A E H T E A RS W D TO GH HI N PA EX RA TI ON SE-SER Symposium & Membership Meeting October 18-21, 2016 D IN G TIDE FR O M T HE Society for Ecological Restoration Southeastern Chapter and UF/IFAS OP POR R TUNITIES FO R TO S E SE-SER Annual Symposium and Membership Meeting and Workshop October 18-21, 2016 University of Florida/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy, Florida Message from the Society for Ecological Restoration Southeast Chapter Executive Board Southeast Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SE-SER) Welcome to the Society for Ecological Restoration Southeast Chapter’s October 19-21, 2016 Annual Symposium and Membership Meeting! We are very excited about this year’s theme “From the Headwaters to Hightide, Expanding Opportunities for Restoration”. This theme is extremely important to our region as we face the challenge of impaired ecosystems, introduced invasive exotics, the lingering impacts from the Gulf oil spill and the uncertainty created from climate change. As restoration professionals, we have a responsibility to play integral roles in the restoration of southeastern ecosystems into resilient, self-sustaining landscapes that will continue to provide their natural capital services to a burgeoning global population far into the future. Ongoing efforts by SER to implement a Practitioner Certification Program will result in the creation of a universal standard based on overall professional competence in the practice and science of ecological restoration to ensure the quality and value of a restoration ecologist’s services. Thanks to the hard work of the Conference Committee we have a great schedule of invited speakers and plenary speakers, as well as interesting restoration themed field trips. The technical presentations will focus on a variety of topics ranging from restoring seagrass beds and saltmarshes, headwaters of rivers and springs, to and the hydrology of isolated wetlands. We also have an exciting pre-meeting restoration workshop on October 18 that will be taught by Dr. André Clewell. We are looking forward to three days of highly motivating talks and participant interactions and look forward to the development of exciting collaborations for the chapter’s future. If you are not currently a member of SER, we encourage you to joining during the conference. We would like to personally invite anyone that is interested in becoming more involved in our organization to please introduce yourself to one of our Board members over the next couple of days and see how your skills and efforts can effect a positive change on the course of restoration ecology’s future! Southeastern Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration Chapter president: James Kelly Chapter vice-president: John Tobe Chapter treasurer: John Wigginton Chapter secretary: Leah Bray 2016 Meeting Chair: John Tobe Page 1 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Theme: FROM THE HEADWATERS TO HIGHTIDE - EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION Conference Schedule - all times are in Eastern Standard Time Tuesday, October 18 Ecological Restoration Workshop 7:45 - 8:00 A.M. Registration 8:00 A.M.- 5:00 P.M. Andre Clewell, Instructor and guest lecturers - lunch will be provided Wednesday, October 19 7:30 - 8:20 A.M. 8:20 - 8:30 A.M. 8:30 - 9:10 A.M.. 9:10 – 9:30 A.M. 9:30 - 9:45 A.M. 9:45 - 10:05 A.M. 10:05 -10:25 A.M. 10:25-10:45 A.M. 10:45 - 11:00 A.M. 11:00 - 11:25 A.M. 11:25 -11:50 A.M. 11:50 - 1:00 P.M. 1:00 -1:30 P.M. 1:30-4:30 P.M. 1:30 -1:45 P.M. 1:45 -2:10 P.M. 2:10 -2:25 P.M. 2:25 -2:45 P.M. 2:45 -3:05 P.M. 3:05 -3:25 P.M. 3:25 -3:40 P.M. 3:40 - 4:10 P.M. 4:10 - 4:30 P.M. 4:30 -4:50 P.M. 4:50 - 5:00 P.M. 5:00 - 5:45P.M. Registration Welcome/Introductions and Meeting Announcements Keynote Address: Russ Frydenborg, From the Headwaters to Hightide, Expanding Oppurtunities for Ecological Restoration. Plenary Sessions Sean A. King, Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Restoration in Florida Springs. Break 15 min. Damon Moore, Planning, Implementation, and Adaptive Management for Restoration of Former Agricultural Lands at Perico Preserve in Coastal Southwest Florida. Ryan Horstman & Damon Moore - Innovative Seagrass Habitat Creation at Perico Preserve in Southwest Florida. Leah Bray, Coastal Restoration: Lessons Learned from Three Decades of Projects. Break 15 min. Kim Jackson, Join the Geospatial Revolution! Rosalyn Kilcollins, Climate Change in the Southeast. Lunch Break/Lunch Provided - picnic style, vegetarian choices will be available. Andre Clewell, Restoration in Times of Climate Change and Environmental Instability. Session: Restoring Natural Resources Damaged by the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Oil Spill Amy Raker, Introductory remarks and overview of DWH oil spill. Laurie Rounds, Overview of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) and Programmatic Restoration Plan. Break 15 min. An Ecosystem Approach to Restoration in Florida: Katie Konchar, Nearshore and Coastal Habitats. Lisa Robertson, Water Quality. Ben Frater, Coastal and Marine Species. Break 15 min. Nadia Martin, Monitoring, Adaptive Management, and Unknown Conditions. Amy Langston & David Kaplan, Planning for the Future: Climate Change-induced Reassembly Trajectories Along the Big Bend Coast of Florida Informal Panel Discussion/Audience Q&A (20 min.), Moderators: Leah Bray and Amy Raker Meeting Announcements and set up for Social Social at IFAS facility All workshops and plenary sessions will take place in the seminar room at the following venue: NFREC-Quincy 155 Research Rd. Quincy, FL 32351-5677 map to NFREC see link: http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/locations_quincy.shtml NFREC-Quincy Phone: (850) 875-7100 Page 2 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Thursday, October 20 7:30 - 8:20 A.M. 8:20 - 8:30 A.M. 8:30 - 9:10 A.M. 9:10 – 9:30 A.M. 9:30 - 9:45 A.M. 9:45 - 10:05 A.M 10:05 - 10:25 A.M. 10:25 - 10:45 A.M. 10:45 - 11:00 A.M. 11:00 - 11:20 A.M 11:20 -11:40 A.M 11:40 - 12:00 noon 12:00 – 1:00 P.M 1:00-1:20 P.M. 1:20 -1:40 P.M. 1:40-2:00 P.M. 2:00 - 2:15 P.M. 2:15 - 2:35 P.M. 2:35 - 2:55 P.M. 2:55 - 3:15 P.M. 3:15 - 3:35 P.M. 3:35 - 3:45 P.M. 3:45 - 4:00 P.M. 4:00 - 4:45 P.M. 4:45 - 5:30 P.M. Registration desk is open Welcome/Introductions and Meeting Announcements Keynote Address: Susan Cerulean - writer/naturalist/earth advocate. Plenary Sessions Scott Davis, Monarch Milkweed Initiative at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, FL. Break 15 min. Helen Roth, Restoring Spring Canyon to a Multi-age Longleaf Pine Ecosystem, FL. Joe Reams. Setting the Stage for Restoration: Attaining Burnable Coverage of SE Native Warm Season Grasses. Justin Whitfield, Pollination Banks and Restoration, Examples from Florida. Break 15 min. Kevin R. Kemp, Restoration of the Peace River Headwaters. Megan