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APR 2 11987 <br />BOOK 68 FACE 140 <br />Mr. Fernald advised that some of this type land is used in <br />St. Lucie County for effluent disposal, but he cannot report <br />conclusively on how this is working out. The scrub still has <br />some flora, but the soil is much wetter; it is definitely <br />changing the entire community, but he did not know how <br />dramatically. <br />Mr. Fernald informed the Board that an additional problem is <br />that scrub must burn every so many years to remain a scrub <br />community; so, in order to preserve this community, it has to be <br />prLserved in chunks. He would recommend an.absolute minimum of <br />50 acres, and 100 acres would be greatly preferable. The <br />characteristic animals in these communities (the Florida scrub <br />lizard, the gopher tortoise, gopher frog, etc.) require open <br />sandy areas, and if you had 100 acres, you would be burning 20-30 <br />acres every 10-15 years or so. This is handled naturally by <br />lightning strikes, and the scrub community actually will not burn <br />in its early stages. Mr. Fernald stressed that this community is <br />unique to Florida. <br />Chairman Scurlock inquired why this wouldn't be put on an <br />endangered list, and Mr. Fernald advised there is a state list of <br />endangered species, but no state list of legally endangered <br />communities. He further noted that the Florida endangered plant <br />list does not prevent destruction by the private owner. Mr. <br />Fernald explained that his project is simply to inform the county <br />of the scrub communities it has, and then it is up to the Board <br />to reach a decision as to what to do about them.. <br />Chairman Scurlock felt the most optimistic approach we have <br />is through utilities as the sandy soils are the best site for <br />that purpose, and we must find a plan with some dollars attached. <br />Commissioner Bowman believed the worst case scenario in this <br />regard is Palm Beach County, and Mr. Fernald confirmed that.Palm <br />Beach County has completely destroyed over 980 of their scrub. <br />Palm Beach County, however, has conceptually approved a <br />wilderness island program, and scrub habitats are the first <br />26 <br />