FWC AHRES and How It Works Citrus County Waterways Task Force

September 9, 2013

What is AHRES?

• FWC’s sub-section for funding habitat

enhancement/restoration projects

• Funding

– Doc stamps

– Projects <$10,000 to several hundred

thousand dollars

– Agency/entity contributing financially goes

a long way to determining which projects

get funded.

“The mission of this section is to

manage, enhance and preserve aquatic

habitat in Florida for the benefit of

wildlife, aquatic life and the people of

Florida”.

Guiding Principles

• Project Must Occur on Public Lands (Sovereign

Waters) or on Lands With Guaranteed Public Access

• Project Site Must Be “Wet” and Freshwater or

Brackish Interface

• Project Must Be For Aquatic Habitat Improvement

and Not Access Directed

Project Development

• Take Note Of Aquatic Habitat Issues/Needs During

Sampling

• Talk To Other State Environmental Agencies – WMD,

State Parks, Counties, Cities, IPM Staff

• Visit New Waters

• Be Aware That These Projects Take A lot Of Time To

Successfully Complete – May Have To Rearrange

Priorities

Tsala Apopka Working Group

• Freshwater Fisheries Management, Chair—Allen Martin, Dale Jones

• Aquatic Habitat Restoration/Enhancement—Ken Denson, et al.

• Invasive Plant Management—Terry Sullivan

• Species Conservation Planning—Terry Doonan, Clint Smith

• Wildlife and Habitat Management—Shane Walker

• Game Species Management—Dwayne Carbonneau

Required Information

• Significance of the Resource

• Need for the Project

• Proposed Activities

• Project Objectives

• Monitoring and Evaluation

• Impacts to Fish and Wildlife

• Expected Benefits

• Project Timeline

• Budget

http://portal.fwc.state.fl.us/DOI/Divisions/HSC/AHRE/FY1314%20AHRE%20Funding%20Application/Forms/AllItems.aspx

How To Submit A Project

Timeline

•July 1

•email sent out to agency

• November 1

•applications due

• December

•review of submitted apps

• December

•apps sent back to applicant

• January

•apps sent to Standing Team for

review and ranking

• February

•Standing Team discuss and post rank

• March 1

•Review by Tallahassee Staff

•Mid March

•Workplan developed by Deanna and

Bill

Application Deadlines

AHRE Standing Team •Charter, complete with mission statement, goals, project deliverables.

•Team members consist of biologists who serve as subject matter experts

representing various fish and wildlife focal taxa groups.

•Prioritize a list of AHRE project proposals for funding consideration and

advocate development of project proposal.

AHRE Administrative Review

• AHRE administrators review projects for clarity and completeness

•Return projects to applicants for edits

What Makes A Great Project? • Significant Impact to a Valuable Resource

• Has a Positive Impact to Multiple Species

• Large Positive Impact to a Single T/E Species (e.g. Okaloosa Darter)

• Minimized negative impacts to non-target species

• Has Significant “Bang for the Buck”; Cost Commensurate with Expected

Benefits

• Includes Partners Who Bring Significant Financial Support “Buy In” To

the Project

• Support of a FWC Standing Team or Working Group

What Makes A Good Project? • Good Biological Lift

• Feasible and Permittable

• Occurs on FWC Managed Lands (FWC is Lead Agency)

• Projects That Are „Shovel Ready” for End of Year Money

Tallahassee Staff Review and Ranking

• HSC Division Staff

• AHRE Administrators

• THCR Section Leader

• IPM Section Leader

• Freshwater Fisheries Research Section Leader

• Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management Staff

You Have Money, Now What?

• Permitting – FWC IPM

– Corps of Engineers

– Dept. of Historical Resources

– Possibly DEP/WMD

• ITB and Contract Development

• Plan and schedule contract oversight

• Do ―work‖!

Questions about AHRES?

Sites Recently Visited By

TAWG

Point Lonesome Area

Tussock Lake

Phelps Island

Gospel Island/Edwards Cove