CSX Real Property contracted with Icarus for the assessment and Prospectus development for the Coastal Peace River Mitigation Bank (CPRMB) in DeSoto County, FL. Eight miles south of Arcadia, FL the CPRMB includes almost a mile of shoreline and floodplain along the Peace River. One of the important features of the proposed CPRMB is the likely movement of species and use of the wetland habitat along the river which links other conservation areas. Analysis of these adjacent tracts by the FWC Panther Team Leader indicated the area is strategically located between the Carlton Reserve/Myakka state Park properties, Babcock/Webb WMA and Babcock Ranch Preserve which are very important areas for recovery of the endangered Florida Panther. Improving linkages along the river is a critical component of the Bank design.
The mitigation plan for the CPRMB developed by Icarus included conveying a conservation easement to the SWFWMD, restricting access, eradicating high densities of nuisance/exotic species, replacing the upland orange groves with longleaf pine and funding a management plan in perpetuity. The mitigation plan created by Icarus would supplement the ARC report identification of the parcel as an A-1 addition to the Peaceful Horse Ranch corridor without the need for taxpayer funds to acquire it. It would also expand and connect the beneficial ecological footprint of the targeted conservation corridor and satisfy the goals of the 2007 Peace River Basin Resource Management Plan.