Perdido River and Bay - Florida Department of Environmental ...

Water Quality Status Report: Perdido River and Bay
43
• Florida Green Industries BMPs for Protection of Water
Resources in Florida (Industrias En Áreas Verdes De Florida
Las Prácticas Más Adecuadas Para la Conservación del Agua en
Florida): This manual, published in June 2002 and also printed in
Spanish, was developed jointly by the Florida Green Industries, the
Department, DACS, DCA, water management districts, and University
of Florida. It provides information and guidance on turf grass
and landscape management practices for the purpose of conserving
and protecting Florida’s water resources. Practices cover establishment
of new turf and landscapes and the care of existing turf and
landscapes, including construction activities, irrigation, nutrient
management, and pest management. A smaller summary book is
also available on-line at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/nonpoint/
docs/nonpoint/Summary_BMP_book_final.pdf.
Land Conservation
Conservation and preservation of natural lands is also an effective
means of protecting water quality. Through land acquisition programs,
such as Florida Forever, funds have been provided for the purchase of
critical lands because of their importance in providing important habitat,
protecting rare and imperiled species, or protecting water quality. Some of
the basin’s conservation lands are depicted in Figure 2.2.
Within the Perdido River and Bay Basin are several conservation areas.
The Perdido Pitcher Plant Prairie is a unique savannah-type system that
is home to the rare white top pitcher plant. The prairie is approximately
7,661 acres in size with 4,070 acres in state ownership as part of the Tarkiln
Bayou Preserve State Park (Department, 2003). The most recent addition
of 226 acres occurred in 2004. The Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park
contains 100 other rare and imperiled plants and animals.
The Betty and Crawford Rainwater Perdido River Nature Preserve
protects an additional 2,331 acres, including 8 miles of river front, along
the Perdido River (FNAI, 2005b). The white top pitcher plant and numerous
other rare and imperiled plants are found on the preserve property.
The preserve land was purchased from International Paper by The Nature
Conservancy, which manages the land (Timber Mart–South Market Newsletter,
2003). The preserve is named for Betty and Crawford Rainwater,
whose trust contributed funds toward its purchase.
The Lower Perdido River Buffer was added to the Florida Forever
acquisition list in 2002. Future purchase of this property will add an additional
7,800 acres of conservation land along and near the Perdido River
north of the Betty and Crawford Rainwater Perdido River Nature Preserve
(Department, 2005 and FNAI, 2005b).
In Alabama, several tracts of land within the Perdido River watershed
in Baldwin County have been purchased. The Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources Forever Wild Land Trust Acquisition
Program, in partnership with NOAA’s Coastal Impact Assistance Program
funds, the Alabama Forestry Commission, and a U.S. Forest Service
Forest Legacy grant, purchased the following tracts of land: Perdido River
Longleaf Hills Tract in 2006, Lillian Swamp South Addition in 2003,