Bartholomew & Christopher Anderson, Long Term Vegetation Response to Hydrologic Recovery in Isolated Wetlands, FL. Steven Brantley, et. al., Longleaf Pine Restoration as a Tool for Improving Water Resources. Lunch Break/Lunch Provided - picnic style, vegetarian choices will be available. Jennifer Franklin, Restoration of Compacted Mine Tailings with Native Plantings. David Clayton, Hydric Pine Flatwoods and Wet Prairie Restoration in Northwest Florida. Jim Kelly. Restoring Headwater Ecosystems in the Tchoutacabouffa River Watershed, Mississippi. Break 15 min. Megan Keserauskis & Ashley Warren, Ephemeral Wetland Restoration, Invasion of the Habitat Snatcher. John Tobe. et. al., Restoration Progress at the NW FL Beaches International Airport Mitigation Site, West Bay, FL. Charles (Lynn) Coultas, A comparison of soil of two Amer-Indian sites in Florida. Connie Bersok, Introducing a Certification Program for Ecological Restoration Practitioners. Closing Remarks, Meeting Announcements - Information regarding Friday field trips Break 15 min. General Membership Meeting Social at IFAS facility Friday, October 21 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M Field Trips. Information regarding field trips is as follows: Field Trip 1. Tall Timbers. The trip will start at Tall Timbers at 8:30. Carpooling is encouraged – help with arrangements will be available at the SER registration table at IFAS NFREC on Wed & Thurs. Field Trip 2. Spring Canyon and Apalachicola Bluffs/Ravines Preserve. Meet at 8:00 and carpool from the IFAS North Florida Research and Education Conference Center (NFREC) and leave promptly at 8:30. We will return no later than 5 PM. Lunch will be provided during field trips. You are responsible for your own transportation for field trips carpooling will be available. For questions or information about the meeting, contact: John Tobe, SE-SER Conference Chair, [email protected], phone: 850.933.8107 see www.ser.org for updates and membership information. Page 3 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Keynote Address Wednesday, October 19 Russ Frydenborg, Principle, Frydenborg EcoLogic, L.L.C. Phone:850.228.4658 Email: [email protected] Website:www.frecologic.com FROM THE HEADWATERS TO HIGHTIDE: EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION Synopsis – Ecological restoration is an activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem with respect to its biological integrity and sustainability (SER Primer). Restoration is implemented when an ecosystem has been degraded or destroyed as result of human activities. Successful restoration consists of properly defining desired system attributes, classifying the system type, and establishing restoration goals: • What was there? (Historical data or reference sites); • What is broken? (Identify stressors); • Put it back so it functions (Establish key ecosystem attributes); and • Show your efforts were successful (Monitoring with clear objectives). This presentation explores many critical topics, including the interconnectedness of physical, chemical, and biological ecosystem components, the Stream Continuum Concept, food webs, ecoregions, community types and attributes, quantifying human degradation, restoration building blocks, Kiefer’s stream morphology, water quality stressor identification methods, habitat assessment, and post-project monitoring. Finally, examples of restoration projects are provided, including Central Florida created marshes, North Florida first order stream creation, and a coastal wetland rehydration/alternate effluent disposal project. 8:30 - 9:10 A.M. Plenary Session Abstracts for Wednesday, October 19 Sean King, Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2379 Broad St, Brooksville, FL, 34604-6899. Phone: 352.796.7211 Email: [email protected].fl.us SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION (SAV) RESTORATION IN FLORIDA SPRING SYSTEMS Abstract – Florida spring systems have experienced substantial changes to their ecological drivers over the past century including nitrogen enrichment, riparian development, nuisance vegetation expansion, manatee population growth, recreational use, and sea-level rise. These changes tend to favor a plant community shift from SAV to filamentous algae dominance that is associated with an overall degradation of the ecosystem. A pilot restoration project was initiated in 2014 for the Crystal River/Kings Bay spring system to test several innovative techniques which address key drivers that inhibit the re-establishment of SAV. Eelgrass (Vallisneria americana) is the primary focus of this restoration effort because it was historically a dominant SAV species in this system and has the ability to persist in a wide range of conditions. Experimental eelgrass “sod” mats were cultivated offsite and transplanted into three quarter-acre plots within Crystal River/Kings Bay in the fall of 2015. Early results show that the eelgrass has expanded; however the exotic invasive hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is also colonizing these areas and is being managed to promote further eelgrass expansion. Monitoring is ongoing to assess the SAV community and to evaluate changes in water quality, sediment characteristics, and invertebrate and fish communities as a result of SAV restoration. In the spring of 2017 the exclusion barriers will be removed to determine if the newly established SAV community can persist despite heavy grazing pressure. If this restoration project is successful, then the goal is to apply this approach to additional areas within Crystal River/Kings Bay and other spring systems in the region. 9:10 – 9:30 A.M Damon Moore, Environmental Program Manager/Ecological Resources, Manatee County Parks & Natural Resources Department, 5502 33rd Avenue Drive West, Bradenton, FL, 34209. Phone: 941.567.8738 Email: [email protected] PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND ADAPTIVE MANAGMENT FOR RESTORATION OF FORMER AGRICULTURAL LANDS AT PERICO PRESERVE IN COASTAL SOUTHWEST FL. Page 4 9:45 - 10:05 A.M. SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Wednesday, October 19 continued. Abstract – As urbanization and the threat of sea-level rise to coastal areas increase, the acquisition of coastal properties for preservation of ecologically valuable estuarine wetland habitats has occurred in southwest Florida. These properties often provide opportunities for restoration if coastal upland habitats from highly degraded land. Historical land uses have resulted in properties being dominated by nuisance and exotic vegetation. The repeated soil disturbance and establishment of nuisance and exotic vegetation has largely extirpated desirable native flora and fauna from upland areas of these sites. These areas are most often isolated from larger contiguous areas of natural upland habitats, which increases the difficulty of restoration