BALD EAGLE MANAGEMENT PLAN LENNAR COMMUNITIES …

G:\05467\0004\b70_permitting\coe_feds\baldeagle_plan.doc 21 December 2006

BALD EAGLE MANAGEMENT PLAN

LENNAR COMMUNITIES EPPERSON RANCH

NEST PS-022, PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA

Prepared for:

Ms. Heather Middleton Lennar Communities, North Florida Division

600 North Westshore Boulevard Suite 400

Tampa, FL 33609

Prepared by:

___________________________________ ___________________________________ Lee M. Walton J. Steve Godley Senior Ecologist President

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1.0 INTRODUCTION Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nest PS-022 is located on the Epperson Ranch in Pasco County, Florida (Sections 22, 23, 26-28, 33-35, Township 25S, Range 20E, Figure 1). This proposed development (Approved DRI 258) is located 2 miles south of S.R. 52, 2 miles north of S.R. 54 and 1.5 miles east of Interstate 75 (Figure 2). The entire ranch encompasses 1,752 +/-acres. According to the Pasco County Soil Survey (US Department of Agricultural Soil Conservation Service, 1989), 18 soil types occur on the property (Figure 3). In their undisturbed state, the soils found on site range from poorly drained soils, typical of mesic and wetland habitats, to well drained soils found in xeric habitats. Sellers mucky loamy fine sand is the dominant wetland soil, while the upland soils are dominated by Pomona and Newnan fine sands as well as Palmetto-Zephyr-Sellers complex (Figure 3). The habitats on-site (Figure 4) have been assigned a land use code based on the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCFCS: Florida Department of Transportation, 1999, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) GIS database). The majority of the tract is comprised of cropland and pastureland, citrus groves and King Lake. Jurisdictional wetlands on the site have been reviewed and approved by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). The eagle nest is located in a ±60 ft longleaf pine (Pinus plaustris). The nest tree is in an area of wooded pasture near the ranch residence. The nest was discovered by Epperson Ranch in 2004 during the wildlife surveys associated with the DRI process. The nest was active during the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 nesting seasons. The Applicant proposes to construct a 3,904 unit residential development with associated roads, sidewalks and stormwater ponds on the site. Project plans call for the construction of a total of 27 residential units, an internal road and stormwater pond within 660 feet of PS-022. 2.0 BALD EAGLE MANAGEMENT PLAN Lennar Communities have an approved DRI for the activity proposed by this applicant (Figure 5). Based on the known tolerance of bald eagles to human activity in the secondary protection zone (Nesbitt et al. 1993), we are proposing the following management plan which meets the requirements of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, the Habitat Management Guidelines for the Bald Eagle in the Southeast Region (USFWS 1987), and the Bald Eagle Monitoring Guidelines (USFWS 2006).

2.1 Primary Protection Zone

The Primary Protection Zone for Epperson Ranch shall extend from the eagle nest (PS-022) to 660 feet from the nest tree (Figure 5). All site clearing and infrastructure construction within 660 feet of the nest tree will occur in the non-nesting season. In the event that infrastructure construction for any residential home within 660 feet of the nest tree cannot be completed during the non-nesting season, the Applicant will follow the September 2006 Bald Eagle Monitoring Guidelines or any more current version of these monitoring guidelines. The effects of the development of the Epperson Ranch project on the bald eagle pair and their young may occur as both direct and indirect effects. As such, the applicant has designed certain features of

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the project to minimize the effects on bald eagles by adjusting the homes and stormwater ponds to leave an open flyway between the nest tree and King Lake, where most foraging by the eagle pair is believed to occur. The stormwater pond will be constructed between King Lake and the nest tree at a distance no closer than ±260 feet from the nest. All residential units and the roadway will be a minimum of 420 feet from the nest tree. A 9.0-acre buffer zone including the nest tree will be maintained and undeveloped so long as PS-022 is not declared lost or abandoned. All trees and vegetation within this buffer zone will remain intact. A fence will be constructed and maintained around the perimeter of the buffer zone with signage at 200-foot intervals stating “BALD EAGLE NEST PROTECTION ZONE. NO TRESPASSING DURING THE NESTING SEASON (1 OCTOBER – 15 MAY). CONTACT BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES FOR INFORMATION (813-664-4500).” 2.2 Nesting Season and Monitoring

The bald eagle nesting season generally is defined as 1 October - 14 May of each year. To further define the nesting season for this bald eagle nest, the applicant may contract with a qualified environmental consultant (QEC) to monitor the nesting activities of this pair of birds during work. All nest monitoring will be in accordance with the Bald Eagle Monitoring Guidelines (USFWS 2005). The QEC will monitor the nest to determine when the adults have returned to the territory in the fall and initiated nesting activity. The observed start of the nesting activity (e.g. courtship and nest building) will mark the beginning of the nesting season. The end of the nesting season may be shortened in the spring if the QEC indicates that: 1) the eaglets of that year have fledged and are capable of independent flight or 2) the nest fails and no chicks are produced. Either event shall mark the end of the nesting season and the initiation of mining activities in the Primary and Secondary Protection Zones as defined above.

