Agenda 12/10/2024 Item #16A13 (Approve the Conservation Collier Railhead Scrub Preserve Final Management Plan 10-year update under the Consevation Collier Program)12/10/2024
Item # 16.A.13
ID# 2024-1955
Executive Summary
Recommendation to approve the Conservation Collier Railhead Scrub Preserve Final Management Plan 10-year update
under the Conservation Collier Program.
OBJECTIVE: To obtain approval from the Board of County Commissioners (Board) for the 10-year update to the
Railhead Scrub Preserve Final Management Plan.
CONSIDERATIONS: The Railhead Scrub Preserve is located south of the Railhead Industrial Park and east of Old US
41. The Conservation Collier Program acquired the northern 80 acres of the preserve in July 2004 and the southern 55
acres in June 2007. A revised, final Ten-year Management Plan (plan) was developed and approved by the Board on
June 22, 2010 (Agenda item 16E1). The approved plan, with subsequent updates, has been operational for the Railhead
Scrub Preserve since that time.
The Conservation Collier Ordinance No. 2002-63, as amended in section 14.3, directs that “ten-year plans shall be
updated at least every 5 years.” The attached plan has been updated pursuant to that direction.
This plan has been updated to a new format approved by the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Advisory
Committee (CCLAAC), providing clearer goals and objectives.
Changes in this plan include:
• Updated maps,
• Updated property status information,
• Additions to plant or animal lists,
• Status of exotic plant and animal infestations, and
• Streamlining of text.
The CCLAAC reviewed the updated plan on January 3, 2024, and recommends Board approval. Board review of this
updated management plan was awaiting Board approval of the Exceptional Benefits petition for Collier County
Transportation Management Services Department to acquire land within the preserve for a 7.5-acre pond. Board
approval was obtained on October 22, 2024 (Agenda item 16A24/11D) for Transportation to acquire the land for the
pond site. An updated conceptual site plan has been added to the plan (Figure 7) to reflect the pond location.
It has been the practice for the Program to hold a public meeting at the time of the initial Final Management Plan and
then for each 10-year update. A public hybrid Zoom and in-person meeting was held on December 18, 2023, to allow
community input on the draft plan. Public comments were received and have been taken into consideration by staff.
Comments received were mostly related to the Veteran’s Memorial Blvd extension and trespassing.
FISCAL IMPACT: Five (5) year annual management costs for the preserve are estimated at $674,000 (which includes
FY24 actuals), primarily for restoration, fencing, gates, and amenities to provide public access in anticipation of the
roadway. Funds are available within the Conservation Collier Land Management Fund (1062) and Conservation Collier
Capital Projects Fund (1063) to accomplish these activities.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: Management of Conservation Collier lands to support appropriate public
access is consistent with and supports Policy 1.1.5 and Objective 1.3 in the Recreation and Open Space Element of the
Collier County Growth Management Plan.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: The Conservation Collier Ordinance (No. 2002-63, as amended), in Section 13,
provides a legal framework for the development of management plans and for the use of environmentally sensitive
lands. This item is approved for form and legality and requires a majority vote for Board action. -SAA
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12/10/2024
Item # 16.A.13
ID# 2024-1955
RECOMMENDATIONS: To approve the attached updated 10-year Final Management Plan for Railhead Scrub
Preserve and direct staff to implement the updated plan.
