PLACEMENT: Requests and Presentations
TITLE:
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PAL MAR INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
The purpose of this informational presentation is to provide a basic overview of the Pal Mar area. The presentation will discuss the environmental value, history and unique challenges that are facing Pal Mar. Over the next year County staff will be bringing forward a series of Board items focused on different aspects of the preservation and management of Pal Mar.
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DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PREPARED BY: Name: Michael Yustin
Title: Ecosystems Restoration and Management Project Manager
REQUESTED BY: Commissioner Jenkins
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
Pal Mar is a roughly 33,000-acre undeveloped area that straddles the border between Palm Beach and Martin County. The area is a mosaic of wetland dominated habitats including cypress sloughs, open marshes and hydric pine flatwoods. Due to a lack of development, Pal Mar has some of the highest quality wetland systems in Martin County and possibly even the greater Everglades system. Pal Mar is also part of a very large Greenway system that extends all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Okeechobee. A portion of Pal Mar is also within the headwaters to Cypress Creek, which is one of the most important tributaries to the Wild and Scenic Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River.
Due to its environmental significance, Martin County has spent the last 50+ years working to preserve and protect Pal Mar. Early efforts included successfully blocking a large planned development called the Rotunda. More recent efforts have focused on acquiring land within the area. By working with State partners and utilizing funds generated from previous voter approved tax referendums, over 23,000-acres of Pal Mar have been acquired. Most of the land acquired is now managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as the John C. and Maria...
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