due to limited natural recruitment. Manatee County acquired Perico Preserve in 2007, and since then improvements to upland areas were carefully planned to be sustainable. Project implementation has resulted in early establishment of target habitats. The project included restoration of a diverse groundcover stratum to restore plant diversity in areas of the site that, prior to disturbance, consisted of pine flatwoods and coastal scrub. This was achieved through a combination of direct seeding, out-plantings, and intensive habitat establishment period management (HEPAM). The planning, implementation and early establishment period management methods used on the Perico Preserve project have shown encouraging signs of success. The methods applied and lessons learned during the Perico Preserve project have resulted in desirable project outcomes which are applicable to many coastal preservation property acquisitions that contain low quality upland areas. Ryan Horstman, Senior Environmental Scientist, ICON Consultant Group, 10006 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 201, Tampa, FL, USA. Phone: 813.962.8689 Email:[email protected] & Damon Moore, Phone: 941.567.8738 Email: [email protected] INNOVATIVE SEAGRASS HABITAT CREATION APPROACH INTENDED TO PAY FOR ITSELF AT THE ROOKERY AT PERICO PRESERVE IN COASTAL SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Abstract – Manatee County acquired Perico Preserve in 2007 and commenced designing a restoration plan for the entire property that could leverage Manatee County funds and grant funding from various agencies. The County’s initial desire was to restore the fallow cropland back to coastal upland habitats with smaller areas of coastal wetlands. However, funding limitations left an approximately 16-acre portion of the site without funds for restoration activities. Manatee County staff, led by Charlie Hunsicker, and their consultants strategized restoration options that could leverage additional funds to create valuable habitats within the 16-acre portion of the site. At the same time, Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay were experiencing extensive gains in seagrass habitat recovery and the County saw an opportunity to bolster seagrass habitat gains using the 16-acre portion. The County identified and pursued two unique funding opportunities: internal (County) trade and seagrass mitigation “credits”. These two opportunities were envisioned to cover construction costs, offset the other costs incurred by the County, and to recover land costs. The 16-acre portion was designed to mimic seagrass habitat conditions in the adjacent Perico Bayou through the creation of suitable water depths and adequate flushing. A 3-dimensional tidal model was created and analyzed to determine the necessary parameters to create a functioning seagrass basin within the 16-acre fallow cropland area. Construction of the seagrass habitat basin has been completed and the project is moving into the seagrass mitigation phase. Some unique approaches to providing mitigation offset are currently being developed 10:05 -10:25 A.M. Leah Bray, ANCHOR QEA, LLC, 614 Magnolia Avenue, Ocean Springs, MS, 39564 Phone: 228.818.9626 Email: [email protected] COASTAL RESTORATION: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THREE DECADES OF PROJECTS. Abstract – The combination of local land subsidence, climate change-induced storm surges, and sea level rise is raising havoc along America’s shorelines. Coastal marshes are among our most environmentally important and vulnerable ecosystems. Decades of natural subsidence and other environmental factors (such as climate change) have affected the overall health and functionality of these systems across the United States. Processes such as sea level rise (SLR) and storm surge impacts accelerate trends of declining ecosystem health and function. This Page 5 10:25-10:45 A.M. SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Wednesday, October 19 continued. presentation introduces concepts for successfully restoring degraded wetlands through beneficial use of dredged material from nearby maintenance or new work activities, including possible reuse from existing confined disposal facilities. Engineering planning and design considerations are discussed, followed by a discussion of representative case studies and lessons learned. Kimberly Jackson, GISP, Geo-Reference LLC, Website:www.Jacksonmaps.com Phone: 850.524.4089 Email:[email protected] JOIN THE GEOSPATIAL REVOLUTION! Abstract – Forget what you already might know and take a fresh look at GIS. Geospatial analysis has greatly benefitted from a technology revolution over the past two years. Access to data from a kaleidoscope of providers, improved locational accuracy on personal devices, and the processing power to make sense of BIG data, all contribute to today’s successful, personal, mobile, GIS implementation. As spatial analysis move to the web, GIS offers improved environmental decision making and storytelling with maps. Ready? Steady. Go! We’ll collect data, map it, analyze it, and publically share our results in 15 minutes! After an introduction, we’ll jump right in to a workflow demo. Learn the difference between a shape file and a feature service while we data mine the web for wetlands spatial data. Using ArcGIS Online, we’ll collect data on site, using a smart phone app from ESRI and then create an interactive web map. Participants can request spatial analysis to generate meaningful results and we will discuss ways to access guidance for your own projects. Next, we’ll use web tools to present the results of our GIS analysis and create a Story Map to share our findings. Whether you want to report on the deliverables of a grant project, document the stressors faced by a specific ecosystem, or look for statistically significant distributions across a place or time, this Summer’s GIS revolution provides you with new possibilities! 11:00 - 11:20 A.M. Rosalyn Kilcollins, Rosalyn F. Kilcollins Consulting, 2505 Arthurs Court Lane, Tallahassee, FL, 32301 USA. Phone: 850.570.8889 Email: [email protected] CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE SOUTHEAST Abstract – The speaker was trained by former US Vice President Al Gore and The Climate Reality Project in Miami in September 2015 to serve as a volunteer for the Climate Reality Leadership Corps. The multi-day training was focused on providing a select group of trainees with a deep understanding of the latest climate change science, as well as best practices in public speaking, social media, leadership, communication, community outreach, and organizing. Climate Reality Leaders are an extraordinary group of people from around the world unified around the same cause, spreading the truth about climate change and the cost of carbon pollution, and inspiring action and spreading solutions to the climate crisis. The average global temperature across land and ocean surfaces for 2015 was 0.90°C (1.62°F) above the 20th century average, beating the previous record of 2014. 