Douglas J. Durbin, Ph.D., Technical Director Connected and Non-Connected Wetlands

Question raised by Board: Should naturally “Connected” wetlands be avoided on the Altman site? Altman Tract Wetlands Connected and Non-Connected Wetlands

Key Conveyances on the site – Preserved. Connected/Non-connected marshes – Ecologically very similar, Readily replaced through reclamation. “Connected” wetlands – only connected during wet periods – Otherwise, basically the same as the “non-connected” wetlands. Connected and Non-connected Wetlands

“Non-Connected”

“Connected” Wetland Connections Wetland Connections

Connected Wetland Wetland Connection on the Altman Tract

Central Marsh

This flowway drains four large marshes into the Central Marsh (136 acres) Wetland Connections

South of Central Marsh North of Central Marsh Off-Site Effects

Sydney Bacchus: “The off-site impacts are catastrophic . . . with respect to wetlands . . . all of the wetlands on the Altman Tract would be destroyed by groundwater alterations . . . .” Off-Site Effects - Observations Off-Site Effects - Observations

Altman Tract Wetland – mining nearby on two sides

Wetland on Ona Tract – miles away from mining Off-Site Effects - Study Wetland Functions

Kevin Erwin: “Just because you might meet some success criteria in a permit . . . in no way means those wetlands are fully functional.” Wetland Functions

Wetland functions include: Water quality – retention, assimilation and transformation of potential pollutants in runoff and rainfall Hydrology – storage, attenuation and conveyance of water – “hydroperiods” Habitat – flora and fauna, etc. For marsh systems, these functions return within about 3 - 5 years of their reclamation Wetland Functions – Water Quality

An in-depth study by Kiefer showed reclaimed wetlands developing water quality characteristics like natural wetlands within a few years after construction. A later study by researchers at the University of Florida reached a similar conclusion: “Values approximate those of natural systems for most parameters after the fifth year following reclamation” Wetland Functions – Vegetation and Hydroperiod

Wetland Reclaimed by Mosaic

Altman Tract Wetland Wetland Functions – Vegetation and Hydroperiod

Altman Tract Wetland

Wetland Reclaimed by Mosaic Wetland Functions - Vegetation Wetland Functions - Vegetation Wetland Functions – Quantitative Assessment

Functional analysis – Uniform Mitigation Assessment Methodology (UMAM) developed by the State of Florida – yields high scores for wetlands recently reclaimed by Mosaic. Wetland Functions – Quantitative Assessment

Reclaimed Wetland UMAM Score Wetland R 0.70 Wetland 325 0.77 Wetland X 0.83 Frog pond wetland 0.87 Wetland E 0.87 Morrow Swamp- Herbaceous 0.70 Wetland "B" 0.73 Wetland 362 0.87 These scores are as good as, or better than, natural wetlands in the region. Wetland Functions

Modern permitting criteria – specifically the Manatee County Reclamation Manual - have become far more specific This leads to better reclamation results Wetland Functions – Manatee County Reclamation Requirements Wetland Functions – Manatee County Reclamation Requirements

Fishes: For connected wetlands combined (forested and freshwater marshes), a minimum of four forage species (prey base primarily plants and invertebrates), and one top carnivore species (eats other fish).

Amphibians: For connected wetlands combined (forested and freshwater wetlands), a minimum of three anuran species and one salamander species.

Birds: For wetland plant communities combined, a total of 20 total species represented by at least two waterfowl species, three shorebird species, four wading birds species, one member of cranes and their allies, two bird of prey species, and four song bird species from at least two families.

Reptiles: For wetland plant communities, a minimum of two turtle species (represented by at least one herbivore and one carnivore) and two snake species with a minimum reptilian diversity of at least five species.

Mammals: For wetland plant communities combined, a minimum of five total species represented by at least one small mammal species, one rabbit species, and two carnivore species. Wetland Functions – Wildlife Habitat

Wildlife using recently reclaimed wetlands Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

Kevin Erwin: “we still have little or no data as far as how wildlife functions . . . on reclaimed phosphate mined lands. When these functions are not restored, reclamation fails.” Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

Reclaimed wetlands provide good fish and wildlife habitat – documented in many studies. A review paper by J. Kiefer found published references to 348 animal species on reclaimed lands. Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

A single, recent study commissioned by the Florida Institute for Phosphate Research found more than 300 animal species utilizing reclaimed lands.

