North Port launches new Natural Resources Division with public input sessions

Earle Kimel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·3 min read
An aerial view the nearly empty lot behind and to the right side of North Port's Canine Club at 6442 Appomattox Dr, in North Port. North Port's new Natural Resources Division will look to return the city-owned land to a more natural state. The department, among other things, will oversee preservation of critical habitats for endangered and threatened species, boost tree protection efforts, and coordinate a city-wide tree planting plan.

NORTH PORT – The city of North Port recently established a new Natural Resources Division to oversee preservation of critical habitat for endangered and threatened species, boost tree-protection efforts and coordinate a city-wide tree-planting plan.

Natural Resources Manager Stefan Kalev said the six-person department's mission is to maintain sustainable growth while protecting the environment.

The job includes working with developers to confirm critical habitat and wetlands assessments on proposed development sites, as well as single-family lot owners on where to best position a home to maximize the preservation of native trees – which could, in turn, offset the cost of permits to remove trees to allow for home construction.

The team will also establish an accurate measure of the city's tree canopy.

“We want to know exactly what we have, in terms of canopy, within the city limits, and we want to include some projections of how this canopy may change over time, depending on different levels of projected growth,” Kalev said. “We want to know in which areas would it be best for us to dedicate our resources – to do replanting, reforestation, etc.”

In North Port's new Natural Resources Division, Stefan Kalev, a Natural Resources Manager, and Joseph Mansuetti, an Environmental Specialist, will oversee preservation of critical habitats for endangered and threatened species, boost tree protection efforts, and coordinate a city-wide tree planting plan. For example, more protection for the gopher tortoises could be provided by bringing back some of the land to its natural habitat behind North Port's Canine Club located at 6442 Appomattox Dr, in North Port.

To boost public awareness of the division, the city is sponsoring a “Coffee & Conservation” listening tour, with the first two sessions set for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Feb. 20 at the Morgan Family Community Center, 6207 W. Price Boulevard, North Port.

A future night meeting will be scheduled as early as March, a city spokesman said.

Residents can comment outside of the listening tour by using an online survey at https://bit.ly/42JVLNX.

What is the current tree coverage in North Port?

In 2022 the city of North Port streamlined and updated its tree protection regulations to mostly mirror those used in Sarasota County.

The city has also been revising its Unified Land Development Code, which contains those regulations.

In 1995, the city of North Port had a canopy coverage of 41.2%, according to a  survey of tree coverage of the city limits as of 1997 using i-Tree Canopy, which can be found at canopy.itreetools.org.

By 2019, the tree coverage in that portion of North Port – which did not include Warm Mineral Springs and Wellen Park – was down to 35.6%.

The city has a goal of maintaining that 35%, though there are limits on what it can enforce on private property.

The canopy study would include the type, health status and maintenance schedule for all trees on public, city-owned land. The primary tree types there are oaks, pines and sabal palms.

The study will include canopy on private lots, too, Kalev said.

A plan to restore natural habitat

The city can take steps to transform city owned land  – such as a parcel it owns to the north and east of the Canine Club Park at 6442 Appomattox Dr. on the west bank of Myakkahatchee Creek – into natural habitat.

That land is mowed and maintained by Public Works in a similar fashion to drainage swales  and dry stormwater retention areas.

“We have a project that we have in mind about planting and rewilding here,” Kalev said during a recent interview at the site adjacent to the Canine Club.

North Port's Canine Club located at 6442 Appomattox Dr, in North Port.
North Port's Canine Club located at 6442 Appomattox Dr, in North Port.

“There’s minimal value for habitat,” Kalev said. “It’s not suitable for wildlife and we want to use this as a pilot project for a rewilding of this area and basically bring it to a more natural type of state over time.”

An aerial view of the empty area across the street from North Port's Canine Club located at 6442 Appomattox Dr, in North Port, will be transformed back to its natural habitat.
An aerial view of the empty area across the street from North Port's Canine Club located at 6442 Appomattox Dr, in North Port, will be transformed back to its natural habitat.

That rewilding would include planting Florida friendly vegetation to make it more hospitable for wildlife.

“There are certain techniques to planting native tree saplings and understory vegetation together to encourage competition between the species and more rapid growth,” Kalev said.

“We want to show the community that there are areas in mind that can be reversed back to where they’re ecologically functional,” he added.

Eventually, the city will hire a seventh natural resources team member, an urban forestry specialist to the natural resources division, as it looks to increase the scope of those habitat restoration efforts.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: North Port Natural Resources Division starts listening tour Feb. 20