A Circle B of the east? Plans for vast Lake Marion Scrub project are coming together

Calling it a potential Circle B Bar Reserve for the county’s east side, the Polk County Commission will fund a portion of money needed to acquire 602 acres for conservation along Lake Marion’s eastern shoreline.

A benefit of the land acquisition and multi-partner project located between Haines City and Poinciana would be to eventually provide visitors with passive outdoor recreation opportunities, including over time a possible boat ramp and facilities with exhibits.

The purpose of the project is to protect water quality in the Upper Kissimmee Watershed and upland habitats, as well as protect and federal and state listed species.

The land is adjacent to existing conservation lands and about 95% pristine within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Conservation Florida and The Nature Conservancy are also providing grants for the project.

The Polk County Commission unanimously approved on Sept. 5 more than $1.65 million toward the project. Commissioners also approved agreements to form the Lake Marion Scrub project with the other entities, including a land purchase agreement with Lake Marion Preserve LLC, the current owner of the private land. 

“By all accounts, this is a tremendous opportunity to protect, preserve and manage an intact scrub habitat on the Lake Wales Ridge,” said County Manager Bill Beasley, introducing the item for the board’s approval.

Protecting water and species

Gopher tortoise, sand skink, Florida scrub jay and Florida rosemary scrub were among the species identified along the dry ridge ecosystem, he said. The acquisition would help preserve some of the last remaining rosemary scrub in Florida.

The land runs along two miles of Lake Marion shoreline, Beasley said. The project would help maintain water quality for recreational users of the lake and put a stop to potential development with new septic tank systems along the shore.

The project will also evaluate stormwater runoff that's entering Lake Marion with little to no treatment, he said.

The land purchase by Polk County will top $7.5 million with $80,000 for closing costs, according to estimates, with grants covering much of the cost. The other contributions include $3 million from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and another $6.1 million from other sources.

The county agreed to a memorandum with Conservation Florida for a conservation easement for about 473 acres and the nonprofit is securing $1.654 million in funding at closing. In a grant agreement, The Nature Conservancy is providing $1.5 million for acquisition of 129 acres for habitat protection.

'The poster child for success'

The public will have access to a 32-acre area along the lake where facilities can be built. It is surrounded by conservation land, which will have hiking trails throughout. Site access by vehicle is provided by Lake Marion Creek and McMan roads.

“This is a good example of public-private partnership,” Beasley said. “This is an example where state government has come together with funding, where local government has come together with funding and where special environmental interest group has come together with funding to make this acquisition possible.

“To me, this is the poster child for success,” he said. “It’s a clear indication of how many good things can happen when the right people are involved working with the right common objective. And this is just a great example of that. My hat's off to the many staff who worked and made this happen.”

The county has been working with multiple partners to assemble the land for conservation for three years, including Conservation Florida, United States Air Force, The Nature Conservancy, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and USFWS.

The Lake Marion Scrub project also includes plans for restoration, water quality improvements and living lake shore enhancement.

An aerial view appears to have roads throughout a large portion of the acreage. A housing development was planned more than 40 years ago, but never materialized, nor was any infrastructure built, such as water or sewer lines. The road-like trails are only sand.

The Lake Marion Scrub project joins neighboring conservation lands of the South Florida Water Management District and Polk County.

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The land borders the Lake Marion Creek Wildlife Management Area, which consists of more than 8,000 acres north and east of the lake in Polk County. According to the South Florida Water Management District, the area is five miles east of Haines City on State Road 580. The land was purchased by SFWMD and Polk County to protect water and other natural resources.

Circle B Bar Reserve, on the northwest shore of Lake Hancock between Lakeland and Bartow, is a former cattle ranch that preserves a variety of plants and animals, the county’s website said. There are several distinct ecosystems in the reserve of 1,267 acres.

Lake Hancock is considered the headwaters of the Peace River, which flows more than 100 miles from Polk County southwest to the Gulf of Mexico.

Polk County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District acquired Circle B in December 2000 to protect the water and wildlife it contained and to restore the Banana Creek marsh system.

Eventually, a master plan for the Lake Marion Scrub will be developed for appropriate use of the land by residents and visitors. That will help determine the type of facilities to be built.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County, other entities come together to form Lake Marion Scrub