Mangrove Point Mitigation Bank (MPMB)is located in Hillsborough County, FL within the Tampa Bay & Coastal Areas Drainage Basin (SWFWMD). The 314-acresite is directly on Tampa Bay. In the 1950’s Large areas of rare and sensitive salt tern habitation the site were destroyed by dredging done to control mosquitoes. The dredging fragmented habitat critical to the Reddish Egret.With the help of Green Source Environmental Professionals, Inc., MPMB is working hard to restore the rare and sensitive habitat to help increase the Reddish Egret population among other endemic species.
MPMB RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT PLAN
The Monitoring Plan for the Mangrove Point Mitigation Bank (MPMB) will establish baseline conditions and, subsequent to construction, monitor the restoration progress of the target communities in order to gauge success. The Monitoring Plan will measure the achievement of the established success criteria thresholds for the release of corresponding community unit credits. The MPMB estuarine habitat restoration plan identified eight communities:
1. Saltern
2. Tidal Tributaries
3. Mangrove Forest
4. Mangrove Shrub Swamp
5. Oligohaline Marsh (Estuarine Influenced Fresh Water Marsh)
6. Saltern Ponds
7. Tidal Pool
8. Sea-grass
Of these habitats, all of which will be benefited to some degree by the mitigation plan, four have associated success criteria for the establishment of specific restoration goals and the release of mitigation credits for that community type. The targeted communities for monitoring for mitigation success and subsequent credit release are:
1. Saltern
2. Mangrove Forest
3. Mangrove Shrub Swamp
4. Oligohaline Mars