2015 was not only the highest calendar year temperature, but also the highest temperature for any 12-month period on record. Much of the record warmth for the globe can be attributed to record warmth in the global oceans. The annually-averaged temperature for ocean surfaces around the world was 0.74°C (1.33°F) higher than the 20th century average, breaking the previous record of 2014. Ocean temperatures for the year started with the first three months the third warmest for their respective months, followed by record high monthly temperatures for the remainder of the year as one of the stongest El Niños in the historical record evolved. This session will include discussion of the latest climate change science, effects on southern forests and coastal areas and strategies for mitigation and addressing the potential impacts. 11:20 -11:50 A.M 1:00 -1:30 P.M. Andre Clewell, Email:[email protected] RESTORATION IN TIMES OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL INSTABILITY Abstract – We have recently emerged from a period of prolonged environmental stability, when it seemed possible to restore ecosystems to a prior state of biodiversity with relative ease. Now with climate change, sea level rise, and increasing land use impacts, we are scrambling to find out how we can restore and still retain a Page 6 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Wednesday, October 19 continued. historical perspective in our work. The SER Primer (www.ser.org) reminds us that ecosystems are dynamic, and that our job is to reestablish the continuation of a temporarily interrupted historic ecological trajectory. This way of thinking requires that we pay more attention to the preparation of the ecological reference and not just use reference ecosystems as templates. It also means that we must heed performance standards in a more sophisticated manner. This talk explores how this altered way of considering restoration can be implemented. 1:30 -4:30 P.M. Restoring Natural Resources Damaged by the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Oil Spill In April 2016, a federal court finalized a settlement between the US and Gulf states’ governments and BP regarding natural resource damage liability for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This session will familiarize the audience with the details of the comprehensive, integrated ecosystem approach to Gulf restoration that will unfold over the next few decades, including an overview of the Comprehensive Ecosystem Restoration Plan and the allocation of funds available across multiple resource types. Although there will be a particular emphasis on the details as they pertain to Florida, attendees from around the Gulf region will be able to gain a better grasp of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) restoration paradigm and the goals for this restoration. Audience members will leave with an understanding of what restoration activities may be undertaken in the future and what opportunities exist to participate in the process, including how to propose restoration ideas to the relevant decision-makers. Amy Raker, Gulf Restoration Specialist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Carr Building, 3800 Commonwealth Blvd., Tallahassee, FL, 32399 USA. Phone: 850.617.9557 Email: [email protected], , INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND OVERVIEW OF DWH OIL SPILL Participants will be oriented to the purpose of this session, which is to inform restoration professionals about the details of the natural resources portion of the settlement with BP finalized earlier this year. This introduction will include a brief review of the 2010 incident. 1:30 -1:45 P.M. Laurie Rounds, Marine Habitat Resource Specialist, NOAA Restoration Center, 7344 Zeigler Blvd., Mobile, AL, 36608 USA. Phone: 251.544.5014 Email: [email protected] OVERVIEW OF THE NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAMMATIC RESTORATION PLAN A review of the Trustees’ injury assessment from the DWH oil spill as well as the overarching restoration plan and the comprehensive, integrated ecosystem approach to restoration that will underpin all future DWH NRDA projects. AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO RESTORATION IN FLORIDA In this portion of the session, presenters will focus in more detail on specific ecological restoration goals and types, including nearshore and coastal habitats, water quality, and living coastal and marine resources. 1:45 -2:10 P.M. 2:25 - 2:45 P.M Katie Konchar, Biological Scientist, FWC, Bryant Building, 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, FL, 32399. Phone: 850.879.7520 Email: [email protected] NEARSHORE AND COASTAL HABITATS 2:45 -3:05 P.M. Lisa Robertson, Environmental Administrator, FDEP, Douglas Building, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd., Tallahassee, FL, 32399. Email: [email protected].fl.us, WATER QUALITY 3:05 -3:25 P.M. Ben Frater, Restoration Biologist, U.S. Department of the Interior, FWS Deepwater Horizon NRDAR Field Office, 341 N. Greeno Road, Suite A, Fairhope, AL, 36532 USA. Phone: 251-517-8019 Email: [email protected] COASTAL AND MARINE SPECIES Page 7 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Wednesday, October 19 continued. Nadia Martin, Senior Associate, Industrial Economics, Industrial Economics, 3:40 - 4:10 P.M. Incorporated, 2067 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA, 02140. Phone: 617.354.0074 x 155 Email: [email protected] MONITORING, ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, AND UNKNOWN CONDITIONS Monitoring and adaptive management to support restoration implementation is one the goals within the restoration plan. The Trustees’ plans for addressing emerging ecological issues in the future will also be touched upon. Amy Langston & David Kaplan Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Phone: 352.392.2424, Email: amylangston@ufl.edu PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: CLIMATE CHANGE-INDUCED REASSEMBLY TRAJECTORIES ALONG THE BIG BEND COAST OF FLORIDA Abstract – Climate change (e.g., sea level rise, extreme weather events, and rising temperatures) is changing the coastal landscape by altering the physical conditions that affect the survival, distribution, and reproductive success of wetland vegetation. Such changes are evident along Turtle Creek, a tidal creek located in Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park, Florida. Findings from long-term field studies show islands of freshwater forest are being replaced by salt-tolerant communities. As sea level rise increases tidal flooding beyond salt tolerance levels of tree seedlings, regeneration ceases, adult trees die off, and forest vegetation is