from the observation blinds, guided nature walks and convenient access and parking off US 41.”

Articles on Prairie Pines Preserve:

Prairie Pines Preserve to permit horses, llamas

Prairie Pines opens to the public (photo gallery)

Click here to learn more about Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 program.