San Pedro Bay Mitigation-Bank Design, Permitting, Monitoring and Maintenance

Birkitt Environmental Services, Inc. (Birkitt) provided environmental services to Foley Cellulose/Georgia-Pacific for the San Pedro Bay Mitigation Bank in Taylor County, Florida. Birkitt was responsible for project management of a team that included hydrologists, geologists, archeologists, engineers, and Birkitt’s biologists for this project. Services encompassed environmental assessments, wetland restoration design, and permitting negotiations for development of a 7000-acre mitigation bank in San Pedro Bay, Taylor County, Florida. Tasks included preparation of permit applications and negotiations with state and federal agencies using WRAP analysis for establishment of mitigation credits. Activities included modeling and design of wetland restoration plans, development of success criteria, monitoring of hydrologic and vegetative restoration components, and agency negotiations.  Restoration design components include installation of ditch blocks and low water crossings for hydrologic restoration and removal of planted pines for vegetative restoration of the site. All permits were issued and construction completed. Restoration is successful and credits are being sold. Hydrological and vegetation monitoring was conducted by Birkitt staff for 8 years.