replaced by halophytic shrubs, which are replaced by herbaceous salt marsh. Concurrently, fewer freeze events in this region are promoting the northward and landward expansion of mangroves into areas that formerly supported healthy is lands of freshwater forest. We hypothesized that the observed forest to marsh trajectory will be extended to include eventual replacement by mangrove forest. To test this, we conducted a field experiment in which we compared mean response of caged and non-caged black mangrove propagules (Avicennia germinans) across four landscape positions (creek edge, marsh plain, forested freshwater island edge, and island interior) within and between three sites subject to different tidal flooding frequencies along Turtle Creek. Over the course of 200 days, we found seedling establishment was most successful for caged propagules in the marsh plain at all three sites (67-83%), and also relatively high in frequently flooded island interiors and edges (40-73%). However, 99% of non-caged propagules were consumed by purple marsh crab (Sesarma reticulatum) within 10 days of beginning the experiment. While climate change may promote conditions favoring mangrove encroachment, predation impedes mangrove expansion into new areas. These results demonstrate the influences of climate change and predation pressure on successional reassembly trajectories re-shaping the coastal landscape and can inform longterm restoration and management goals. 4:10 - 4:30 P.M 4:30 - 5:50 P.M. PANEL DISCUSSION/AUDIENCE Q&A. Moderators: Leah Bray & Amy Raker - presenters will convene as a panel to discuss FAQs such as how NRDA connects to other DWH-related efforts and how participants can become involved in future Gulf-restoration activities. In addition, the panel will address queries from the audience. Page 8 Keynote Address Thursday, October 20 8:30 - 9:10 A.M. Susan Cerulean - writer/naturalist/earth advocate, Email:www.comingtopass.com COMING TO PASS: FLORIDA’S COASTAL ISLANDS IN A GULF OF CHANGE Synopsis –Susan Cerulean will share stories and images from her award-winning book Coming to Pass: Florida’s Coastal Islands in a Gulf of Change. For more than three decades, Cerulean kayaked, hiked, scalloped, fished and counted birds on and around Dog, the St. Georges and St Vincent islands. Both a field guide to a beloved and impermanent Florida landscape and a call for its protection, Coming to Pass, 2016 recipient of the Florida Humanities’ Council Gold Award for Florida Nonfiction, chronicles our uniquely beautiful northern Gulf coast as it is now, as it once was and how it may be, as sea level rises. Plenary Session Abstracts for Thursday, October 20 Scott Davis, Scott Davis, Ranger, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, St. Marks, FL, USA. Phone: 954.292.3099 Email:[email protected] MONARCH MILKWEED INITIATIVE AT ST. MARKS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Abstract – In 2014, funding from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service allowed staff to develop a native milkweed propagation nursery at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The goal of this project is to conserve, preserve, restore, and return native milkweed species to our region. It soon became apparent that the project called for additional research into milkweed ecology including soil types and conditions, competition, associated species, canopy cover, moisture requirements, pollinators, seed pod production, seed propagation techniques, and more. Milkweeds are vitally important for pollinators in almost every ecosystem. Not only are they the host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars, their abundant nectar sustains a number of other pollinators. Careful observations have led to new knowledge about the complicated life cycle of certain species such as a narrow range of pH tolerances; length of time for pod formation and seed ripening; best time for seed collection, sowing seed, and seed preparation; fire dependence; and translocating plants. Research remains ongoing. Additionally, using information from herbarium specimens, we are exploring historic sites to learn if milkweeds are persisting and mapping new locations. This information has been shared with the Florida Department of Transportation to help them make determinations about roadside mowing timing and frequency. The milkweed occurrences also indicate which milkweed species are declining. We believe this information will benefit public and private land managers as well as nursery growers. 9:10 – 9:30 A.M. Helen Roth, Landowner and Manager, Spring Canyon, LLC 3222 Yorktown Drive, Tallahassee, FL, 32312. Phone: 850.385.9681 Email: [email protected] RESTORING SPRING CANYON TO A MULTI-AGE LONGLEAF PINE ECOSYSTEM 9:45 - 10:05 A.M Abstract – The speaker is in the process of restoring the longleaf pine ecosystem on 100 acres in Gadsden County, Florida, called Spring Canyon. It is located on a sandhill ridge and has steephead ravines and seepage streams feeding into the headwaters of Crooked Creek, which flows into the Apalachicola River. It has old growth and catfaced longleaf pines dating back to the turpentine era, but a long period of fire exclusion allowed hardwoods to invade the upland areas and restrict the natural regeneration of longleaf pines. As soon as sections of the property were cleared of the encroaching hardwoods, the exposure of bare mineral soil and additional light on the ground created the requisite conditions where natural regeneration could occur again. Reintroduction of prescribed fire has helped to maintain these conditions, stimulate the growth of the pre-existing wiregrass, and improve the habitat for wildlife such as gopher tortoises. The initial restoration efforts within three upland sections have been completed on 25 of the desired 50 acres. This presentation will describe the learning process since she purchased the property in 2008. The speaker is very thankful for the knowledge and support she has received from a large network of organizations and individuals who have helped her develop and implement an evolving plan for restoring and maintaining a multi-age longleaf pine ecosystem at Spring Canyon. Page 9 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting 10:05 - 10:25 A.M. Joe Reams. Phone: 850.879.7900 Email: [email protected] SETTING THE STAGE FOR RESTORATION: ATTAINING BURNABLE COVERAGE OF SOUTH EASTERN NATIVE WARM SEASON GRASSES Abstract – The speaker is owner of Southern Habitats in northern FL works full-time in native ground cover restoration throughout the Southeast. His company grows and installs native plants from seeds that they both wild-harvest as well as harvest from their own native seed production. The majority of Southern Habitats’ projects focus on various native grasses which are essential for thorough burning in uplands, flatwoods and ephemeral wetlands. Some