RES, a national leader in ecological restoration, water resource, and resiliency solutions, announced it has acquired the Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank in South Florida. Adding this broad-based ecological resource to RES’ stewardship is part of the company’s unwavering commitment to bolstering the state’s ecological resilience and expanding its suite of services.
Designed, restored, and managed at an ecosystem or landscape level, Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank is one of Florida’s most ecologically diverse banks, with a 2,695-acre ecosystem featuring 21 native plant communities. Sitting astride a “South Florida continental divide,” approximately 60 percent of the bank is part of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem/Watershed, while the remainder of the bank site is part of the St. Lucie River-Eastern Flatwoods/Indian River Lagoon Ecosystem/Watershed.
Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank received approval from the South Florida Water Management District for a 2.1 million-acre expansion of their Mitigation Service Area (MSA), now 2.8 million acres. The Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank MSA encompasses portions of St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Okeechobee, Glades, Indian River, and Hendry counties.
Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank credits may be used to mitigate impacts to a broad range of indigenous native community types within the expanded MSA, including any ecotones and community sub-types or variations associated with these community types.
“The Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank offers a rich inventory of freshwater forested and herbaceous wetland credits, said Desmond Duke, the Client Solutions Manager at RES,“I’m excited RES will continue to provide a viable mitigation solution to meet permit mandates concerning impacts to both state and federal wetland areas, including mitigation efforts for listed species such as the wood stork, caracara, and other species, approached on a case-by-case basis.”
The Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank is strategically positioned to maintain its status as a leading wetland mitigation bank in Southeast Florida. The size and location of Bluefield Ranch Mitigation Bank provides fundamental ecological benefits to the region and allows this premier wetland restoration project to generate a large supply of wetland credits, which are made available to clients at competitive market rates.
RES’ team of Florida-based ecologists and scientists will assume full responsibility for the long-term adaptive management of this important resource.
