Yellow River Ranch (ILF)

Yellow River Ranch Mitigation Area (ILF Project) / Pensacola Bay System Watershed / Santa Rosa County / Legacy ID – UWRMP 5.2.1

In December, 2005, the NWFWMD acquired the 275-acre Yellow River Ranch parcel as mitigation for current and future FDOT wetland impacts.  Approximately 153.5 acres are intact forested wetlands (bottomland and cypress/tupelo floodplain wetlands). The remaining 121.5 acres consist of former forested wetlands that have been converted to pasture (i.e., the complete eradication of canopy trees, understory and natural groundcover vegetation, severe hydrologic alteration from ditching and the creation of a earthen dike, the establishment of exotic pasture grasses, and ongoing cattle grazing operations).  Functional wetland lift will be derived from 1) acquisition and perpetual preservation of the mitigation property, 2) cessation of cattle grazing, 3) filling in or blocking of drainage ditches, 4) breaching of the dike that impairs hydrologic connection with the Yellow River floodplain, 5) eradication of non-native pasture grasses, 6) revegetation with bottomland hardwood forest and hydric pine flatwood species, 7) establishment, where appropriate, of growing-season fire regime, and 8) long-term management including control of nuisance and exotic species.  For portions of the site to be restored as bottomland hardwood forest, vegetation to be planted may include a mixture of Atlantic white cedar, possum haw, black gum, laurel oak, cypress and American elm.  Areas that are to be restored as hydric pine flatwoods may be planted with a mixture of slash pine, cypress, myrtle leaf holly, wiregrass and other hydric flatwood species.  Generally, areas at the Yellow River Ranch with Bibb-Kinston Association soils will be restored as bottomland hardwood forest, whereas areas of Mulat Loamy Fine Sand soils will be restored as hydric pine flatwoods.

YRR Hydrologic Study

YRR Revised Restoration Plan (4/2011)

YRR Restoration Plan (10/2007)

YRR USACE JD Form