BANKS

The Fisheating Creek Mitigation Bank is a 73-acre conservation area established to provide compensatory mitigation for wetland impacts located in the Fisheating Creek and Kissimmee Ridge basins. The Bank consists of wet prairies and upland scrub habitats within the confines of the Lake Wales Ridge which is a major geomorphological feature of central peninsular Florida.

The Bank has been degraded by ditching and draining, cattle grazing, clearing for pasture areas, exotic species invasion, and prolonged fire suppression that resulted in significantly degraded wetland and upland habitats. The restoration of the Bank consisted of backfilling of ditches and cattle ponds, creation of new wetlands, pine and oak scrub thinning, exotic species eradication, supplemental planting, and reintroduction of prescribed fire to restore all of the wetland and upland habitats to their optimal condition.

The Fisheating Creek Mitigation will have freshwater herbaceous credits available approved by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).