Overview
Improvement of water quality in Lake Hancock and ultimately the Peace River was the motivation for purchase of the Circle B Bar, a 1,300-acre former cattle ranch, along Lake Hankcock’s shoreline. An ambitious ecological restoration plan, including conceptual planning, landscape design, and installation, was undertaken by Water & Air’s landscape architects and ecologists on a portion of the site during the summer of 2003.
Task Summary
- Created an approved Conceptual Plan in less than a month.
- Designed landscape features which included elimination of bahiagrass cover through aerial and land application of herbicides, installation of large highway fronting beds of native species to buffer site, enhancement of existing degraded herbaceous wetlands, and restoration of oak-pine sandhill, pine flatwoods, forested wetlands, and oak hammocks.
- Installed 400,000 plants including more than 50 species of trees, shrubs, groundcover, and grasses.
- Mulched beds with pine bark to minimize irrigation in selected areas.
Results
Approximately 135 acres (more than planned) of uplands and wetlands on Circle B Bar were restored to improve the health of the watershed. In addition to water quality improvement, other long-term benefits of the restoration include wildlife enhancement, increased opportunities for recreational use of the site, and greater public awareness through environmental education activities.
