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Much of the world’s existing agricultural lands are con-
verted native wetland and upland habitats that for a variety
of ecological and economic reasons should be considered
for ecosystem restoration. The 400 acre Lake Wales For-
est Mitigation and Net Ecosystem Benefit Site (LWF) suc-
cessfully restored a complex mosaic of hardwood swamp
forests, freshwater marshes and xeric scrub habitat on the
Lake Wales Ridge to compensate for impacts related to the
installation of a gas pipeline by Gulfstream Natural Gas
Systems in near-by sections of the state.
The Ridge is one of the most distinctive natural regions in
the US forming a north-south oriented area of sandy up-
lands at the center of the Florida peninsula. It is a series of
relict dunes, reflecting its origins 2 million years ago as a
shoreline feature during pre-Pleistocene sea level rises, and
at times it was an archipelago. This isolation contributed to
the evolution of the numerous, rare endemic plant species
and animals of the Ridge, many of which are now on state
and Federal endangered species lists. Native xeric uplands
are dominated by pines, shrubby oaks, and hickory with bare
open sandy areas. This property was selected for restoration
due to its location on the Ridge and the rare xeric scrub habi-
tat intermixed with wetlands that once existed on the site.
The site was systematically drained, cleared and put into
improved pasture in the 1950’s and 60’s, eliminating na-
tive habitats and reducing wildlife utilization as a result.
In 2001, Kevin L. Erwin Consulting Ecologist, Inc. imple-
Restoring wetlands following agricultural expansion:
Lake Wales Forest Restoration, Polk County, Florida USA
mented multiple restoration and management methodolo-
gies to accomplish the parameters required by the complex
diversity of target habitats once found on the property. The
historic ground and surface water levels were restored by
strategically placing a series of water control structures in
the drainage canal system raising levels 2 to 3 meters. Once
appropriate hydrology had been achieved, native habitats
were restored through plantings and direct seeding of na-
tive vegetation. In total, approximately 143 acres of wetland
forests, 34 acres of freshwater marsh, and more than 220
acres of uplands (including approximately 170 acres of rare
xeric scrub habitat) have been restored on this site which
now includes 20 species of listed plants. Ecologists have
documented 97(8 listed), 18(3 listed), 33(4 listed) and 18,
bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species respectively,
all utilizing the restored habitats including 8 listed bird spe-
cies, 3 listed mammal species, 4 listed reptile species, and
20 listed plant species. In addition to funding the restora-
tion Gulfstream will establish a long term management
fund and then transfer the restored property to conserva-
tion entity for long term protection.
Lake Wales Forest demonstrates that agricultural lands
can be successfully restored to native ecosystems provid-
ing biodiversity conservation for rare or threatened habitats
and species while providing appropriate compensation for
unavoidable ecological impacts to similar areas.
Source: Kevin L. Erwin Consulting Lnc.
CASE STUDY #7