This study identifies and summarizes 35 wetland reclamation projects in the Florida phosphate industry. In Spring 1983, 20 of these projects were completed, 10 were in various stages of construction and plans had been completed for 5 others. Information provided for each project site includes its size, location, goal of the project, revegetation methods, plant survival, monitoring studies; and techniques that failed or that were particularly successful. Many of the wetland projects lacked quantitative monitoring and the success of several techniques are not well documented. One successful technique that was frequently used was spreading a layer of organic soil borrowed from another wetland to encourage the establishment of wetland vegetation.
This study also summarizes the opinions of personnel from the phosphate industry, government agencies, universities and interested citizen groups about wetland reclamation efforts to date. These opinions include comments about existing projects, suggested criteria for judging the success of wetland reclamation projects and recommendations for long term monitoring.
The project descriptions and opinions were obtained through 51 questionnaires that were mailed to individuals or organizations which were interested in or working on wetland reclamation projects in the Florida phosphate industry. The majority of the projects were also inspected in the field.
K.J.Ruesch, Dames & Moore. May 1983.