PREPARED BY: Summer Araque, Environmental Supervisor, Growth Management Community Development
Department
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Railhead Scrub Land Management Plan BCC_2024
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Railhead Scrub Preserve
Land Management Plan
Conservation Collier Program
Collier County
2024 –2034
10 Year Plan
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Conservation Collier 2 Railhead Scrub Preserve
Table of Contents
LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 3
1.0 PROPERTY DESCRIPTION ......................................... 4
1.1 LOCATION AND SITE DESCRIPTION................................... 4
2.0 NATURAL RESOURCES................................................... 4
2.1 Physical Resources ............................................. 4
3.0 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ............................................... 5
3.1 Vegetation Communities .................................... 5
3.2 Wildlife Communities ......................................... 6
4.0 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................. 6
5.0 GOALS ....................................................................... 7
5.1 Vegetation Management ................................... 7
5.2 Wildlife Management ........................................ 8
5.3 Public Access Management ............................. 10
5.4 Resource Protection Management .................. 12
6.0 ACQUISITION ............................................................ 13
7.0 BUDGET TABLE ......................................................... 14
Table 4: Projected Costs ......................................... 14
APPENDIX ................................................................... 15
APPENDIX 1: LEGAL DESCRIPTION ....................................... 15
APPENDIX 2: PHOTOSET- REPRESENTATIVE COMMUNITIES ...... 16
APPENDIX 3: PHOTOSET- REPRESENTATIVE GROUNDCOVER .... 17
APPENDIX 4: PHOTOSET-NOTABLE WILDLIFE ........................ 18
APPENDIX 5: PHOTOSET- RESOURCE PROTECTION CONCERNS .. 19
APPENDIX 6: SPECIES TABLES ............................................ 20
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Conservation Collier 3 Railhead Scrub Preserve
Land Management Plan Executive Summary
Lead Agency: Conservation Collier Program, Development Review Division, Growth
Management Department
Folios: 00143120009, 00152600002 Total Acreage: 135 Acres
Management Authority: The Conservation Collier Program manages this parcel under
authority granted by the Conservation Collier Ordinance 2002-63, as amended. Lands
acquired with Conservation Collier funds are titled to “COLLIER COUNTY, a political
subdivision of the State of Florida, by and through its Conservation Collier Program.” The
Board of County Commissioners of Collier County (BCC) established the Conservation Collier
Program to implement the program and manage acquired lands. Conservation Collier holds
management authority for the Railhead Scrub Preserve.
Designated Land Use: Preservation, restoration, and future passive public recreation.
Management activities allowed are those necessary to preserve and maintain this
environmentally sensitive land for the benefit of present and future generations.
Unique Features: Preservation of highly imperiled endemic oak scrub habitat within Collier
County, dense populations of Florida gopher tortoise, rare plant species not found elsewhere
in the County, urban large mammal populations.
Management Goals:
Vegetation: Maintain a preserve with a mosaic of high-quality flatwoods, wet prairies,
hardwood forests, and endemic scrub with minimal fragmentation and less than 10%
infestation of non-native vegetation.
Wildlife: Maintain a preserve with low-risk,
contiguous access to a diversity of high-quality
habitats by local and migratory common and
imperiled wildlife species.
Public Access: Maintain a preserve that offers
compatible, passive recreation and education
opportunities to the public while preventing
potential negative impacts to erosion-prone
scrub habitat and listed species.
Resource Protection: Maintain a preserve
without unauthorized access or activity through
implementation of designated entrances,
posted and secured preserve boundaries,
regular law enforcement monitoring, and
security enhancements that support existing
wildlife movement requirements.
Public Input Opportunities:
A public meeting to review the plan was held
on December 18, 2023 in online and in-person
format and attended by several preserve neighbors.
Figure 2. Railhead Scrub Preserve.
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Conservation Collier 4 Railhead Scrub Preserve
1.0 Property Description
1.1 Location and Site Description
The Railhead Scrub Preserve is an approximately
135-acre natural area located in the northwest
corner of Collier County, south of the Railhead
Industrial Park and East of Old US 41 (Section 10
Township 48 Range 25 and Section 30 Township
51 Range 27). The preserve protects some of
the last remaining endemic rosemary scrub in
Southwest Florida. Adjacent to the preserve is
the Gulf Seminole Rail Line, industrial and
commercial developments to the west, north and
south, residential communities to the east, and
the Aubrey Rogers Highschool to the Southeast.
The current physical access to the preserve is
from Old US 41 through Sun Century Road, a
private road.
2.0 Natural Resources
2.1 Physical Resources
2.1.1 Physiography: The Railhead Scrub Preserve lies within the Gulf Coastal Lowlands
physiographic province, characterized
by low elevations and poor drainage.
The landforms that make up these
coastal lowlands include coastal and
sand dune ridges and relic spits and
bars with intervening coast-parallel
valleys consisting of poorly drained
swampy areas with little recharge.
