The Florida Airports Council recently selected St. Lucie County International Airport’s Scrub Jay Mitigation Area and Gopher Tortoise Relocation Area project as the winner of this year’s General Aviation Environmental Excellence Award among various airport nominations throughout the state.
The project at the Fort Pierce, Florida, airport serves as a prime example of sustainable initiatives that are being implemented at the airport and how conservation actions can contribute to strategic habitat conservation, airport officials said. The airport’s consultant, The LPA Group Incorporated, reduced non-native vegetation to create suitable habitat for the threatened Florida Scrub Jay and the Gopher Tortoise at the Runway 10L/28R Scrub Jay Mitigation Area. The mitigation area encompasses 120 acres of airport property with 36 acres of wetlands being restored as part of the project.
The project also received a 2010 Achievement Award for conservation and environmental preservation from the National Association of Counties.
St. Lucie County International Airport is a division of the Planning and Development Services Department, which is managed by the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners.
For more information: StLucieCo.gov/Airport.
