Good news for Wood Storks in South Florida!

Endangered wood storks nesting in Fred George Basin, Leon County.

Environmental groups achieve wetland protections in settlement of two lawsuits near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
By Aislinn Maestas
National Wildlife Federation

A coalition of five environmental groups, including National Wildlife Federation and Florida Wildlife Federation, has settled two lawsuits in exchange for significantly increased wetland and habitat protections. The coalition has been opposing several proposed residential and golf projects in the ecologically important Cocohatchee Slough near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Florida.

After over four years of litigation and several iterations of project permits, the environmental coalition and developer G.L. Homes of Sunrise, Florida, have agreed to over 200 additional acres of wetland impact reductions, restoration of endangered wood stork habitat, and relocation of Logan Boulevard onto old farm fields instead of through wetlands. This is in addition to $3 million of additional offsite mitigation secured in previous litigation on Saturnia Falls. Joining NWF and FWF in this victory are Audubon of Florida, Collier County Audubon Society, and Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

The settlement of these two federal lawsuits was preceded by other coalition legal actions at the state level challenging impacts to downstream water quality, flood protection and aquifer recharge, in addition to wetland and wildlife harm. All these water resource factors will benefit greatly from the significantly increased levels of wetland protection and restoration in this settlement.

In addition to these very positive results for wood storks and other imperiled species plus water resources, the same environmental coalition had earlier in October 2009 won a federal lawsuit against another residential golf course project called Mirasol which would destroy over 600 acres of unique wetlands in the same Cocohatchee Slough which emanates from Corkscrew Swamp. That is well over twice the acreage of wetlands destroyed on Parklands Collier and Saturnia Falls combined. In that decision a Southern District Court judge revoked Mirasol’s permit based on complaints over illegal wetland and wildlife impacts.

Jan Goldman-Carter, Water Resources Counsel for National Wildlife Federation, observed, “The revocation of the Mirasol permit offers another opportunity for the Army Corps and the South Florida Water Management District to require the avoidance of additional wetland, water and habitat impacts, additional protection, and true habitat restoration on the Mirasol site.”

Mirasol’s destruction of wetlands, combined with other wetland losses in the region, would have devastating effects on the wood stork nesting colonies at Corkscrew Swamp, the largest in the nation and vital to the species’ recovery. This cumulative destruction would also harm downstream water quality, flood protection, and water supply for the region.

Looking for opportunities to prevent further destruction of wetlands and habitat, the environmental groups are also working with state and federal agencies to improve the way they permit and compensate for wetland losses incurred when development is sited in Florida wetlands. Recommendations currently under consideration could significantly reduce or eliminate such impacts before the projects end up in court, wasting time and money, or worse, getting built and irrevocably destroying habitat for declining wildlife throughout Florida and harming the public’s interest in protection of vital water resources.



Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. Click here to learn more.

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Winter 2008-09 Updates

Endangered wood storks nesting in Fred George Basin Summer 2008.

Winter 2008-09 Update

Thanks to your support Wildwood Preservation Society has helped put the brakes on three potentially disastrous developments in just the past few months!

• Mahan Massacre: WPS assisted Progress Florida in generating over 1,000 online petition signatures from concerned Big Bend area residents opposing the Rockaway development, aka Mahan Massacre east of Tallahassee. Tallahassee City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey rightly called the Mahan Massacre “the poster child for urban sprawl.” This massive development would have been located outside the Urban Services Area, allowing more than 10 times the number of homes than current zoning laws provide. After submitting the petitions to Florida’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the DCA rejected the project citing many of the same concerns we expressed. As noted in this recent Tallahassee Democrat article, the developers have agreed to halt the project but intend to submit a revised proposal in the future.

• Everglades sprawl: WPS teamed up with our friends at Hold The Line and Progress Florida in rallying thousands of Floridians from around the state to sign a petition to Gov. Charlie Crist urging the DCA to reject two developments, including a Lowe's big box retail center that threatened the Everglades. On Friday July 18th DCA did exactly that. But our work isn't done. Lowe's, who still wants to cement urban sprawl to the edge of the Everglades, plans to fight this decision. "We feel confident that the decision will be overturned,'' declared a Lowe's attorney in response to the DCA's decision. There are 111 Lowe's stores in Florida but there's only one Everglades. It’s very easy to email Lowe’s and tell them to protect the Everglades, not pave it – simply click here. Let’s keep the pressure on Lowe’s.

• Thomasville industrial park: This summer WPS Founder Misty Penton helped a group of activists in Thomasville, Georgia prevent a land transfer that would have resulted in a pristine 200-acre forested area being converted into an industrial park. After numerous community members spoke in favor of preservation, the Thomas County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to spare the land, reversing a previous decision. This Thomaville Times-Enterprise story has the details.
  

Meanwhile our commitment to protecting the remaining undeveloped portion of Fred George Basin is stronger than ever. The endangered wood storks completed a highly successful mating season and the Wildwood rookery now sits abandoned – until next spring. With South Florida colonies like the critically important Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on the decline, the conservation of fragile habitat in places like Fred George Basin is absolutely critical.

Flooded meadow in Fred George Basin following Tropical Storm Fay in August 2008.

After battling drought for the past couple years, the Big Bend region was inundated with intense flooding courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay in late August as evidenced by the photo above. With Fred George Sink acting as a tiny drainhole for the entire basin, some flooding is inevitable under extreme conditions. However, as noted in our blog post here, reckless development can greatly exacerbate the problem and is already blamed for flooding in some parts of the county.

WPS is expanding our web outreach. Check out our blog for all the latest Florida environmental and wildlife news. Join other environmental activists from around the state on MySpace at the Florida Environmental Leaders Network group. And Facebook users can now network with us at our newly created page here.

WPS is proud to have been awarded special recognition from A United Journey 4 Humanity for our continuing efforts to save Fred George Basin. WPS joins other outstanding difference-makers in receiving this honor.

Volunteers gather to clear debris from trail easement in southwest Tallahassee July 19th, 2008. Photo courtesy John Kalin.

WPS Founder Misty Penton led a group of volunteers, including members of the FSU Environmental Service Program, in clearing trash and debris from a city-owned trail easement that is slated to become an important addition to the local greenway system. Workers gathered bags of cans, bottles, plastic, bicycle frames, an old truck tire and assorted debris from an old homeless camp. Click here for more photos and information, and thanks to everyone who participated!

Finally, following her appointment earlier this year, WPS Founder Misty Penton has been elected to a full term on the Ochlockonee River Soil and Water Conservation District Board. The mission of the Ochlockonee River Soil and Water Conservation District Board is to annually assess the condition of the soils and waters, both above and below ground, in Leon County; to educate the public about the state of the soils and waters; to educate the public about conservation practices which will enhance the conditions of the soils and waters; and to promote and advocate conservation practices and policies which will benefit the soils and waters of the County.

Wildwood Preservation Society is an all-volunteer nonprofit effort. Thanks to all of our supporters, volunteers and coalition members. Did you miss our last update? Click here. Questions? Email us at wildwoodpreservation@gmail.com.

Wildwood Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)(4) project of the Advocacy Consortium for the Common Good. View/subscribe to our blog here.

"it's all connected"