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is labor intensive and requires negotiating heavy equipment. In addition, the long- term effects of mechanical management actions to the scrub plant community are not fully understood and must be used carefully (Schmalzer et a/. 1999). Even more significant, per acre management costs for maintaining or restoring remnant scrub in suburban areas, are comparatively more expensive than habitat management prescriptions on large parcels of land in undeveloped scenarios. In consideration of the multiple project constraints and limitations listed above, and at the recommendation of the Indian River County Land Acquisition Advisory Cornmittee (LAAC), the IRC Board voted in September 1996 to reject the acquisition of Phase II of the SSCA project. This decision halted all acquisition efforts by Indian River County of the Sebastian Highlands Unit 17 platted lots comprising the SSCA (Indian River County, October 17, 1996 correspondence to the FWS). At the subsequent urging of the FWS, Indian River County did complete the purchase of a block of 34 contiguous lots in Unit 17. The FWS stated that the ... 34 AGC lots, in combination with Pelican Elementary School scrub, may provide enough suitable habitat to minimize the adverse effects of habitat fragmentation due to losses in the remainder of Unit 17. These scrub parcels, if properly managed, may be essential "stepping stones" for dispersal of scrub -jays frorn and to northern Indian River County..." (FWS, November 12, 1996 correspondence to Indian River County). These 34 AGC lots, referred to herein as the Sebastian Highlands Scrub Conservation Area were acquired by Indian River County and are included in combination with the Pelican Island Elementary School scrub as part of the proposed Sebastian HCP Scrub -Jay Habitat Compensation Areas located in Unit 17 of Sebastian Highlands, Implementation of Alternative 3 inay have served to increase papulation persistence probability of the south subpopulation, however the persistence probability of this subpopulation will always be low because of the extensive fragmentation that presently characterizes this area. Appropriate management of optimal scrub -jay habitat conditions within the fragmented scrub lots would have been extremely difficult due to the multiple rosidential homes adjoining the SSCA project area. Alternative 3 was determined to be infeasible due primarily to economic: and habitat management constraints imposed by present-day conditions. 70 l