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Gopher Tortoise Relocation

Recipient Sites

The gopher tortoise has been deemed “warranted but precluded” for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act, and is listed as a Threatened Species in the state of Florida. In 2007, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) implemented a rule eliminating the “take” of gopher tortoises. Gopher tortoises in the path of development must now be relocated to a permitted recipient site.

Recipient sites prevent the loss of tortoises on development sites, help retain the local or regional tortoise resource, and aid to habitat preservation.

 

Sites Currently Available:

  • Fort Atkinson Ranch Long Term Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site

    • ​Lafayette County, FL

    • 1,326 Spaces Permitted

Image by Dawn McDonald
  • GIS DATABASE SERVICES
    We can provide you with all your project’s mitigation banking options by plotting its location in our statewide database.
  • PERMITTING SUPPORT
    We can help support your state and/or federal permitting efforts if you are proposing mitigation bank credits as part of your mitigation plan.
  • EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS
    We provide timely workshops on wetland mitigation and mitigation banking issues of concern.
  • EXPERIENCED TEAM
    Alex and Brody provide quick turnaround for project specific information and administrative services are provided with utmost professionalism.
  • CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT
    Mitigation Marketing can arrange for cumulative impact assessments for out of basin impacts on specific projects, on an as needed basis. This ensures that the project will be approved by the state and/or federal agencies. We provide simple and complete mitigation solutions for compensatory impacts.
  • OUR SERVICES FOR MITIGATION BANKS INCLUDE
    ✔ Market Analysis Services to Support Due Diligence for New Potential Mitigation Banks ✔ State-Wide Exposure for Your Project to Potential Users ✔ Targeted Distribution of Information Regarding the Mitigation Bank ✔ All Administrative Work for the Mitigation Bank ✔ Marketing and Management Services for the Mitigation Bank ✔ Permitting Support for each project ✔ Develop a customized Marketing Plan for each specific bank
  • SAVE TIME
    A developer using a mitigation bank will have reduced permitting time. The permitting practice is a more streamlined process since mitigation banks are already constructed and functioning. These banks are approved by local, state, and federal agencies adding to the quick permit turnaround.
  • SAVE MONEY
    Wetland impacts must be offset by property onsite or often by purchasing additional land to construct functioning mitigation on. The cost increases with the additional burden of permitting, construction, monitoring, and maintenance activities. Mitigation through a bank requires a one time fee for the mitigation credits and the additional burden and hidden costs are avoided.
  • AVOID RISK
    The developer that implements its own mitigation often finds its mitigation failing and must spend unexpected money to restore the wetland. The purchase of credits from a mitigation bank legally transfers all risk to the mitigation banker. Credits are only released to the banker once success criteria have been met on the bank to avoid failed mitigation.
  • MAXIMIZE SPACE
    On site mitigation often becomes a burden on development sites, causing a development to be planned around the mitigation. Buying credits from a mitigation bank allows the developer to maximize his usable land and put that space to its highest and best use.
  • ECONOMIES OF SCALE
    Establishment of a mitigation bank brings together financial resources, biological, planning and scientific expertise. Consolidating these resources increase the potential for long-term successful mitigation that maximizes contribution to the environment.
  • INTEGRITY
    A large scale mitigation bank project has the opportunity to maintain the integrity of the aquatic ecosystem. The complexity of a wetland is difficult to encompass in a small development project. The larger mitigation bank has a better chance of encompassing all necessary biological functions.

By adhering to these guidelines and processes, developers and recipient site owners can contribute to the conservation of the gopher tortoise while complying with state regulations.

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