Cypress Creek Mitigation Bank |
Cypress Creek Mitigation Bank is located in the eastern portion of Okeechobee County, Florida. The bank site is 229.25 acres and is bordered by agricultural and natural lands. Cypress Creek Mitigation Bank serves as the headwaters of the Cypress Creek system.
This project site was selected due to its location, size, and previous ecological impacts as a result of hydrologic alterations and agricultural activities. Significant habitat within the project site is suitable for and contains Sandhill Crane and Wood Stork as well as an extensive wading bird population. The improved pasture is potential habitat of Crested Caracara.
On site wetlands have been altered by past land uses including the establishment of a series of lateral berms and ditched that have altered the hydrology of the system. Logging of the cypress swamp also occurred in the 1970s along with the introduction of exotic grazing grasses for increased forage.
Cypress Creek Mitigation Bank will implement restoration, enhancement, and creation activities to improve the bank site to historic/native characteristics. Restoration activities include planting to restore altered canopy, removal of earthen berms, and filling ditches that alter the hydrology of the site. Exotic and nuisance vegetation will be eradicated. Approximately 63.24 acres of wetlands will be created. Upland areas currently in improved pasture will be graded to mimic a natural marsh, to include a flow way system to provide for water delivery throughout the proposed system.
Cypress Creek Mitigation Bank services Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and Martin Counties.
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