perennial forbs are mixed in with the grasses and additional ones are added in colonies for future recruitment across the project site once there is enough fuel for burning. Joe plans to discuss why some sites are good candidates for direct seeding and some are high-risk while other sites may call for a combination of live plants and seeds. Herbicide and timeliness of all practices are important considerations as well as seed handling and testing, proper seed placement and the use of local plant materials. The American Forest Foundation (AFF) recently released a report entitled Southern Wildlife at Risk, emphasizing the importance of the role of private landowners in the conservation of dwindling wildlife habitat in the Southeast. It employs spatial analysis to identify certain counties within three “opportunity areas” which are prioritized based on family-ownership of forests, species biodiversity, at-risk species and economic activity in the logging industry. The speaker has no affiliation with the AFF but wanted to share this report to keep the discussion and collaboration moving forward with regard to protecting and restoring the native habitats of the Southeastern US. Justin Whitfield, Senior Project Ecologist, Natural Resources, AECOM, 1625 Summit Lake Drive, Suite 200, Tallahassee, FL 32317 USA1 Phone:850.354.5433 Email:justin.whitfi[email protected], presenting for Michael Steven (Mike) Batts, Senior Consultant Biologist1 Email:[email protected] UPDATE ON FINAL RESTORATION OF A 33-ACRE SOIL CONTAMINATION CLEAN-UP SITE IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA; AND CREATION OF A POLLINATOR HABITAT AT A CONTAMINATION CLEAN-UP SITE IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA Abstract – A 33-acre former fertilizer plant site on the Ashley River, a scenic and environmentally sensitive waterbody that connects to historic Charleston Harbor, was restored by removing and neutralizing contaminated soil. The contaminants (arsenic and lead) were removed and disposed of in an approved landfill. The site was re-contoured using clean fill to re-establish pre-removal elevations. Approximately 31 acres of uplands and two acres of marsh wetlands were restored as part of the final vegetation restoration phase of the project. The uplands were seeded with a mixture of warm and cool season grasses. The marsh was restored by using specific soils with planted smooth cord grass (Spartina alterniflora), using both nursery stock and transplanted plugs. This is an update on the continued restoration success at the site. At another site, in support of the National Pollinator Health Strategy developed by the USDA and USEPA in 2014, 9 acres of the 30 acre Agrico site (contamination clean-up) in Pensacola, Florida was converted to pollinator habitat. The goals of the National Pollinator Health Strategy are to: restore honey bee colony health to sustainable levels by 2025; increase eastern monarch butterfly populations to 225 million butterflies by year 2020; and restore seven million acres of land for pollinators over the next five years. The Agrico site focused on the creation of habitat for butterflies, specifically the monarch. This presentation is a description of the pollinator habitat restoration work that has been completed at the Agrico site and its contribution to the National Pollinator Health Strategy initiative. 10:25 - 10:45 A.M. Kevin R. Kemp, 3900 Drane Field Rd. Lakeland, FL, 33811. Phone: 863.648.3824 Email: [email protected] RESTORATION OF THE PEACE RIVER HEADWATERS Abstract – Opportunities to restore large areas of headwater wetlands in the Peace River watershed are rare. The headwaters to the Peace River in Polk County Florida are almost completely surrounded by urban and suburban development, agriculture and industry, and most of the natural habitat has been destroyed. A large Page 10 11:00 - 11:20 A.M. SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Thursday, October 20 continued. canal dug to provide drainage for agriculture bisects a 120 acre Lake Gwyn, part of the headwaters. This canal resulted in almost complete drainage of the lake and a loss of key wetland habitat for the Peace River. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission worked with Polk County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District to restore the hydrology to the western portion on the lake, creating a 54 acre herbaceous marsh. The bisecting canal was left in place for flood control but is not in use under normal flow regimes. Phases of the project included a feasibility study, engineering and design, earth moving, installation of water control structures, vegetation planting and exotic species control. Construction was completed in October 2015 and water quality monitoring is currently being conducted. By completing this project, habitat for fish and wildlife was enhanced in the project footprint as well as providing downstream water quality and quantity benefits. As Florida is further developed, this type of project will become increasingly important to improve overall water quality, quantity, fish and wildlife diversity and habitat suitability to create more resilient riparian ecosystems. Megan Bartholomew & Christopher Anderson, Forestry Wildlife Sciences GRA 4401 Forestry and Wildlife Science, Auburn University, AL 36849. Phone: 319.470.9033 Email:[email protected] LONG TERM VEGETATION RESPONSE IN HYDROLOGIC RECOVERY IN ISOLATED WETLANDS. Abstract – In cypress domes, where vegetation is governed by seasonal hydroperiods, hydrology is the most influential determinant of wetland function and should guide wetland restoration and planning. However, many restoration efforts fail to return wetland vegetation to its pre-impact assemblage because the restored hydrology is not appropriate for the re-establishment of the historic communities. Research on how hydrology affects plant communities over longer periods of time is necessary to help better guide management practices and increase restoration success. We investigated how communities in cypress domes responded to groundwater alterations using a decade worth of data. J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park has served as a municipal well field to the Tampa Bay region and has a varied history of hydrologic alterations. Groundwater withdrawal began in the 1970’s and increased steadily until 2008. After 2008 groundwater withdrawals were cut by 75% allowing some of the wetlands to hydrologically recover. As part of ongoing monitoring efforts hydrologic and vegetation data has been collected in nearly 30 isolated cypress domes throughout the park. These detailed data sets were used to assess vegetation responses to hydrology. Prevalence index scores were calculated on an annual basis to track how hydrology affected the tendency for wetlands to support hydrophytic vegetation. We compared wetland vegetation communities before and after pumping reductions were implemented in 2008 to assess responses to hydrologic recovery. Vegetation data from wetlands relatively unaffected by historical pumping were also used to determine reference community assemblages and to adjust for natural fluctuations associated with annual climatic variation. Plenary Session Abstracts for Thursday, October 20 continued. 