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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today marked the resumption of an important
habitat restoration project at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park near Destin, FL
funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The project, which
was temporarily delayed by the response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico,
is a joint effort with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP)
Division of Recreation and Parks and Three Rivers Resource Conservation and
Development Council.
“The continuation of the Topsail Hill Preserve project is creating environmental
and economic benefits for Florida’s Gulf Coast region,” said Acting Fish and
Wildlife Service Director Rowan Gould. “This Recovery Act project is part of a
long-range plan to restore Topsail Hill Preserve State Park to its natural
state, restore the proper flow of water, and encourage plants and animals to
return and flourish,” said Gould. “Our partnerships with multiple agencies on
projects such as this are helping the Service to make a tremendous difference in
the health of local communities across the nation, while making important
contributions to the future of America’s wildlife and wild places.”
Located in Santa Rosa Beach, 10 miles east of Destin, Topsail Hill Preserve
State Park encompasses 14 different natural communities, including wet prairie,
scrub, beach dune and rare coastal dune lake habitat. It is also part of the
dwindling habitat of the endangered Choctawhatchee beach mouse and endangered
flatwoods salamander. The restoration work funded by ARRA will help reestablish
the flow of surface and subsurface water, which is essential to the health of
both upland and wetland natural communities within the Preserve. “Restoration of
the natural surface hydrology is essential to enhancing the wetlands and uplands
in the watershed of two rare coastal dune lakes at Topsail Hill Preserve State
Park,” said DEP Deputy Secretary Bob Ballard. “This state park provides a direct
economic impact of more than $7 million to the local community. This project
will further enhance the valuable natural resources at Topsail Hill that attract
Florida residents and visitors to the Santa Rosa Beach area.”
In 2009, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $400,000 in ARRA funding to the Three Rivers
Resource Conservation and Development Council of Milton, FL., to restore and
enhance portions of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. Three Rivers, in turn,
awarded a contract to Middle Creek Contracting Co., a small construction company
based in nearby Defuniak Springs, FL.
The project began in the summer of 2010,
but was abruptly halted a short time later when Incident Command teams
responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill needed to use Topsail Hill Road as
an access road for beach clean-up and assessment teams. The project was on hold
for several weeks and recently resumed.
“The Three Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council is pleased to be participating in this ARRA-funded
project that will help restore habitat at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park,”
said Travis Davis, project leader for the Council. “This project greatly
contributes to -more- our mission of conserving the natural resources and
improving the economic condition of citizens in Northwest Florida.”
For a full
list of ARRA funded projects nationwide, go to the Department of the Interior’s
Recovery Web Site at http://recovery.doi.gov/. Secretary of
the Interior Ken Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and
accountability in the implementation of the Department’s economic recovery
projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on the
recovery web site, which will include an interactive map that enables the public
to track where and how the Department’s recovery dollars are being spent. In
addition, the public can submit questions, comments or concerns at
recoveryact@fws.gov.
The
mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to
conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the
continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted
partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence,
stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and
commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people
who make it happen visit www.fws.gov.
Created in 1935 by the Florida Legislature, the Florida State
Park system has grown from eight to 160 parks in the last 75 years. Today, the
Florida Park Service manages more than 700,000 acres of Florida’s natural
environment, including 100 miles of beaches, eight National Historic Landmarks
and 39 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Florida State Parks
has been recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association as the
nation’s first and only two-time Gold Medal winner for the nation’s best park
service. For more information about Florida’s state parks, visit
www.FloridaStateParks.org. |
2012 State of Florida