Restoring Florida’s Ecological Systems

An exciting Southwest District restoration project is in store for Sumter County. Construction is scheduled to begin in Spring 2009 and plans are already in the works to restore the 11,000 acre project known as Baird Tract. Consisting of both uplands and wetlands, much of Baird Tract drains into the Little Withlacoochee River, a major tributary to the Withlacoochee River, a designated “Outstanding Florida Water” (OFW).

Being situated within the Green Swamp Core Area, one of Florida’s most important regions that protects the headwaters of the Withlacoochee, Peace, Ocklawaha and Hillsborough Rivers – and the source of much of Tampa's drinking water -- the significant ecological and hydrological values of Baird Tract will warrant the same special protection as an OFW.

In addition to its hydrological significance, the Baird Tract offers a diverse habitat consisting of cypress swamps, depressional marshes and ponds, hardwood hammock, wet prairies, pine flatwoods and sandhills. Rare and endangered species roam the area, including the Florida panther and Florida black bear along with wood storks, bald eagles, fox squirrels, indigo snakes and butterfly orchids.

The thousands of acres of wetlands located on the tract provide surface water storage, groundwater recharge and flood water attenuation helping to benefit the regional water quality. Many of these wetlands were previously impacted by drainage practices in addition to road and railroad embankments.

Restoring Baird Tract will help to further evaluate and correct many of the man-made alterations such as railway grades, forest roads, diversion canals, drainage ditches, swales and associated structures which have contributed significantly to wetland drainage, and have otherwise altered the natural flow patterns. The installation of ditch blocks to restore wetland hydroperiods on state lands and the replacement of structures which are inadequate or in the state of disrepair are some of the projects goals. The project is currently being supported through the Florida Department of Transportation mitigation funds with earlier efforts funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Division of Forestry.