Relic coastal dune ridges are the most
prominent geographic feature in the
general vicinity of this site.
2.1.2 Topography: Railhead Scrub is in
the Southwestern Slope region of the
South Florida Water Management
District (SFWMD). The topography of
the area is relatively flat with an
average elevation of 15 feet above sea
level and slopes gently westward
toward the Gulf of Mexico. Surface
water percolates directly into the
uncovered ground or it collects in
natural depressions and manmade
ponds on adjacent properties.
2.1.3 Soils: According to the Soil
Survey of the Collier County Area
Figure 1. Conservation Collier Preserves 2023
Figure 3. Railhead Scrub Soils
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Conservation Collier 5 Railhead Scrub Preserve
1990, soils mapped at the Railhead Scrub Preserve include Satellite Fine Sand; Basinger
Fine Sand; Immokalee Fine Sand; Riviera Fine Sand, Limestone Substratum; Urban Land
Holopaw Basinger Complex; and Boca, Riviera, Limestone Substratum and Copeland Fine
Sand, Depressional. Satellite Fine Sand units are situated on low-lying coastal ridges and
correspond to the Xeric Uplands. Basinger and Riviera Fine Sands are hydric soils typical of
slightly depressional drainage-ways with poorly defined outlets such as flats and sloughs.
Immokalee Fine Sand units are associated with pine flatwoods communities.
2.1.4 Hydrology/Water Management: Near the surface, the aquifer is highly permeable and
the groundwater flows toward the west. Groundwater levels have gone down during the
recent decades due to drainage on a regional scale and water management for development
purposes. This trend may be very difficult to control and will gradually reduce the extent
of the preserve that floods during the summer months and reduce the duration the preserve
wetlands are flooded during the year.
2.1.5 Climate: The average annual temperature for the coastal portion of Collier County is
approximately 75º Fahrenheit, warmest in July and August. Two-thirds of the annual rainfall
occurs in the wet season from May to October. Thunderstorms are frequent during the wet
season occurring every two out of three days between June and September. The hurricane
season extends from June through November with peak activity occurring in September and
October when ocean temperatures are highest.
3.0 Biological Resources
3.1 Vegetation Communities
Table 1. Vegetation Communities, Acreage, % Cover
Railhead Scrub Plant Communities and Cover
FLCC Community Acreage %
Cover
Representative Species Common Name
*Full Species Name Can Be Found in Table #
Oak Scrub 51.3 38.0%
Sand-live oak, Chapman’s oak, Florida
rosemary, Florida slash pine, saw palmetto,
hog plum, Coastalplain goldenaster, prickly
pear, Southern wiregrass, cardinal airplant,
deer lichen
Scrubby Flatwoods 34.7 25.7%
Florida slash pine, saw palmetto, rusty
lyonia, tarflower, wild pennyroyal, Southern
wiregrass
Mesic Flatwoods 19.3 14.3% Florida slash pine, saw palmetto, cabbage
palm, Southern wiregrass, broomsedge
Wet Prairie 9.6 7.1% Bushy bluestem, broomsedge, Florida slash
pine, blue maidencane, yellow-eyed grass
Wet Flatwoods 9.4 7.0%
Florida slash pine, cabbage palm, wax
myrtle, saw palmetto, live oak, red root,
maidencane, dollarweed
Mowed Grass 1.7 1.3% Mixed grasses and forbs in maintained
clearings
Mixed Wetland
Hardwoods 4.3 3.2% Live oak, laurel oak, cabbage palm, myrsine,
dollarweed, milkwort
Cypress 2.7 2.0% Bald cypress, cabbage palm, dahoon holly,
myrsine, swamp fern, tillandsia spp.
Slash Pine Swamp
Forest 1.0 0.8% Florida slash pine, bald cypress, myrsine,
wax myrtle, dahoon holly
Ditch 0.4 0.3% Stormwater management
Shrub and
Brushland 0.3 0.2% Carolina willow, grapevine, cabbage palm,
saw palmetto, Florida slash pine, laurel oak
Bare Soil 0.1 0.1% N/A
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Conservation Collier 6 Railhead Scrub Preserve
Four hundred nine (497) plant species have been recorded at Railhead Scrub Preserve
(Appendix 2). Of these 497 species,
385 (77.4%) are native to the site
and 112 are exotic (22.5%). 6
species are considered Imperiled or
very rare/restricted according to
Florida Natural Areas Inventory
(FNAI) while 13 species are
considered state endangered or
threatened.
