Natural Resource Value of Edison Farms/Agripartners Through Research - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Natural Resource Value of Edison Farms/Agripartners Through Research and Science Through Research and Science Presented by: Jessica Stubbs, Natural Resources Specialist

Introduction to Edi Edison Farms F • Almost 4,000 acres , • Within Estero Bay watershed • East of I ‐ 75 between Bonita Beach Road and Corkscrew Road Corkscrew Road • Contiguous with CREW to the east to the east

Introduction to Edison Farms Edi F • Over 3,500 acres of , wetlands • Approximately 425 acres of undisturbed, native f d b d uplands • FPL easement and some FPL easement and some disturbed land in the southeast corner

Introduction to Edi Edison Farms F • Majority of wetlands j y consist of cypress • Contains Hydric Pine Flatwoods – l d underrepresented natural community • Uplands are mostly dry prairie and pine flatwoods

Scientific Support for Public Acquisition of Edison Farms Edi F • Landscape ‐ Level Natural Resource Value p Florida Forever Ranking • Lee County Master Mitigation Plan • Critical Lands and Waters Identification Project (CLIP) • Southwest Florida Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Southwest Florida Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) • • • Water Quality Estero Bay Impaired Waters List • Estero Bay TMDLs and BMAPs Estero Bay TMDLs and BMAPs • Southwest Florida Feasibility Study (SWFFS) • Lee County Density Reduction/Groundwater Resource (DR/GR) Study • • Hydrology / Water Supply y gy / pp y Lee County DR/GR Study • Dover Kohl Study • SWFFS •

Scientific Support for Public Acquisition of Edison Farms Edison Farms • Wood Stork Protection South Florida Multi Species Recovery Plan for Wood Storks • Wood Stork Recovery Plan • Wood Stork 5 Year Review • Prospects for Southeast Lee County Report Prospects for Southeast Lee County Report • • • Large Mammal Protection How Much is Enough? Landscape ‐ scale Conservation for the Florida Panther • Florida Panther Recovery Plan Florida Panther Recovery Plan • Closing the Gaps in Florida’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation System • • Wildlife Habitat and Corridor Protection Southwest Florida EIS • Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge Proposal • Coastal Conservation Corridor Plan • Integrated Wildlife Habitat Ranking System •

Landscape ‐ Level Natural Resource Value p Florida Forever Ranking Florida Forever Ranking • Board of Trustees Board of Trustees approved priority list March 2010 ‐ “Group A” • ARC recommended d d priority list June 2010 ‐ #3 in “Partnerships and p Regional Incentives Projects”

Landscape ‐ Level Natural Resource Value p Lee County Master Mitigation Plan Lee County Master Mitigation Plan • Acquisition of Edison Farms is Project #1 listed in Appendix B • Identifies Biodiversity and Hydrogeology as key benefits • Lee County Future Land Use (FLU) Map identifies Edison Farms as an “Environmentally Critical Area”

Landscape ‐ Level Natural Resource Value p Critical Lands and Waters Identification Project Identification Project (CLIP) Strategic Habitat Conservation g • Area Biodiversity Hotspots • Rare Species Habitat Rare Species Habitat • Conservation Priorities Under ‐ protected Natural • Communities Communities Ecological Greenways • Wetlands •

Landscape ‐ Level Natural Resource Value p Southwest Florida Environmental Impact Environmental Impact Statement • 5 ensembles for future development and preserve areas • All ensembles show Edison Farms as “preserve” Farms as preserve

Water Quality Q y Estero Bay Impaired i d Waters List • Most prevalent impairment is DO with TN and/or TP being the / causative pollutant • Also have Fecal • Also have Fecal Coliform impairments

Water Quality Q y Estero Bay TMDLs and BMAPs and BMAPs Future TMDLs – • credit to load dit t l d reductions? Imperial River • BMAP BMAP credit? dit? SWFFS identifies • DO as vital to protecting t ti downstream resources

Water Quality Q y Lee County DR/GR /G • Restoring flowways • Wetlands naturally filter nutrient pollution filter nutrient pollution

Hydrology / Water Supply Supply Lee County DR/GR /G • DR/GR area = high DR/GR area = high aquifer recharge • 2 well field protection areas • Groundwater connections connections

Hydrology / Water Supply y gy / pp y SWFFS SWFFS Focus on • water storage Corkscrew • watershed watershed received the highest score for surface for surface water hydrology

Wood Stork Protection • South Florida Multi S Species Recovery Plan i R Pl • Wood Stork Recovery Plan Plan • Wood Stork 5 Year Review • Prospects for Southeast Lee County Report Report

Large Mammal Protection g • Kautz et al Study • Florida Panther Recovery Plan • Edison Farms is 100% Primary Panther habitat

Large Mammal Habitat g • Closing the Gaps in g p Florida’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation System System • SHCA for “umbrella species”

Wildlife Habitat and Corridor and Corridor Protection • SWF EIS • Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge Proposal p • Coastal Conservation Corridor Plan • Integrated Wildlife Habitat Ranking System y

Public Acquisition of Edison Farms is Vital q • Vast amounts of literature highlight natural resource value • Many reports recommend public acquisition of the property • Numerous partnerships for acquisition exist • Request CLASAC to forward this nomination as a high priority i ti hi h i it acquisition project

Questions? Jessica Stubbs Jennifer Hecker jessicas@conservancy.org jenniferh@conservancy.org (239) 403 ‐ 4231 (239) 325 ‐ 2661