Duette Preserve Stream and Habitat Restoration- A Conservation/ Agriculture Partnership for Manatee County, Florida
Ronnie Van Fleet
Kimley-Horn
Sarasota, FL
Alissa Powers
Manatee County Natural Resources
Bradenton, FL
The 21,000-acre Duette Preserve is located in the Manatee River headwaters in Manatee County in Southwest Florida. This conservation property owned by Manatee County is comprised of various tracts once used for agriculture and silviculture that has become a cohesive ecosystem of scrub, scrubby flatwoods, pine flatwoods, palmetto prairies, and various forested and herbaceous wetlands that are home to countless Florida native plants and wildlife. This property is importantly located in the Lake Manatee Watershed where a reservoir provides the public water supply for residents of Manatee County. An active farm that grows various row crops, mostly recently tomatoes, is located adjacent to the Preserve. Aggressive irrigation needs and stormwater drainage from the farm has had an effect on the Duette Preserve, and drainage ditches on the project site that have existed for since the 1970s conveying overflow of nutrient-dense irrigation to the Keen wetland. The ditches dominated by nuisance/exotic plants have been removed and a stream connection to a wetland was constructed so runoff is not aimed in a single direction and can flow more evenly across the land. Water quality is also improved by the introduction of treatment pools and additional planted vegetation that can help to absorb the nutrients so they do not impact wetlands. The design of the reconstructed area included removing and recontouring the previously existing agricultural ditches, adding deep treatment pools to collect sediment, planting upland and wetland vegetation, and implementing a constructed headwater stream. The stream included root wads, J-hook vanes, and other in-stream best management practices. Special provisions included removing invasive planting species, restoring very specific natural grades, preservation of good soils for desirable plant establishment, irrigation during the during dry season, and sharing the excess soil for the agricultural neighbor. These features aid in filtering out unwanted materials that have previously affected the forested wetland and restore more natural hydroperiods. They will have the added effect of enhancing the wildlife habitat of the countless species that call Duette Preserve their home.
About Ronnie Van Fleet
Ronnie Van Fleet, a Professional Wetland Scientist and Senior Project Manager with the Kimley-Horn consulting firm, works on water resource projects in Southwest and Central Florida. Ronnie was hired by Manatee County to provide design guidance and construction oversight for the Duette Preserve Restoration Project. Ronnie has been monitoring and restoring small and large wetland and upland ecosystems for over 30 years. His specialty is creating restoration designs and native planting schemes that are resilient, reduce long-term maintenance costs, and provide enhanced fish and wildlife habitat values and functions.
About Alissa Powers
Alissa Powers is a Professional Wetland Scientist and the Environmental Protection Division Manager for Manatee County, Florida. She is the County’s Project Manager for the Duette Preserve Restoration Project. With over 24 years of experience with Florida hydrologic restoration projects, Alissa has worked extensively with both tidally influenced and freshwater ecosystems. Her experience includes collaboration with private landowners, state and local agencies, nonprofit organizations, and grant-funding institutions to advance ecosystem restoration and water resource management. Through Alissa’s continued collaboration and partnership, she strives to address the evolving needs of Florida’s ecosystems, including the protection and restoration of critical resources such as headwater streams.