Management
|
Karla Brandt
|
Since 1995, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission, in cooperation with the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Mine Reclamation, has been
working to restore the Upper Saddle Creek Basin at Tenoroc.
Funding for the project comes from the Florida Department of
Transportation’s wetlands mitigation fund and the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection’s mine reclamation fund.
Tenoroc’s Saddle Creek Tract surrounds a portion of Saddle
Creek, a tributary of the Peace River. Saddle Creek was once a
major water source for the Peace River. The natural drainage
patterns of the watershed were disrupted by mining operations in
the 1960s. Unreclaimed ponds, overgrown with vegetation and
filled with clay sediments, now retain rainwater that once
flowed through Saddle Creek and into Lake Hancock. Rain not
captured in Tenoroc’s lakes and ponds flows into and through old
mining ditches, bypassing land once cleansed by wetlands.
Biologists and engineers are working to convert 400 to 600
acres of mined areas into functional wetlands. These wetlands
will provide ideal habitat for waterfowl and wading birds and
will substantially increase the discharge of clean water into
Saddle Creek, thereby helping to remedy the water shortage in
the Upper Peace River basin. The enhanced habitat conditions
will also increase the recreational opportunities for both bird
watchers and anglers. During restoration, invasive exotic plant
species will be removed and replaced with native vegetation.
Tenoroc’s 967-acre Bridgewater Tract was opened in 2006.
Located within the city limits of Lakeland, the newest tract is
the site of an ambitious project to reclaim a significant
portion of its wetlands and upland habitats. The project is a
cooperative venture with the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission, the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection, the Department of Transportation, the Southwest
Florida Water Management District, and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. Two mitigation wetlands, totaling 39.9 acres, provide
important water quality treatment to Lake Parker. Wetland
construction activity was designed with public access in mind. A
new road system, boat launching facilities, and other habitat
restoration efforts add to the available recreational
opportunities.
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