ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR LISTED PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES FOR THE 15009 CORTEZ BLVD. SITE 24 September 2018 by Donald Richardson, Ph.D. Ecological Consultants, Inc. 5121 Ehrlich Road, Suite 103A Tampa, Florida 33624 INTRODUCTION The proposed storage facility located at 15009 Cortez Blvd. is a partially developed site in Hernando County, Florida (TRS:27/18/26). The site is borderd on the south by Cortez Blvd., on the north by Recarda Lane, on the east Oakado Street and on the west by commercial properties (Figure 1). This report represents an environmental assessment of the existing flora and fauna within the Cortez site with special reference to all listed species that may have some protection with the federal, state or local agencies. SOILS The 4+ acre site supports one soil type as follows: 1. Chandler fine sand, 0 to 5 percent slopes (#14) – This is a nearly level to gently sloping, excessively drained soil on the uplands. This soil has a very low available water capacity in the upper 48 inches and soil fertility is low. The water table is below a depth of 80 inches. The native vegetation consists of Bluejack oak, post oak, and turkey oaks; and scattered longleaf and slash pines; and a sparse understory of Indian grass, chalky bluestem, pineland three awn, panicum and annual forbs. VEGETATION The western half of the site has been historically cleared of most of the sandhill vegetation for commercial use (FLUCCS #141) in contrast to the eastern half which is relatively undisturbed longleaf pine-turkey oak uplands (FLUCCS #412). Turkey Oak Sandhill The eastern half of the site Turkey Oak Sandhills that are maturing due to fire suppression. The overstory is dominated by a nearly closed canopy of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), live oak (Quercus virginiana), turkey oak (Quercus laevis), and bluejack oak (Quercus incana). Other subcanopy species include cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), red cedar (Juniperus silicicola), laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia), and Carolina laurel cherry (Prunus caroliniana). The shrub layer is sparse due to the low light levels but supports beauty berry (Callicarpa americana), sumac (Rhus copallinum), huckleberry (Vaccinium myrsinites), and pawpaw (Asimina obovata). The ground cover is restricted to gaps in the canopy or along the sunny edges of the forest. The most common species include wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana), broomsedge grass (Andropogon virginicus), gopher apple (Licania michauxii), greeneyes (Berlandiera subacaulis), wild grape (Vitis munsoniana), bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), ground lichens, foxtail grass (Setaria geniculata), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), blue curls (Trichostema dichotomum), yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), Adams needle (Yucca filamentosa), dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), beggar’s tick (Bidens alba), red top panicum (Panicum rigidulum) silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia), ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and others. Commercial Development The western half of the site was cleared of the native vegetation except for isolated longleaf pines and has been periodically mowed. The most common species includes bahia grass (Paspalum notatum), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), beggar’s tick, ragweed, dogfennel, chick weed (Drymaria cordata), wild grape (Vitis munsoniana), Mexican clover (Richardia brasiliensis), nutsedge (Cyperus retrorsus), Virginia creeper, crow’s foot grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium), sand spur (Cyperus incertus), camphor weed (Heterotheca subaxillaris), bracken fern, musky mint (Hyptis alata), tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii), dayflower (Commelina diffusa), ragweed, and others. LISTED ANIMAL SPECIES Based on previous studies of animal populations within sandhills and disturbed sites, a gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) survey was conducted for the entire site. Here, we report the preliminary findings of field investigation conducted in September 2018 for all listed animal species. During the field survey of the vegetation, all gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows were located and mapped within the project boundaries (Figure 2). One inactive gopher tortoise burrow was located in the northern third of the undeveloped portion of the site (Table 1). Active burrows were identified by the presence of tracks, cleared openings or recently excavated soil. Inactive burrows usually showed no signs of soil excavation and were frequently littered with fallen leaves and other debris. Abandoned burrows were often caved-in or covered with leaves with no signs of activity. Table 1. GPS coordinates for the inactive gopher tortoise burrow. Burrow #/activity GPS burrow Coordinates (long/lat) #1/IN 280 32’06.58” N 820 28’53.38” W Since gopher tortoises utilize more than one burrow, estimates of abundance were based on a multiplier of 0.5 x active and inactive burrows (Auffenberg and Franz 1982). If we assume that the multiplier is an accurate estimate of tortoise populations throughout Florida, 1 burrow represents an estimated population of 0.5 or 1 gopher tortoise. The relocation of 1 gopher tortoise would require a relocation permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Other burrow commensals such as the gopher frog (Rana areolata) and eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couper) as well as the Florida scrub lizard were also looked for at the time of the gopher tortoise study, but no additional animals were observed. LISTED PLANT SPECIES No protected plant species were observed for this site. OBSERVED ANIMAL SPECIES During the current survey of the site, several animal species were observed in the sandhill/disturbed grasslands as follows: Mammals Nine banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Birds Red shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Ground dove (Columbina passerina) Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) Other Vertebrates Green anole (Anolis carolinensis) Black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The vegetation is a mixture of cleared lands as part of past development of the site and longleaf pine-turkey oak sandhills. Most of the undisturbed sandhill vegetation is maturing into Oak /Pine forests due to fire suppression. 2. During the filed survey of the vegetation, one inactive gopher tortoise burrow was located in the north-central portion of the eastern half of the site. The relocation of 1 gopher tortoise to an approved mitigation site would require a relocation permit from FWC prior to any land clearing activities or demo of the site. No listed plant species were observed. 3. The development of this site will have minimal affect on resident or local wildlife that may utilize the site. Figure 1. Location map for the 15009 Cortez Blvd. site. Figure 2. Soils map for the for the 15009 Cortez Blvd. site. Figure 3. Vegetation and listed animal species for the Cortez Blvd. site. [Note: IN = Inactive gopher tortoise burrow] Figure 4. Cleared lands associated with the western half of the Cortez site. Figure 5. Undeveloped eastern portion of the Cortez site. Figure 6. Gopher tortoise burrow in the eastern half of the Cortez site. .