Crystal Cove Mitigation Bank
Location
Citrus County, FL
Resource
Wetland
Solution
Mitigation Bank
Status
Pending
Joe Williams
Director of Credit Sales
The CRYSTAL COVE MITIGATION BANK (CRYCMB) encompasses approximately 220 acres of degraded natural forested wetland and upland habitats. The site consists of bottomland forests in low-lying areas, forested wet pine flatwood perimeters, and upland scrub habitat in higher areas. Due to logging and lack of fire maintenance, many areas of these habitats are overgrown and degraded. Establishing the Crystal Cove Mitigation Bank will help protect the site from further degradation caused by logging and the negative effects of improper vegetation and hydrological impacts. It will also benefit the downstream aquatic resources in the Crystal River Preserve State Park and the Gulf of Mexico.
What makes the CRYCMB stand out is its combination of coastal wetland and upland sandhill habitats, which complements the representativeness of the conservation land network. It plays a vital role in contributing to statewide conservation goals, particularly for wetland-dependent and wetland-related conservation goals. The CRYCMB contains potential habitat for numerous threatened and endangered species, including the wood stork and other wading bird species. It also contributes to the management and protection of adjacent wildlife management areas, such as the Crystal River Preserve and the Homosassa Wildlife Management Area.
The site is located within the Crystal River/Kings Bay Springshed, which is part of the Kings Bay Spring Group and an Outstanding Florida Spring. The CRYCMB aligns with the management actions aimed at improving water quality, protecting fish and wildlife habitat, and conserving the springs ecosystem.
The CRYCMB holds high value as a priority conservation area. Its location, adjacent to protected lands and within important watershed management plans, makes it a crucial component of conservation efforts. The mitigation work plan aims to restore ecological function through various measures, including ceasing silviculture activities, restoring hydrology, eradicating nuisance and exotic species, and implementing vegetative enhancements.
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CREDITS
Wetland
– Palustrine Emergent (Corps)
– Palustrine Forested (Corps)
– Freshwater Forested (SWFWMD)
– Freshwater Herbaceous (SWFWMD)
SERVICE AREA
Crystal-Pithlachascotee (03100207) subbasin
aka Upper Coastal watershed
Our Partners
Greensource Environmental has collaborated with EIP since the beginning of our work in Florida. At Horse Creek, Old Florida, and Upper Coastal Mitigation Banks, Greensource conducted a thorough evaluation of historical land use, and pre-restoration conditions. The team delivered insights that translated into an effective restoration plan — one that only comes with a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of ecological and hydrologic function. As our “Ecological Sherlock Holmes,” the firm helps us find clues on the ground that let us maximize ecological uplift in our restoration designs.