Those animals include: Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

AMPHIBIANS Florida cricket frog Florida chorus frog Two-toed amphiuma Little grass frog Oak toad Florida gopher frog Southern toad Bullfrog Greenhouse frog Pig frog Eastern narrowmouth toad Southern leopard frog Green treefrog Eastern spadefoot toad Pine woods tree frog Eastern lesser siren Barking treefrog Greater siren Squirrel treefrog Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

REPTILES Florida cottonmouth Striped Mud Turtle Peninsula cooter American alligator Florida mud turtle Ground skink Green anole Eastern coral snake Black swamp snake Brown anole Florida water snake Stinkpot Six-lined racerunner Florida green water snake Eastern garter snake Southern black racer Brown water snake Florida softshell Florida chicken turtle Eastern glass lizard Southern ringneck snake Corn snake Eastern indigo snake Yellow rat snake Gopher tortoise Southeastern five-lined skink Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

FISH Yellow bullhead Seminole killifish Spotted sunfish Brown bullhead Eastern mosquitofish Bluefin killifish Channel catfish Least killifish Largemouth bass American gizzard shad Flagfish Golden shiner Threadfin shad Florida gar Ironcolor shiner Everglades pygmy sunfish Redbreast sunfish Tailight shiner Lake chubsucker Warmouth Coastal shiner Swamp darter Bluegill Pugnose minnow Golden topminnow Dollar sunfish Sailfin molly Redface topminnow Redear sunfish Black crappie Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

MAMMALS Shorttail shrew Bobcat Eastern pipistrel Coyote Mississippi myotis Florida mouse Least shrew Round-tailed muskrat Raccoon Nine-banded armadillo Eastern woodrat Gray squirrel Opossum Evening Bat Sherman's fox squirrel Big Brown Bat Golden mouse Cotton rat Eastern Yellow Bat White-tailed deer Feral pig Seminole bat Rice rat Eastern cottontail Vesper bat Cotton mouse Marsh rabbit River otter Oldfield mouse Mexican freetail bat Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

BIRDS (1) Cooper's Hawk Blue-winged teal Lesser scaup Sharp-shinned hawk Mottled duck Ring-necked duck Red-winged blackbird Anhinga Tufted titmouse Bachman's sparrow American pipit Cedar waxwing Wood duck Florida scrub-jay American bittern Roseate spoonbill Limpkin Great horned owl Henslow's sparrow Ruby-throated hummingbird Cattle egret Grasshopper sparrow Great egret Bufflehead Northern pintail Great blue heron Common goldeneye Northern shoveler Short-eared Owl Short-tailed hawk Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

BIRDS (2) Red-tailed hawk Hermit thrush Northern flicker Red-shouldered hawk Belted kingfisher Northern bobwhite Green heron Chimney swift Rock Pigeon Muscovy duck Killdeer Common ground dove Least sandpiper Wilson's plover Eastern wood-pewee Chuck-will's-widow Common nighthawk Black vulture Whip-poor-will Northern harrier American crow Northern cardinal Marsh wren Fish crow American goldfinch Sedge wren Blue jay Turkey vulture Yellow-billed cuckoo Black-bellied whistling duck Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

BIRDS (3) Black-throated blue warbler Chestnut-sided warbler Tricolored heron Bay-breasted warbler Yellow warbler Swallow-tailed kite Cerulean warbler Pine warbler White-tailed kite Yellow-rumped warbler Blackpoll warbler Least flycatcher Prairie warbler Cape May warbler Acadian flycatcher Yellow-throated warbler Bobolink White ibis Blackburnian warbler Pileated woodpecker Merlin Kirtland's Warbler Gray catbird American kestrel Magnolia warbler Little blue heron American coot Palm warbler Snowy egret Wilson's snipe Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

BIRDS (4) Common moorhen Orchard oriole Red-bellied woodpecker Common yellowthroat Least bittern Red-headed woodpecker Sandhill crane Loggerhead shrike Wild turkey Florida sandhill crane Laughing gull Swamp sparrow Bald eagle Ring-billed gull Song sparrow Worm-eating warbler Bonaparte's gull Northern mockingbird Black-necked stilt Black Rail Black-and-white warbler Barn swallow Long-billed dowitcher Brown-headed cowbird Yellow-breasted chat Swainson's warbler Wood stork Baltimore oriole Hooded merganser Great crested flycatcher Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

BIRDS (5) Black-crowned night-heron Double-crested cormorant Purple gallinule Kentucky warbler Downy woodpecker Sora Eastern screech-owl Hairy woodpecker Purple martin Osprey Eastern towhee Prothonotary warbler Northern parula Scarlet tanager Boat-tailed grackle House sparrow Summer tanager Common grackle Savannah sparrow Glossy ibis King rail Indigo bunting Pied-billed grebe American avocet American white pelican Carolina chickadee Ruby-crowned kinglet Brown pelican Blue-gray gnatcatcher Black skimmer Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

BIRDS (6) Eastern phoebe Caspian tern Carolina wren Ovenbird Forster's tern Brown thrasher Northern waterthrush Royal tern Lesser yellowlegs American redstart Gull-billed Tern Greater yellowlegs Eastern bluebird Sandwich tern Solitary sandpiper Brown-headed nuthatch Eurasian collared dove House wren Yellow-bellied sapsucker Barred owl American robin Chipping sparrow Eastern meadowlark Eastern kingbird Northern rough-winged swallow European starling Cassin's Kingbird Least tern Tree swallow Barn owl Wetland Functions - Wildlife Habitat

BIRDS (7) Orange-crowned warbler White winged dove Tennessee warbler Mourning dove Blue-winged warbler Nashville warbler Bell's Vireo White-eyed vireo Red-eyed vireo Blue-headed vireo Hooded warbler Wilson's warbler