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A COMPARISON OF BAY SWAMP RECLAMATION TECHNIQUES
IN FLORIDA PHOSPHATE MINES
Gaines III, F.F., M.C. Cotter, D.A. Phares, C.J. Frey, and A.M. Reed.
IMC-Agrico Company, P.O. Box 2000, Mulberry, Florida 33860-1 100
ABSTRACT
Bay swamps are found throughout Florida. However, agencies are reluctant
to approve
impacts to these wetlands until wetland reclamation and creation techniques
have
substantiated that these forested wetland systems can be re-created. Agencies
concerns seem
to be centered around the time lag between impact and successful reclamation
of a functioning
forested bay swamp system including a mature vegetative structure, adequate
hydrology and
wildlife habitat. IMC-Agrico has completed construction of several bay swamp
reclamation
projects on its central Florida reclaimed lands. These projects have utilized
a variety of
techniques, including the planting of bay trees and other hardwoods in designed
wetlands
constructed on sand tailings or overburden cap, or planting with a mulched
muck layer on
sand tailings or overburden cap. A third technique includes bay tree stump
and tree transfer
with supplemental bay tree plantings in a designed wetland constructed with
a mulched muck
layer on sand tailings. Site preparation and material utilized in these projects
have been
observed to be as important as manipulation of hydrology during the establishment
phase and
proper prediction of the post reclamation hydrology. Preliminary monitoring
results suggest
that these systems can be reclaimed. Continued research will suggest the
efficacy of the
techniques utilized, and perhaps suggest additional techniques to be used
in the future.
INTRODUCTION
Bay swamps are found throughout Florida. The acreage tabulation of bay swamps
in Florida,
however, depends upon the bay swamp definition utilized, and further upon
the method
utilized to determine aerial extent. Various definitions for bay swamps exist
depending on the
reasons for defining such a system, (e.g., for regulatory classification
or to define mitigation
success). One published definition of a bay swamp is:
"a hydric community along first order streams where acidic detritus
aggrades and is not
scoured. A headwater forest characterized by presence of evergreen hardwoods
[sweet
bay (Magnolia virginiana), swamp bay (Perseapalustri), and loblolly bay (Gordonia
lasianthus)], which grow intermixed with deciduous hardwood taxa" (Clewell
1990).
Although the above is generally accepted for areas called bayheads, a more
appropriate
definition may also include: "forests where evergreen hardwoods predominate
and Nyssa
biflora (black gum) is the only important deciduous hardwood" (Clewell
1990). A more
general definition has been provided by Monk (1965), who defined bayheads
as forests that
are dominated by broad-leaved evergreen trees growing on soils high in organic
matter and
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