11:40 - 12:00 P.M. Steven Brantley1, Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, 3988 Jones Center Drive, Newton, GA, 398701. Phone: 229.734.4706 ext. 241 Email: [email protected], Evan Rea1, Chelcy Miniat2, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, Otto, NC2, Paul McCormick3, Metropolitan water district of southern California3, Peter Caldwell2, Stribling Stuber1 , Paul Bolstad4, Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN4. LONGLEAF PINE RESTORATION AS A TOOL FOR IMPROVING WATER YIELD IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. Abstract – Water supplies have come under increasing stress in the southeastern U.S. in recent decades due to population growth, climate variability, and land use change. Conflicts over water and projections of water scarcity suggest a growing need to evaluate land management options focused on protecting and possibly improving water yield (precipitation, P – evapotranspiration, ET). Our goals were to determine the effects of land cover Page 11 11:20 -11:40 A.M. SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Thursday, October 20 continued. change on water yield in the upper Ichawaynochaway Creek watershed, a 620 mi2 basin in southwestern Georgia, and suggest land management options that might increase water yield. We compiled published annual ET values for dominant land cover types in the basin to scale annual ET to the watershed using land cover data and validated our scaled ET estimates using historic water yield values from the USGS gauge at Milford, GA. We used the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model to simulate potential changes in monthly yield from longleaf pine restoration. Irrigated row crops, pecan orchards, wetlands, and timber plantations had the highest annual ET rates while fire-maintained longleaf pine had the lowest annual ET of any vegetated land cover type. Estimated annual ET in 2007 was ~829 mm, representing a 13% increase in ET and a 17% decrease in yield since 1968. We estimate that ~70% of the cumulative change in water yield was from growth of center-pivot irrigation, with the remaining change due to expansion of timber plantations. Preliminary modeling suggests that large-scale longleaf pine restoration could increase monthly yield. These results suggest that restoration of longleaf pine savanna in the region may be an important strategy for long-term water management. Jennifer Franklin, Assistant Professor, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996. Phone: 865.974.2724 E-mail: [email protected] RESTORATION OF COMPACTED MINE TAILINGS USING SUBSOILING AND NATIVE PLANTINGS Abstract – On older reclaimed mine sites, both compacted soils and aggressive non-native ground covers can compete strongly with planted tree seedlings, hindering reforestation efforts. Successful tree establishment has been seen on sites where compaction is relieved by subsoiling and herbicide is used to control ground cover, but herbicide treatments are expensive and may have a negative impact on planted trees. An experiment was established to test for tree growth and changes in vegetation composition on sites where compaction had been relieved by ripping, then treated by seeding a native ground cover mix, or herbicide application. Pre-treatment composition of vegetation was surveyed in August of 2014, and was dominated by non-natives Lespedeza cuneate, tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus), and white clover (Trifolium repens), with a total herbaceous cover of 93%. Soils were cross-ripped to a depth of 1.2m on a 2.4m grid. Of 5 test sites, each was divided into 4 treatment areas, two of which were seeded with two different mixtures of herbaceous, primarily native species in Jan. of 2015. Bare-root, 1-0 tree seedlings of 15 hardwood species were planted on a 2.4 x 2.4m spacing. A third treatment had herbicide applied in a 0.5m radius around each planted tree. The composition of herbaceous vegetation was monitored in May and August. Vegetative cover was reduced to 66% across all treatments in May, and by August both seeded and control treatments had returned to initial levels (82-93%), while herbicide treatments still had significantly reduced cover (78%). Ripping did not reduce the frequency or dominance of lespedeza, but did reduce the presence of tall fescue from 52% of plots to 13%, and its dominance from to 34% to 4% of plots. Seeding herbaceous species attractive to deer decreased the likelihood of deer browsing damage to planted seedlings. Continued monitoring of vegetation and growth of trees is planned. 1:00-1:20 P.M. David Clayton, Environmental Scientist III, Restoration Ecologist NWFWMD restoration projects, FL. Email:[email protected] HYDRIC PINE FLATWOODS AND WET PRAIRIE RESTORATION IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA Abstract – Results are presented on the ongoing restoration of hydric pine flatwoods and wet prairie at three sites in northwest Florida. Restoration plans were developed using historic aerial photography, soils maps, and current landscape/wetland conditions. These projects are part of the Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) In Lieu Fee Plan to mitigate for Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) wetland impacts outside the service area of private mitigation banks. 1:20 -1:40 P.M. Page 12 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Thursday, October 20 continued. 1:40-2:00 P.M. James P. Kelly, 3Point Eco-Logical, LLC, Ocean Springs, MS. Phone: 228.217.2841, Email: [email protected] RESTORING HEADWATER ECOSYSTEMS IN THE TCHOUTACABOUFFA RIVER WATERSHED IN JACKSON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, USA Abstract – The Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain acquired the Johnson/Adcock properties in Jackson County, Mississippi as part of its mission to conserve and protect the natural environment of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The five parcels of land totaling more than 146 acres encompass wet pine savannahs and bottomland hardwoods that are part of the headwaters for the Tchoutacabouffa River that flows into Biloxi Bay and out to the Gulf of Mexico. Wet pine savannahs are pyrogenic communities that by definition require the stress of frequent fires to maintain their normally open-canopied grassland structure. As is the case with many of the pine savannah communities in coastal Mississippi, the savannahs at the Johnson/Adcock properties appeared to have