Florida Communities Trust Grant Award Project Annual Stewardship Report Name of Project: FCT Project Number: 92-018-P2A Local Government: Indian River County For Period: November 2015 November 2016 Date Drafted: November 30, 2016 SUMMARY The County has hired a Conservation Lands Technician and a Maintenance Worker (dedicated 50% to Conservation) to further the goals and objectives of the County s conservation land management program. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has provided the County with herbicide to provide additional treatment of exotic vegetation on-site. On-going monitoring of federally threatened Florida scrub-jays on the property continued this past year. To date, there are ten families of jays utilizing the conservation area. Staff has coordinated with the County GIS Department to create a smart phone data collection app for use by staff and volunteers in the monitoring of the FL scrub-jay families. The wetland mitigation areas within the conservation area are substantially complete. Exotics comprise less than 10% of the site. Staff continues to coordinate with the FWC to allow for the conservation area to become a Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site. Public education programs are given on-site through members of the Pelican Island Audubon Society (PIAS). FUTURE LAND USE In May 1997, the project s future land use and zoning designations were changed to C-1 and Con-1, Public Conservation. FCT SIGN An FCT acknowledgment sign was posted in 2002 at the park entrance and has since been maintained. ARCHAEOLOGICAL HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY (if applicable): An archaeological/historical resource survey of the project site has not been completed. An archaeological study will be forthcoming as funding is made available. 1
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS Identify all proposed physical improvements outlined in the management plan and discuss the status of each. o Boundary markers completed in 2002. Boundary signs were revised to state No Hunting per House Bill 45. o Site Identification Sign completed in 2002; maintained. o Fencing - A 4' high hog-wire fence constructed along the perimeter of the Conservation Area was initially installed in May 1996. A fence contractor repaired fencing sections for $650.00 in September 2001. A new gate was installed on the south-west boundary area in 2010. The fencing has since been maintained. o Short access drive and parking area parking access and restrooms are provided at an adjoining park (West Wabasso Park) at the northwest corner of the conservation area. o Pre-fabricated metal shelter and bicycle rack temporary shelter provided at adjoining West Wabasso Park. o Observation Overlook not yet completed the County has budgeted funds for FY2016-17 for construction of boardwalks and overlooks. It is anticipated that the WSCA observation area will be permitted and constructed in 2017. o 1- mile unimproved trail trails run through the conservation area and are currently used by staff to treat exotics, for habitat improvement and for scrub-jay surveys. o Additional trail created for access, monitoring and public use. o Bicycle rack installed. Identify any problems encountered in developing the project site and how they are being addressed: o The presence of gopher tortoises and scrub jays has deterred on-site parking construction at the south boundary along CR510. As an alternative, parking and access has been developed and is provided via adjoining West Wabasso Park at the northwest corner of the conservation area. NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION Inventory of plant and animal species: The County continues to monitor the Florida scrub-jay families on-site year-round. Additionally, Florida gopher tortoise monitoring continues to occur on a regular basis. Both the north section and the south-east section have been inventoried. The process for the conservation area to become a long-term protected recipient site is underway. RESOURCE RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT Provide the status of each restoration, enhancement and landscaping activity outlined in the management plan, such as: o Removal of exotic vegetation. 2
All heavily infested areas of exotics have successfully been treated or removed and replanted. Herbicide was received from the FWC for the Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area; follow-up applications of herbicide are used throughout the conservation area as needed. All wetland mitigation projects have been substantially completed and the conservation area is at 10% or less exotics. o Ecological Burn: An initial " Scrub Habitat Restoration and Management Plan" by Smith Environmental Services (January, 1996) set forth an ecological burn plan for the subject property. That burn plan has since been revised by the "Sebastian-Area Wide Scrub-Jay Habitat Conservation Plan" (HCP) that was finalized in March 2000. All burns scheduled for the property have been conducted by the Florida Forest Service using Mitigation Funds. In 2010 firebreaks were re-installed and the south-east section of the property was successfully burned. In 2014, the Florida Forest Service conducted approximately 55 acres of mowing & rollerchopping in preparing the site for a prescribed burn. o Habitat Enhancement/Reduction of Fuel Load. The County intends to complete additional roller chopping of sand pine areas in the NW portion of the WSCA to enhance potential habitat for the scrub-jays. MONITORING Provide the status of monitoring the site for, and the removal of, invasive exotic plants: o Monitoring is currently being conducted through two methods the first is by monitoring the vegetation the scrub for the Annual Monitoring Report to the USFWS every August for the Sebastian Area-Wide Florida Scrub Jay Habitat Conservation Plan and through the wetland mitigation projects on site for the St. Johns River Water Management District. o County volunteers have monitored scrub-jay activity on the site over the past several years; this program is on-going and an additional training for new volunteers is proposed to occur in early 2017. o A permitted contractor has been retained by the County to band the scrubjays every year; new jays are banded every year. This data is used by the County to track the movement and progress of the jay population on-site EDUCATIONAL SIGNS Provide status of installing educational kiosk(s) or signs an education kiosk has been installed at the West Wabasso Park entrance to the conservation area. The kiosk contains signage that discusses Fire Dependant Ecosystems and Scrub Habitat. 3
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS (if applicable) Have the required educational programs been developed? An educational brochure, trail signage and informational signage on native plants and animals in the scrub ecosystems has been developed along with site access facilities at the adjoining park. Educational signs and displays are onsite and available to any user. The educational brochures are onsite and at the Parks Maintenance Building with educational and site specific information. Education programs have been offered at the conservation area through the Pelican Island Audubon Society. Tours are provided by members of the Pelican Island Audubon Society that highlight the Florida scrub-jays and native habitat. The County is in the process of developing a brochure that will be displayed in the kiosk. The County is in the process of updating the conservation lands website to provide additional information about the WSCA site, as well as all of the other conservation areas managed by the County. The website has been expanded to include information on species conservation, control of nuisance plants and animals, summaries of grants and upcoming management activities proposed, and provide a summary of volunteer opportunities for the public to become engaged in the conservation efforts within the County. The updated website is scheduled to be on-line in December 2016. As part of the website update, the County is also in the process of developing an app that can be used by the public to easily access trail maps and other conservation area information. EASEMENTS, CONCESSIONS OR LEASES Identify any proposed easements, concessions or leases considered over the last year. None REVENUES Identify any revenue received through the collection of fees, entrance fees, concessions, sale of goods and services. No fees have been collected. Identify any other third party generating revenue on the project site; identify the activity involved, the managing entity receiving income, and the amount of revenue generated. - None SECURITY If any security problems exist, identify how these are being addressed. None at this time. 4
PRIORITY SCHEDULE/TIMELINE If any physical improvements or management activities are behind schedule, please provide revised start and completion dates for each of these improvements or activities. The pending activities are listed above under the Physical Improvements Section. The proposed wetland overlook is scheduled to be designed and constructed in 2017. MANAGEMENT PLAN CHANGES Discuss any needed revisions to the approved management plan. - None 5
PHOTOGRAPHS FCT SIGN & BICYCLE RACK (rear of kiosk) 6