Environmental Science: Florida Wetlands Permit Fiasco

Florida Wetlands Permit Fiasco

2008 saw the beginning of a six year battle over a Florida Pine Plantation, although no one knew it at the time. The Highlands Ranch Bank, created under the auspices of the Carlyle Group and Hassan & Lear Acquisitions, sought 688 credits from the St. Johns River Water Management District to offset dry land being turned back into wetlands. These credits could then be sold off to other consumers who need to fill in a patch of land for reasons such as construction or pasturage (Pittman, Controversial wetlands permit wins approval, 2012).

Environmental Science: Global Owl Project

           I attended a training on how to construct artificial nestingboxes for Burrowing Owls. The training was led by David Johnson from the Global Owl Project. The first artificial nesting boxes (1977) were just that, plywood boxes with tunnels that had a 90 degree angle in them. They worked, but had issues with water seepage, inability to maneuver easily and no way to see if they worked. Mr. Johnson’s design uses flexible 6” drain line (10’ long), half of a 55 gallon barrel, hardware mesh (3’x4’), a tube of liquid nails, and two Letica 3 ½ gallon buckets. Since the liquid nails needs to be spread on so thick, he recommends leaving it to dry for three to four days. These nests should last 10 years and as long as you do not clean them out, the owls should return again and again.

Environmental Science: ELAPP

I attended a lecture by Ross Dickerson who is with the Hillsborough County Environmental Lands Management. His presentation was on the Jan. K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program. The program covers almost 62, 000 acres and is the largest preservation program funded by local government in the state. ELAPP’s purpose is to provide the process and funding for identifying, acquiring, preserving and protecting endangered, environmentally-sensitive and significant lands in Hillsborough.