been fire suppressed for more than 30 years. This allowed midstory shrubs and hardwoods to expand their cover, hampering reproduction of more characteristic grass and forb species. The combination of closed canopy and the elimination of a natural fire regime greatly reduced the density and diversity of native herbaceous savannah species. Prescribed fires were re-introduced to the wet pine savannahs at Johnson/Adcock in an effort to restore lost vegetative cover and wetland function. Prior to the initial prescribed burn, areas of dense shrubs and hardwoods were mechanically mulched to reduce fuel loads. Site preparation techniques, restoration activities and meods, and current site condition are discussed. Megan Keserauskis, FWC, Aquatic Habitat Restoration/Enhancement Sub-Section, P.O. Box 59 Midway, Florida, 32343. Phone: 850.410.0847 ext. 0852 Email: [email protected] Ashley Warren, FWC, Northwest Regional Office, 3911 Highway 2321 Panama City, Florida, 32409. Phone:850.767.3622 Email: [email protected] EPHEMERAL WETLAND RESTORATION, INVASION OF THE HABITAT SNATCHER Abstract – What do the reticulated flatwoods salamander, frosted flatwoods salamander, Florida bog frog, and Panama City crayfish have in common? Their preferred habitats are rain-influenced ephemeral wetlands. Easy to overlook, these relatively small diversity-rich wetlands are typically found imbedded and scattered throughout upland habitat. Within the Florida panhandle many of these ephemeral wetlands have become fire-suppressed, allowing opportunistic hardwoods to invade. Once in the wetlands, these hardwoods shade out the grass and herbaceous plant species, decrease the hydroperiod, and further suppress fire from entering the wetlands from the surrounding uplands. All of these factors result in degraded habitat unsuitable for the four imperiled species already mentioned. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been working to restore ephemeral wetlands for over 5 years throughout the state. While a perfected restoration methodology has yet to be developed, much has been learned. Choosing the proper restoration method involves considering a lot of biotic and abiotic factors, as well as knowing what tools are available for use. Factors to consider include: invasive hardwood presence (size and density), imperiled species use, herbaceous species presence (diversity and density), faunal breeding cycles and habitat needs, herbicide impacts, herbicide application techniques, ground sensitivity, land management restrictions, non-native plant species presence/absence, etc. Current workhas focused on federal, state, city, and non-profit property. Past project examples will be discussed, with lessons learned. 2:15 - 2:35 P.M. John Tobe, Alani Davis, Todd Campbell & Ryan Zipperly, Ecological Resource Consultants, Inc., 100 Amar Place, Panama City Beach, FL. Phone:850.230.1882 Email: [email protected] RESTORATION PROGRESS AT THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA BEACHES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA, USA. Abstract – The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) is a 4,037 acre project located in a land Page 13 2:35 - 2:55 P.M. SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting Plenary Session Abstracts for Thursday, October 20 continued. scape of primarily industrial pine plantations that were planted in mesic flatwoods, wet prairie, baygall, and seepage wetlands. The airport construction required State and Federal authorizations and review for the National Environmental Policy Act and the Threatened and Endangered Species Act. As a consequence of agency review, a 9,609 acre ECP mitigation site was set up to offset impacts to wetlands for the airport construction and enhance and restore the ecological functions of wetlands and ecosystems in the mitigation site. Cultural landscape impacts include landscape scale industrial pine plantations, ditch construction, roads and fire suppression. Prescribed fire is the fundamental management tool being used to restore the structure and function to the native plant communities. Restoration activities focus on mechanical reduction of pine plantation canopy, hydrologic restoration and restoration of the groundcover through planting of wiregrass and longleaf pine, invasive exotic control and re-introduction of prescribed burning at the landscape scale. Quantitative and qualitative vegetative monitoring, landscape scale observations, and soil hydrology are measured on an annual basis. Monitoring for the past nine years has revealed ecological trends in the landscape and provided direction regarding adaptive management. Observation and measurement of plant life forms and species richness have proven to be two of the most important metrics of the plant community recovery. 2:55 - 3:15 P.M. Charles (Lynn) Coultas, Email:[email protected] A COMPARISON OF SOIL OF TWO AMER-INDIAN SITES IN FLORIDA Abstract – The soils of the Weeden Island mounds are compared and contrasted with soils of the Everglades mounds. Both soils have caprocks of predominately calcarious (petrocalcic) material. The Weeden Island mounds are of a much younger age—constructed within the last 1800 BP years.The mounds in the Everglades date from around 4000 BP. The petrocalcic horizon in the Weeden Island mounds are primarily composed of calcium carbonate and the mounds in the Everglades are composed of calcium carbonate and apatite. I hypothesize that the difference in the petrocalcic horizons is that the Everglades mounds contain bones while the Weeden Island mounds do not. I also believe the climate over this 2000 year ca. was much drier (evapo-transpiration exceeded rainfall) than at present. Connie Bersok, Regional Representative, Southeastern Chapter, Society for Ecological Restoration. Email: [email protected] INTRODUCING A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PRACTITIONERS Abstract – The Society for Ecological Restoration presents a new certification program for professionals in the field of ecological restoration. This certification is unique to this international and multi-disciplinary applied science and reflects the interest expressed by practitioners. Certification criteria include education, professional experience, references, knowledge of the foundations of the profession, and adherence to SER code of ethics. Grandfathering will be initially provided where accumulation of knowledge may be used in lieu of specific academic courses. The on-line application program is currently in beta-testing and will be rolled out for the first applicants by January, 2017. 3:15 - 3:35 P.M. Thank you for your interest in the Southeast Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration to join see www.ser.org Page 14 SESER 2016 Symposium and Membership Meeting We would like to thank the following sponsors:
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