3.0 Conservation Measures

The applicant has agreed to contribute $35,000 to augment funds available to FWC for the purpose of undertaking more aerial reconnaissance to find and monitor new bald eagle nests in west central Florida, including Pasco County, to provide a greater long-term conservation benefit to bald eagles and their habitat within the designated action area. These funds are to be transferred to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida – Bald Eagle Conservation Fund (Fund) to the address below within 10 business days of issuance of the Corps permit. The applicant shall also notify by email or hardcopy the Service’s Project Officer for the Fund ([email protected]) of this contribution by sending a copy of the deposit form and check to document the transfer of payment to the Fund/FWC.

4.0 Literature Cited

Nesbitt, S.A, M.J. Folk, and D.A. Wood. 1993. Effectiveness of bald eagle habitat protection guidelines on Florida. Proc. Annual Conf. SEAFWA. Pp. 333-338.

USFWS. 1987. Habitat management guidelines for the bald eagle in the southeast region.

USFWS. 2005. Bald eagle monitoring guidelines for the southeast region.

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This map and all data contained within are supplied as is with nowarranty. Biological Research Associates expressly disclaimsresponsibility for damages or liability from any claims that may ariseout of the use or misuse of this map. It is the sole responsibility of theuser to determine if the data on this map meets the user’s needs.This map was not created as survey data, nor should it be used assuch. It is the user’s responsibility to obtain proper survey data,prepared by a licensed surveyor, where required by law.

Figure 1Location Map

Epperson Ranch Pasco County, Florida

3910 US Highway 301 NSuite 180

Tampa, Florida 33619ph 813-664-4500 fx 813-664-0440

www.biologicalresearch.com

Biological Research Associates

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Figure 2Quad Map






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Figure 3NRCS Soils MapEpperson Ranch

Pasco County, Florida





Project Boundary - 1752.4 ac. +\-002 - POMONA FINE SAND (526.6 ac. +/-)007 - SPARR FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (29 ac. +/-)008 - SELLERS MUCKY LOAMY FINE SAND (27.8 ac. +/-)011 - ADAMSVILLE FINE SAND (3.1 ac. +/-)016 - ZEPHYR MUCK (2.1 ac. +/-)018 - ELECTRA VARIANT FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (12 ac. +/-)

023 - BASINGER FINE SAND; DEPRESSIONAL (34.2 ac. +/-)038 - URBAN LAND (13.4 ac. +/-)045 - KENDRICK FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (68.4 ac. +/-)046 - CASSIA FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (61.2 ac. +/-)048 - LOCHLOOSA FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (110.9 ac. +/-)053 - SPARR FINE SAND; 5 TO 8 PERCENT SLOPES (3.7 ac. +/-)059 - NEWNAN FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (291.5 ac. +/-)

060 - PALMETTO-ZEPHYR-SELLERS COMPLEX (282.9 ac. +/-)064 - NOBLETON FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (35.5 ac. +/-)067 - KANAPAHA FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (4.2 ac. +/-)069 - MILLHOPPER FINE SAND; 0 TO 5 PERCENT SLOPES (41 ac. +/-)073 - ZOLFO FINE SAND (2.2 ac. +/-)099 - (202.8 ac. +/-)

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Figure 4Land Use Map






Project Boundary - 1752.4 ac. +\-210 - Cropland and pastureland - 575.9 ac. +\-221 - Citrus Groves - 521.5 ac. +\-224 - Abandoned Groves - 54.0 ac. +\-320 - Shrub and brushland - 0.3 ac. +\-

434 - Mixed coniferous hardwood - 0.5 ac. +\-443 - Forest regeneration areas - 1.8 ac. +\-510 - Streams and waterways - 44.1 ac. +\-520 - Lakes - 403.0 ac. +\-610 - Wetland hardwood forests - 38.4 ac. +\-

621 - Cypress - 66.2 ac. +\-630 - Wetland forested mixed - 0.4 ac. +\-641 - Freshwater marshes - 34.3 ac. +\-643 - Wet Prairies - 9.8 ac. +\-

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Figure 5Eagle Nest Protection Zone

Epperson RanchPasco County, Florida





Project Boundary - 1752.4 ac. +\-660' Primary Protection ZoneEagle Nest PS022Site Plan

BALD EAGLE MANAGEMENT PLAN LENNAR COMMUNITIES …

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