3.2 Wildlife Communities
Railhead Scrub Preserve supports a
significant population of upland
dependent wildlife species. Wildlife
sightings include observations by
Conservation Collier staff, remote
camera studies, and data collected
through partnership with Florida
Gulf Coast University (FGCU)
research students and faculty.
Wildlife species observed utilizing
the preserve are listed in Appendix
6. Observations of wildlife tracks
and remote camera photos indicate
wildlife species move regularly
between the three separately
fenced parcels of the preserve,
crossing private property and field
fencing along the way. Tracks are
routinely observed of Florida black
bear with cubs as well as adult
bobcats with kittens travelling through the preserve, as well as photos collected of new
white-tailed deer fawns indicating these species likely use the preserve or immediate
surrounding area for denning and\or raising young. Florida gopher tortoise tracks observed
between the North and South units of the preserve indicate preserve tortoises use seasonal
burrows throughout the separately fenced units and travel beneath the fencing to reach
them.
Rare scrub habitat like the type found within Railhead Scrub Preserve can provide habitat
for a diversity of rare and endemic species that specialize in scrub habitat such as the Florida
scrub lizard, Eastern Indigo snake, Florida scrub jay. Staff will continue to seek out
partnerships and research opportunities to monitor for the presence of these species as well
as other federally and state-imperiled species.
4.0 Cultural Resources
4.1 Archaeological Resources: There are no known archaeological “finds” on this site. The
property is not within an area of historical and archaeological probability, and no historical
or archaeological sites appear to be present in the property.
The County will notify the Division of Historical Resources immediately if evidence is found
to suggest any archaeological or historic resources are present at the Railhead Scrub
Preserve. If any artifacts are observed on-site, staff shall cordon off the area, and a
Figure 4. Railhead Scrub Preserve Land Cover
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Conservation Collier 7 Railhead Scrub Preserve
professional survey and assessment shall be instituted. The archaeologist shall prepare a
report outlining results of the assessments and issue recommendations to County staff
about management of any sites discovered, per provisions of the Land Development Code
Section 2.2.25. This report shall be sent to the Division of Historical Resources. The County
shall cooperate fully with direction from the Division of Historical Resources on the
protection and management of archaeological and historical resources. The management
of these resources will comply with the provisions of Chapter 267, Florida Statutes,
specifically Sections 267.061 2 (a) and (b). The collection of artifacts or the disturbance of
archaeological and historic sites within the Railhead Scrub Preserve is prohibited unless
prior authorization has been obtained from the Collier County Board of County
Commissioners and the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources.
Management Plan
5.0 Goals
5.1 Vegetation Management
Goal: Maintain a preserve with a mosaic of high-quality flatwoods, wet prairies, hardwood
forests, and endemic scrub with minimal fragmentation and less than 10% infestation of
non-native vegetation.
Invasive Plant Removal: A list of exotic plant species within the preserve is located in
Appendix 6. Initial exotics removal projects in the early 2000s targeted species ranked
within Category I and II on the FISC List of Invasive Plant Species including control of exotic
melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia) and old-world climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum)
from preserve wetlands, and downy rose-myrtle (Rhodomyrtus tomentose), earleaf acacia
(Acacia auriculiformis), and Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia) from preserve
uplands. Management of exotics will continue in maintenance phase with regular mechanical
and herbicidal treatments of the preserve to enhance restoration of native plant species
diversity. Measures will be taken to work with adjacent property owners to reduce seed and
spore source of exotics along the preserve boundary.
