INITIAL REVIEW CHECKLIST:
POTENTIAL MITIGATION BANK IN JACKSON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
(QDC PROPERTIES)
Prepared for
WETLANDS SOLUTIONS, LLC.
14231 SEAWAY ROAD, SUITE 7007
GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI 39503
Prepared by
BARRY A. VITTOR & ASSOCIATES, INC.
8060 COTTAGE HILL ROAD
MOBILE, ALABAMA 36695
August 21, 2007
Overview
Wetlands Solutions LLC (WS) is investigating the option of expanding their wetland
mitigation banking effort in Jackson County, Mississippi. The property that WS is
considering is located just west of their currently active Wetlands Solutions Mitigation
Bank (WSMB) in Hurley, MS. Specifically, the new site is located in Sections 6 and 7,
Township 5 South, Range 5 West in Jackson County, Mississippi approximately 2 miles
southwest of the intersection of County Road 614 and County Road 613.
The property is approximately 237 acres in size. A brief field survey conducted on July
18, 2007 by Barry A. Vittor & Associates, Inc. field biologists suggests that the property
is roughly 90 percent wetland (213 wetland acres), with the majority of uplands occurring
in the northern half of the site along Cameron Lane. No streams flow through the site.
Current Ecological Conditions
The property currently supports several vegetative community types. Upland vegetation
is fairly uniform throughout the site and consists of live oak (Quercus virginiana), and
water oak (Quercus nigra) in the canopy. The upland midstory contains Common
persimmon (Dyospyros virginiana), yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), sweetleaf (Symplocos
tinctoria), and various Vaccinium species. Understory vegetation in the uplands consists
of gallberry (Ilex coriacea), brachen fern (Pteridium aquilinum), young oaks, and various
grasses and sedges.
There are roughly 3 wetland community types on the property. The most common type
could be described as fire-suppressed wet pine savannah (Type 1). This wetland
community is dominated by 3-6 foot tall gallberry (Ilex) species, buckwheat tree
(Cliftonia monophylla), with a variable (2%-40%) canopy cover of slash pine (Pinus
elliottii). Groundcover diversity is relatively low in this community type due to fire
suppression and the dense shrub cover.
The second most common wetland habitat type on the property (Type 2) is characterized
by a dense canopy of slash pine (Pinus elliottii), and pond cypress (Taxodium distichum
var. ascendens), and scattered tupelo gum (Nyssa biflora). The habitat is seen mostly in
the north-central region of the property and shows up on the aerial photograph as a dark,
heavily wooded signature. Soils are saturated with areas of standing water. Understory
species consist of grasses and sedges with scattered pitcher plants (Sarracenia spp.).
The final prominent wetland habitat type on the property (Type 3) is characterized by
relatively high-quality wet pine savannah with very little canopy cover, very little shrub
cover, and dense herbaceous vegetation. This habitat type falls along the western
property boundary in the center of the site. Diversity in the herbaceous layer has suffered
due to fire suppression, but the current species composition is desirable with little or no
exotic species present.
Target Community Type
The goal of all mitigation banking activities on the site would be establishment of a target
community type that would match the historic, fire maintained, vegetative community.
Characteristics of this community would be a very sparse canopy coverage (<5%) of
slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and pond cypress (Taxodium distichum var. ascendens), a very
sparse shrub and mid-story coverage of Ilex species and Cliftonia monophylla, and a
diverse herbaceous layer dominated by appropriate Rhynchospora, Sarracenia, Carex,
Xyris, Panicum and other local wet pine savannah species.
Current Land Use
The property is currently comprised of undeveloped, unmanaged forestland and wet pine
savannah. The hydrology of the site has, and should continue to, prevent its use for
residential or commercial development. All land to the northeast and east of the site is
currently being managed for mitigation banking, while land to the south and west of the
site remains undeveloped due to its saturated hydrology. Land to the northwest of the site
is currently occupied by the Broken Arrow subdivision. If bank activities are not
implemented on the site and surrounding areas, chances of development would be low
due to the wet nature of the properties. The narrow upland bordering Cameron Lane in
the northern area of the site has limited potential for development.
Mitigation Approach
Mitigation within the potential bank acreage would be achieved through re-establishment
of a consistent fire regime and removal of select pine and cypress trees within Type 1 and
Type 3 wetlands. Uplands (approx 24 acres) and Type 2 wetlands (approx 59 acres)
would not be included within the managed acreage of the bank. Type 2 wetlands would
not have burned historically and shouldn’t be managed through prescribed fire as wet
pine savannah. Within the 237-acre property, approximately 127 wetland acres (56%)
would be restored within the Type 1 wetlands, and approximately 27 acres would be
enhanced in Type 3 wetlands (11%) if the property was approved as a mitigation bank.
Total managed acres would equal 154, and the percentage of restoration to enhancement
would be approximately 82/18.
With and Without Banking Scenarios
Without the implementation of a permanent burn management plan, the site could
continue to shift towards a scrub-shrub dominated wetland ecosystem, and away from the
historic, fire-maintained, herbaceous dominated system. The difference between these
systems could be quantified by comparing current conditions on the subject property with
those found in the fire-maintained ecosystems present within the mitigation banks on the
west side of Cameron Lane. The initial site visit revealed no special biological resources,
including threatened or endangered species or their critical habitats.
The increased ecological value achieved by maintaining the subject property with
prescribed fire would likely have little effect on water quality in the regional watershed.
The site is currently stable and the extremely flat topography of the area would suggest
that erosion would be unlikely regardless of land-use. However, wildlife habitat would
increase significantly on the property if it were managed as described in previous
paragraphs.
No known public projects are planned for lands bordering Cameron Lane due to a lack of
suitable soils for construction. It is feasible that Cameron Lane, which is currently a dirt
road, may one day be paved, but that scenario would have no negative impact on adjacent
lands.
Historic Resources
The potential for archaeological sites within the property boundary is very low due to
lack of well-drained uplands and the fact that the site is more than 1000 yards from the
nearest consistent fresh water supply (Black Creek). There is marginal potential for
prehistoric sites on the property, but a Phase I survey would need to be completed before
any determination could be made.
Property Details
Mitigation Service Area