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Comprehensive Plan Conservation Element o Gopher Tortoise Protection In 2007, the FWC's Gopher Tortoise Management Plan was revised. At that time, the gopher tortoise was upgraded from a species of special concern to a threatened species. This upgraded status, along with FWC's prohibition of gopher tortoise entombment on development sites, has heightened the importance of gopher tortoise habitat within the county. According to the FWC's revised gopher tortoise management plan, gopher tortoises must be relocated in all cases. At this time, the county has no established policies for gopher tortoise relocation beyond those established by the FWC. In the past, Indian River County has acquired conservation lands, including the North Sebastian Conservation Area, the Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area, and the Sebastian Scrub Conservation Area, with scrub habitat suitable for receiving gopher tortoises. In light of the revised FWC gopher tortoise management plan, the County should develop policies for the relocation of gopher tortoises from private development lands to county owned lands. These policies should allow developers the option of paying a fee to have gopher tortoises relocated to county owned lands, rather than the current procedure of relocating gopher tortoises to largely private lands outside of the county. The fees collected could be used to support the ongoing management of resident tortoises and relocated tortoises on county owned lands. As structured, the county's upland habitat protection ordinance (LDR Chapter 929) requires that an environmental assessment be conducted in coordination with wildlife agencies (e.g., USFWS, FWC) if a proposed development site contains known or potential habitat of threatened or endangered species. By requiring environmental assessments, the County ensures that any listed species that may exist on a development site are identified and protected in accordance with federal, state and local regulations. In the future, the County should continue its policy of requiring such environmental assessments, in that it furthers the protection of rare species. Commercial Uses of Natural Resources The major commercial uses of natural resources in Indian River County are agriculture (primarily citrus), fisheries, and sand mining. Woodland management also occurs in the county, but in relatively small amounts. • Agriculture From 1996 to 2004, Indian River County's -annual production of citrus declined by 21 %. During that time, Indian River County dropped from the sixth largest citrus producer in the state to the seventh largest producer. This decline in citrus production is a statewide phenomenon and attributable to various agricultural diseases and the conversion of agricultural lands to other uses. In 2007, the County revised its landscape ordinance to prohibit the planting of Caribbean fruit fly and Community Development Department Indian River County 113