Native Plant Restoration: Railhead Scrub Preserve protects some of the last remaining local
genetics of endemic scrub and upland species in Collier County. In an effort to support plant
diversity on site and preservation of endemic scrub species genetics, Conservation Collier
partnered with the Naples Botanical Garden in 2021 to initiate a multi-year Scrub
Restoration and Seed Collection project to research the specific diversity and needs of the
site, collect plant material for conservation seed-banking as well as in-situ growing trials for
eventual replanting at the site to restore areas of habitat lost to historic illegal off-road
vehicle access. Collections occur throughout the year for foundational species that offer
initial soil stabilization and encourage regrowth of bare soil areas through the natural
seedbank. This project is phased to include initial collections and growth trials, followed by
restoration planting on-site. In addition to native plantings and restoration, efforts will be
made to repair the effects of rutting and elevation changes to the site as a result of illegal
vehicle access that alter the hydrology of the scrub and plant species found within the area
of historic impact.
Prescribed Fire and Mechanical Reduction: Railhead Scrub Preserve is located within the
Urban lands of North Naples. Plant communities and wildlife within the preserve are fire-
dependent for survival and prescribed fire applied by trained personnel is the most effective
and cost-efficient management tool for preserving the rare plant communities at this site.
The urban location of this preserve and proximity to smoke-sensitive areas requires
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Conservation Collier 8 Railhead Scrub Preserve
additional coordination, planning, and adjacent landowner education to apply fire within the
managed units of the preserve. Mechanical reduction of heavy fuels as a result of historic
fire suppression, installation of small acreage defensible burn unit fire lines, and boundary
line clearing will be carried out to assist with the application of fire at the site. Trained fire
personnel along with interagency partners will conduct small acreage prescribed burns at
the site in accordance with the regulations and authorizations set forth by the Florida Forest
Service.
Hydrologic Restoration
Natural hydrology plays a critical role in defining plant and animal species that persist within
the preserve. Alterations in water table levels, unintentional ponding, and introduction of
novel sources of water flow or loss to the site as a result of surrounding development and
land use changes can pose detrimental effects to imperiled burrowing species like the Florida
gopher tortoise, and rare endemic scrub plants that rely on specific water conditions to
flourish. Water management at the site should seek to preserve natural conditions that have
defined this imperiled scrub habitat to support its persistence and implement infrastructure
accordingly.
5.2 Wildlife Management
Goal: Maintain a preserve with low-risk, contiguous access to a diversity of high-quality
habitats by local and migratory common and
imperiled wildlife species.
Habitat Improvement: Railhead Scrub Preserve
supports a large diversity of wildlife species due to the
presence of rare scrub habitat, xeric and wetland soils,
and a matrix of wetland and upland plant communities
throughout. The preserve also sustains isolated
pockets of rare scrub that could serve as future
stopover habitat to promote range expansion of scrub
endemic species travelling between remnant habitat in
central Florida and the Rookery Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve. The preserve will be managed to
support wildlife populations through the protection and
enhancement of forage availability and quality, denning
and nesting habitat, historic hydroperiods, parcel
connectivity and habitat access, and the reduction of
negative impacts resulting from incompatible use of the
site.
Connectivity and Movement: The preserve provides
urban refugia for large and small mammals, birds,
reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Increasing development, land use changes surrounding
this site, future transportation development projects, fencing, light and sound disturbance
can impact the imperiled and common species that rely on the preserve and alter wildlife
movement or activity within the site. Efforts will be taken to reduce land use change impacts
to the preserve in the coming years including heightened security and enforcement of non-
sanctioned activities, wildlife-friendly fencing installation, preservation of existing wildlife
corridors through infrastructure enhancements like underpasses, culverts, and crossings,
and positioning public use trails in areas that limit soil erosion and listed species impacts.
