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:

Over 400 acres of the preserved native lands were set aside and are being managed for the benefit of the Florida scrub jays and gopher tortoises. Florida scrub jays are listed as threatened by both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The gopher tortoise is listed as a threatened species by the State of Florida.

KECE, in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Brevard County, developed the Viera East Scrub Jay Management Plan and has been working with the Viera East Community Development District on adaptive management of this preserve. Management activities within the preserves include, but are not limited to, prescribed fire rotations, roller chopping, hand clearing trees, and exotic vegetation management.

Since initiation of management within the Viera East scrub, there has been an increase of utilization from three scrub jay families in the early 1990’s to more than 20 confirmed scrub jay families utilizing the site today (2009).

Additionally, the residential development was integrated with wetland preserves, created lakes, and a created flow-way. These areas provide pleasant views for the residents while enhancing privacy and wildlife habitat. Integrating nature with the residential development at Viera East Community was achieved years before the current emphasis on the use of low impact design, utilizing many features that are now part of low impact design methods.

Habitats will be either maintained “as is” (conservation) or restored to a native condition (preservation) depending on their quality, usability and status of current gopher tortoise or burrowing owl colonization. The vegetation in the conservation areas will be maintained at heights and densities that are beneficial to the gopher tortoise and burrowing owl. Preservation areas show some level of native Florida habitats and will be actively managed to reduce the level of exotic cover, restore natural diversity, and restore natural ecosystems functions.

With continued management and habitat restoration, these preservation and conservation areas of the Florida Atlantic University will provide a home for gopher tortoises, burrowing owls, and other Florida wildlife for years to come.

The Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club is located on a 175-acre property, of which 120 acres is permanently preserved conservation area, in Collier County, southwest Florida. KECE was instrumental to the permitting process for this development, and developed all the mitigation plans for the preserve areas. Included among the preserves is a four-acre gopher tortoise preserve. Gopher tortoises that were living in the impact area were carefully relocated to the preserve by KECE ecologists prior to development. Prescribed burns of this area are conducted regularly to maintain optimal gopher tortoise habitat. The remaining preserve areas are a mixture of mangrove swamp, transitional wetlands, and upland habitats, including spoil islands located in Naples Bay, continuing Barron Gift Collier’s tradition of responsible land stewardship in southwest Florida.

Development of this project was completed in early 2008. KECE remains involved in the project by overseeing prescribed burns, planting native species as needed in preserve areas, and bi-annual monitoring of all preserve areas.