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Comprehensive Plan Conservation Element the "transferring" wetlands in perpetuity under a conservation easement. LDR Section 928.09 also provides that mitigation credit may be granted for the restoration or enhancement of impounded wetlands bordering the IRL on privately -owned properties. In the future, the County should continue to implement these policies. Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species Table 8.4 of this element lists the endangered and potentially endangered flora and fauna that occur within Indian River County. In the "existing conditions" section of this element, there is a discussion of habitat "specialists" and wide-ranging species (habitat "generalists") having different home range sizes and dependencies. Throughout the county, development encroachment and human activities can detrimentally affect the survival of plant and animal species in a number of ways. With respect to development, loss of habitat is the most significant impact on the survival needs of certain species. For example, plants and animals associated with sand pine scrub/xeric uplands are endemic and decrease as scrub habitat is converted to urban development. As described earlier in this element, territorial acreage needs to be set aside and managed with natural vegetation intact if species such as the Florida scrub jay and gopher tortoise are to be preserved. Plant species also have minimum areal needs that must be met if they are to continue to propagate in sustaining amounts. Generally, wide ranging species depend on a diversity of terrestrial and aquatic communities. For example, eagles and ospreys are species that depend on both aquatic and upland areas, while wide ranging land -bound species, such as the black bear and Florida panther, require large contiguous expanses of undeveloped lands. Indian River County is fortunate to have a large expanse of undeveloped land under public ownership in the Upper St. Johns River Basin, which provides a substantial contiguous land corridor for many animals. Between 1996 and 2007, the. following habitat conservation plans (HCPs) were adopted to conserve habitat for threatened and endangered species in the county: o Florida Scrub Jay Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) In 2000, Indian River County (and City of Sebastian) adopted the Sebastian Area -Wide Scrub Jay Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Assessing the success of the Scrub Jay HCP over the short time span since its adoption is difficult. In addition to the limited time since the HCP was adopted, problems related to tracking individual scrub jays and families have been encountered. Community Development Department Indian River County 110