Figure 5. Railhead Scrub Preserve Habitat
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Conservation Collier 9 Railhead Scrub Preserve
Wildlife Mortality Reduction: Plans for
an extension of the existing Veteran’s
Memorial Boulevard from the Audrey
Rogers High School west to US 41 are
included in the Collier MPO 2045 Long
Range Transportation Plan. This
roadway extension is set to bisect the
northern and southern parcels of the
Railhead Scrub Preserve which
currently provide continuous habitat
access for wildlife through undeveloped
oak scrub community. Fencing in
conjunction with a wildlife underpass,
suitable for large mammals like white-
tailed deer and Florida black bear with
a raised shelf design for wet season
inundation is recommended to be
incorporated into the design plans for
the Veteran’s Memorial Blvd extension
to preserve the connectivity for wildlife
between preserve parcels and
significantly reduce wildlife-collision
risks to the public utilizing the road
expansion area. Adjacent to the
western preserve boundary, and within
the footprint of the planned roadway
extension project is the Gulf Seminole
Rail Line. In conjunction with a
vehicular railway crossing to
accommodate the road expansion
project, infrastructure to avoid mortality of state-imperiled Florida gopher tortoise and other
wildlife travelling between the northern and southern parcels of the preserve via the rail
crossing should be considered and implemented.
Monitoring: Conservation Collier staff deploy a network of remote cameras to monitor the
site for wildlife utilization and threats to natural resource protection like illegal offroad
vehicle access. Staff partner with research institutions such as the Florida Gulf Coast
University and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Research Institute to conduct
regular monitoring for imperiled species at the site. Wildlife Surveys for common and
migratory species will continue to be carried out by preserve staff on a regular basis.
Baseline monitoring with cameras and track surveys will be conducted to assist with
planning for future impact reduction to wildlife in light of planned transportation
infrastructure development. Monitoring for wildlife at the preserve will continue throughout
construction and post-construction to assess for and respond to any future, unanticipated
impacts.
Figure 6. Conceptual Footprint-Veteran’s Memorial Blvd Extension
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Conservation Collier 10 Railhead Scrub Preserve
5.3 Public Access Management
Goal: Maintain a preserve that offers compatible, passive recreation and education
opportunities to the public while preventing potential negative impacts to erosion-prone
scrub habitat and listed species.
Recreation Opportunities: Conservation Collier preserves provide nature-based recreation
opportunities to the community where compatible with resource protection goals for
individual sites. Currently without a suitable site to provide to public infrastructure such as
a parking lot or sidewalk access, Railhead Scrub Preserve public access is compatible with
pre-approved staff-led small group educational tours and researcher access with a permit.
Following partnership or acquisition of a location suitable for public parking development
and preserve boundary access, Railhead Scrub Preserve may be compatible with low-impact
nature-based activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, nature photography, education
tours, and research. Public access infrastructure will be incorporated only within areas of
the preserve deemed less sensitive to erosion, without listed species impacts, and
compatible with the natural resource management goals of the property.
Transportation: The Veteran’s Memorial Blvd Extension* transportation project and
construction of the Aubrey Rogers High School located ¼ mile to the east of the preserve
boundary offer opportunities to incorporate enhanced public access to the future
management plan of the site. In partnership with the Collier County Public Schools, a future
parking area with limited spaces designated preserve access use will be provided once
roadway construction is complete. Once complete, sidewalk access along the Veteran’s
Memorial Boulevard Extension will provide greater feasibility for foot traffic access to the
site.
Amenity Installation and Enhancement: Future public access enhancements will be
completed once construction of the roadway extension and parking area are constructed
and will include a trail network, designated entrance gate and maintenance access
infrastructure, pedestrian fence crossings, educational kiosk, entrance sign, educational
signage, benches, and shade structures. Areas of planned trail that cross over sensitive
scrub soils with Florida rosemary and imperiled Florida gopher tortoise burrows may
incorporate raised boardwalk-style design to reduce erosion impacts from pedestrian
access. Raised trail designs will aim to mitigate negative impacts to ungulate access to the
site, impacts to burrowing and listed scrub species and be compatible with the prescribed
fire management goals at the preserve.
*The conceptual site plan has been updated to reflect the pond location provided as Figure
7 after the Exceptional Benefits petition was approved by the Board of County
Commissioners on October 22, 2024. The designated entrance location to the preserve
trails was also moved to be outside of the scrub restoration area. The conceptual site plan
is subject to change dependent on site conditions and other factors.
