FDACS Strategically Reforesting Bay County
Project Overview
Our landscape was changed by Hurricane Michael in October 2018 with nearly 95% across the St. Andrew Bay Watershed having some level of damage. Within Bay County, over 71,000 acres of forest were catastrophically damaged (Fl Forest Service, 2018). Following immediate recovery efforts, the loss of forest cover resulted in communities experiencing long-term impacts such as an increase in stormwater flooding (NWFWMD, 2023). Restoring tree cover is one way to help reduce the amount of stormwater flooding at a local scale.
This project identifies priority areas for planting throughout Bay County focusing on publicly owned parcels. These areas were selected based on stormwater potential that combines type of land cover with the number of outfalls present to transport water. Additionally, a list of recommended native tree and shrub species is provided that are best suited to the region and can help address stormwater flooding.
Mapper Instructions
Navigate the StoryMap to learn about the impacts reduce forest cover on stormwater, priority areas for managing stormwater, and access a list of native trees and plant nurseries or click on each header to jump to a section you’re interested in. Use the + (plus) and – (minus) buttons to zoom and explore the maps throughout. In the Native Trees to Reduce Stormwater section, click the image to be taken to a filterable tree list.
Questions or Comments?
Contact us at: [email protected]
