Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) A Brief History Bill Helfferich South Florida Water Management District
• Ed Carlson & Dave Addison—Bird Rookery Swamp—1986 • Lee Co. (Bill Byle)—Flintpen Strand—1987 • SFWMD--combined and expanded boundaries—1989 (50,000 ac.) • Purposely didn’t include southern Flintpen Strand
Legislative objectives of the SOR program: Acquire lands important for • water management • water supply • conservation & protection of water resources
District objectives for CREW: • Protect Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary • Protect headwaters & flowway of Imperial River & Estero Bay • • Protect major water supply source for SW Florida
Acquisition History • 1990—first purchase--Corkscrew Marsh from Alico ~6,000 ac. • Lee Co. pledged $10M for acquisition in Flintpen Strand --acquisition efforts were led by Ellen Lindblad --title was given to the District and District managed (except Section 33—Lee Co. wellfield) --Lee Co. purchased >7,000 ac. --Still ~1300 ac. In private ownership in Flintpen • First purchases in Collier Co. were Fisch & Musca properties • To date more than 25,000 ac. are in public ownership
FWC is our management partner • Conduct public hunt program • Undertake wildlife surveys & inventories • Provide personnel & equip. for prescribed burn assistance
Basic components of all land management programs Habitat restoration Exotic treatment Prescribed burning Monitoring Demolition/illegal dumping Public use Basic needs of all land management programs People Equipment Money
Hydrologic changes are allowing willows to invade Corkscrew Marsh
CREW Marsh near present overlook platform in 1991
Corkscrew Marsh today Mechanical treatment is expensive Specialized equipment needed to work in organic soils
Aerial herbicide application treated ~400 ac. Very effective, but also very expensive
Bonita Beach Rd. Hydrologic restoration in Southern CREW
Ditch plugs slow rate of drainage Work done with District personnel & equipment
Exotic treatment has been a 17-year battle And an investment of $4 million
We started out treating exotics with chemicals …now we use ground up dollar bills
Prescribed burning Our most important & cost effective management tool
Much of CREW is very close to roads or residential development Smoke control is our major concern
Burning is hot, smelly, & dangerous But it is everyone’s absolute favorite part of the job
Dumping is a constant problem in Southern CREW—East Bonita Beach area Scattering of private lots requires us to maintain public access
Old logging trams in Bird Rookery Swamp offer Great hiking and biking opportunities
$400,000 boardwalk leading to trams is complete All we need is for Collier Co. to permit our parking lot
1974 1952 Early forest management—Corkscrew Marsh
1991 2008
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