Cape Haze Wetlands

The Science of Protection: Understanding NWI Data

To protect our local ecosystems, we must first define what is at stake. This section of our site hosts maps utilizing data from the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI)—a specialized geospatial database managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

What These Maps Reveal

The NWI is more than just a map of water; it is a comprehensive inventory of the "hidden" infrastructure of our landscape. When you view these layers, you are seeing:

• Critical Habitats: Historically documented marshes, swamps, and vernal pools that provide essential breeding grounds for local wildlife.

• Hydrological Boundaries: The precise acreage of land that acts as a natural sponge, absorbing rainwater to prevent neighborhood flooding.

• Soil and Water Regimes: Data on how water moves through this specific site, indicating areas that are ecologically sensitive and geologically unstable for heavy construction.

Why This Data Matters for the Cape Haze Planned Development

The proposed development at Cape Haze threatens drain into areas that the federal government has already identified as vital wetlands. By hosting these maps, we aim to highlight the discrepancy between the developer's plans and the ecological reality of the land.

Wetlands are not "wastelands" to catch parking lot runoff. They are "nature’s kidneys," filtering pollutants from our groundwater, and "nature’s shock absorbers," protecting our homes from increasingly severe storm events.

The Legal Reality

While the NWI serves as a primary planning tool, any discrepancy between these maps and a developer’s "private survey" deserves intense public scrutiny. According to federal guidelines, impacting these mapped areas often requires rigorous permitting and mitigation that we believe has not been adequately addressed in the current proposal.