The north key largo ecosystem is highly diverse and unique

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Program (CFDA 15.614), awarded a $1,416,668 Project Grant to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the Ocean Forest Estates Estuarine and Rockland Hammock Restoration Project. This 3-year project aims to restore 14.8 acres of coastal hammock and wetlands in the North Key Largo ecosystem, a highly diverse and unique area in Florida. The primary goals are to benefit fish and wildlife, including state and federally listed species, as well as provide educational and outreach opportunities. This grant represents a continued investment by federal, state, and local governments to preserve and restore this important ecosystem, which provides habitat for rare and endangered species.

IT includes the only remaining example of intact high elevation rockland hammock in the united states, a network of marsh and mangrove wetlands and shallow flats, and, just offshore, the only living coral barrier reef in the continental united states. The ecosystem of north key largo is extremely valuable because IT represents the only single example of a rare botanical assemblage, and IT still provides enough habitat for remnant populations of rare and endangered animals that once populated much of the upper florida keys in what is now miami-dade and monroe counties. The publicly owned and managed north key largo ecosystem contains 8,000 acres of habitat, 2,000 of which is classified as rockland hammock habitat. Plant and animal assemblages that once extended into those areas are now greatly reduced or nonexistent. However, north key largo still has enough habitat and landscape integrity to support a high diversity of species which makes its conservation and preservation even more critical. This area represents one island of significant biodiversity that local, state and federal governments can cite with pride as an example of successful ecosystem management. To this end, extensive public investment has been made over the past 25 years towards preserving and restoring this ecosystem. Restoration of previously developed and disturbed areas is often a significant undertaking however, benefits within this ecosystem are immediate because of the availability of permanent and seasonal plants and wildlife to colonize and utilize the restored habitat. Restoration of the entire north key largo ecosystem could realistically be accomplished (limited only by funding), and IT is easy to see why there is unparalleled opportunity here to realize a great biodiversity capital on the publics investment. The ocean forest estates estuarine and rockland hammock restoration project, a critical component of the key largo ecosystem, is the next project in a line of ambitious restoration projects within north key largo. The restoration goal for the overall ocean forest restoration project is to restore coastal hammock and wetlands as closely as possible to the original topographic elevations for the primary purpose of benefiting fish and wildlife, including state and federally listed species, species of special concern, as well as endemic and migratory species. The secondary goal is to remove a source of pollution and environmental degradation from within the north key largo ecosystem. This project will also provide several educational and outreach opportunities for universities, local elementary schools, and general public volunteer groups. Due to the size and scope of the total project area, this restoration will occur over several phases. The currently requested funding will be for phase i. The total acres of coastal hammock and wetlands planned for restoration during phase i is 14.8 acres. Funding provided for the previous large-scale topographic restoration projects as well as this one demonstrates that the north key largo ecosystem is a high priority for the state of florida.