Stillwater Environmental, Inc. designed, permitted, and constructed a wetland mitigation restoration project at ChampionsGate resort in ChampionsGate, FL.  Permits were received from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the South Florida Water Management District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Downtown ChampionsGate project in Polk and Osceola counties.  

To compensate for the 0.24 acres of temporary impact to non-isolated wetlands, 0.24 acres of forested wetlands were restored.  The temporary impact was the result of the installation of a stormwater pipe connecting a newly constructed stormwater pond to a pre-existing stormwater pond. The initial tree planting was started and completed in April of 2016. Subsequent herbaceous planting was completed in September of 2016. Approximately 170 bald cypress and red maple were planted in wetland restoration area. Over 600 sand cordgrass, spikerush, and Fakahatchee grass were planted as well.

Monthly maintenance of the restoration area is on-going as well as semi-annual monitoring. An annual monitoring report is prepared for the permitting agencies in each Spring for three years. To date, all plant material has become well established and is evolving into a viable wetland system re-establishing that portion of the wetland which existed prior to the temporary impact.