2012 FDOT Mitigation Plan - Southwest Florida Water Management ...

INTRODUCTION
The District purchased the 2,980 Conner Preserve (Preserve), a key parcel in the Pasco I Save Our
Rivers/Forever Florida project, in 2003. It is located in central Pasco County approximately 7 miles
north of Land O' Lakes, Florida, and is bordered by U.S. Highway 41 to the west, and State Road
52 to the north (Figure 1). The Preserve is a key link in a proposed wildlife habitat corridor
connecting the 18,240-acre Starkey Wilderness Park to the west and the 7,460-acre Cypress Creek
Wellfield to the east (Figures 2). Natural systems restoration and land management activities
proposed in this plan will increase the value and functionality of the Preserve as both core habitat
and as a potential linkage between Starkey Wilderness Park and the Cypress Creek Wellfield. This
will be accomplished through enhancement of existing wetland habitat and restoration and
enhancement of upland habitat adjacent to the wetlands.
Restoration of SWFWMD lands is guided by Board Procedure 61-10 Natural Systems Restoration.
This document states that the restoration and maintenance of the natural state and function of all
communities making up an ecosystem is the goal of the District's management efforts. The natural
successional process and reinstatement of dynamic disturbance processes is recognized as the
most environmentally acceptable means of restoration of an altered community. However, when
warranted, active intervention shall be employed within the District's management approach as a
means of restoration; active intervention may be undertaken to either reestablish an important
natural element, function or process which has been removed from the system, or to remove an
element, function or process which is not a natural part of the system. When active intervention is
considered warranted, only the most cost-effective methods available that will achieve the project
goals will be utilized. Priority for allocation of restoration funds and resources shall be given to those
communities where intervention will achieve the greatest ecological benefits.
The altered sites on the Preserve have been evaluated pursuant to Board Procedure 61-10 and due
to the extent and location of alterations, natural communities and species involved, and the extent
of exotics species infestation, the project sites are ranked as high priorities for restoration.
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