St. Lucie County Airport Conservation Efforts Recognized By Us Fish And Wildlife
February 2, 2010 by St. Lucie Times Staff · Leave a Comment
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently showcased St. Lucie County International Airport’s scrub conservation actions as an example of successful partnerships between government agencies and how partnerships contribute to strategic habitat conservation.
The airport’s consultant, The LPA Group Incorporated, reduced non-native vegetation to create suitable habitat for the threatened Florida Scrub Jay and the Gopher Tortoise at the Runway 10L/28R Scrub Jay Mitigation Area. Within a few months, a pair of Scrub Jays moved into and built a nest at the mitigation area. Because of its highly restricted choice of habitat and low dispersal ability, populations of the Florida Scrub-Jay have become very isolated.
“This has been a win-win situation for both U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the airport, not to mention the benefit that will result to the Scrub Jays,” said Airport Director Diana Lewis.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the St. Lucie County International Airport are developing a partnership that would allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to use this scrub mitigation area for Scrub Jay survey training and as an example of a successful mitigation area. In return, the airport will receive free Scrub Jay surveys, which are required as part of the management plan.
The 32-page conservation plan can be found on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website under Biological Opinions at www.fws.gov.
