Assessment of Wetland Creation Areas in Northeast Florida

In Florida, wetlands are often created from upland areas to offset natural wetland impacts that are incurred during the development of projects such as roads, shopping centers, or subdivisions. There has been some debate in Florida over whether or not wetland creation has been successful and if it should continue to be used in the permitting process to mitigate for wetland impacts. Over the past four years the St. Johns River Water Management District conducted an assessment of over two hundred wetland creation areas permitted in northeast (Duval County) Florida. This assessment consisted of planting survival, evidence of normal growth, percent coverage by appropriate species, hydrology, overall success criteria, and the degree of compliance with permit conditions. This paper will present the criteria and evaluation methods, findings of this assessment, and recommendations for improving the success of wetland creation.