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Conservation Collier 11 Railhead Scrub Preserve
Figure 7. Updated Conceptual Public Access Site Plan
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Conservation Collier 12 Railhead Scrub Preserve
5.4 Resource Protection Management
Goal: Maintain a preserve without unauthorized access or activity through implementation
of designated entrances, posted and secured preserve boundaries, regular law enforcement
monitoring, and security enhancements that support existing wildlife movement
requirements.
Illegal Trespass and Dumping: Railhead Scrub Preserve today protects lands in a region of
the county that has historically experienced heavy pressure from off-road vehicle access,
illegal nighttime gathering, swimming, and unsanctioned target practicing with firearms.
County ordinance 2011-38 regulates and specifies legal utilization of the Railhead Scrub
Preserve lands and provides an enforcement mechanism to prevent illegal trespass,
property damage, off-road vehicle trespass, illegal fires, dumping, illegal use of firearms,
harm to the plant, wildlife, and natural resources at the site. Security camera monitoring,
no trespassing sign posting, boundary fence line maintenance and repairs, and on-site
inspections are carried out regularly by Conservation Collier staff working in partnership
with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission to reduce, prevent, and curtail historic illegal access at the site from continuing.
Illegal trespass activities at the site pose significant risk to the preservation of rare and
sensitive natural resources that the preserve was purchased to protect.
Infrastructure Damage: Infrastructure damage repair continues to be one of the staff-
intensive maintenance efforts at the site. Historically, law enforcement capabilities at the
site have been hampered by lack of off-road vehicles to navigate the scrub sugar sand for
enforcement, lack of clarity on land ownership and enforcement rights, and lack of no-
trespassing sign or boundary delineation fencing in the right-of-way (ROW) are between
the Railhead Scrub Preserve. Staff will continue to seek opportunities to enhance law
enforcement access to the site for monitoring and enforcement, regulation and boundary
posting, and partnership with adjacent landowners where illegal trespass activities are
initiating. In addition, the program will replace existing sub-standard security fencing with
more effective infrastructure while making effort to avoid impacts to wildlife through design
and implementation in 2024.
Soil Disturbance/Erosion Prevention: Soil
disturbance and erosion from incompatible
illegal site access, along with historic
exclusion of a natural fire regime from the
site, continues to be one of the greatest
threats to the preservation of the
imperiled scrub habitat within Railhead
Scrub Preserve. Rare, endemic scrub
vegetation is slow-growing and loss of
plant cover in sites as a result of soil
disturbance poses restoration challenges
for recovery. Ruts caused by non-
sanctioned tire tread at the site alters the
elevation and hydrology and the plant
species that grow within the area. Outside
of the boundary and within the ROW
between the North and South preserve
parcels, off-road vehicle disturbance has
Figure 9. Erosion of Scrub Habitat and Resulting Bare
Soil
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Conservation Collier 13 Railhead Scrub Preserve
contributed to a loss of over 65% coverage of scrub vegetation and suitable habitat for
scrub-dependent species. Staff will continue to consider soil erosion threats and avoidance
measures when planning bare soil restoration plantings, future public access compatibility,
and security enhancement needs at the site.
Enforcement and Monitoring: Currently, the program relies heavily on monitoring and
support from the Collier County Sherriff’s Office Agriculture and Mounted Patrol and Aviation
Unit for enforcing illegal activity at the site as a result of access limitations caused by the
scrub soil type. Staff will continue to seek opportunities to enhance security and monitoring
at the site to safeguard the preserve resources.
6.0 Acquisition
Table 2: Acquisition History and Plan Updates for Railhead Scrub Preserve
No additional parcel acquisitions have been completed within the Railhead Scrub Preserve
complex since 2007. Conservation Collier is a land buying program that purchases
undeveloped, ecologically important lands throughout the County at risk from development
to establish community nature preserves. The program has been in existence since 2003
and currently protects over 22 nature preserves from Marco Island to Immokalee. Following
a voter referendum in 2020 that received 77% approval, the program resumed land
purchasing at the direction of the Board of County Commissioners and is actively accepting
applications from willing sellers and nominations from members of the public through an
online form located at www.ConservationCollier.com.
Acquisition History and Plan Updates for Railhead Scrub Preserve
Year Benchmark
2003 Appraisal and Assessment to Determine Compliance with Initial
Screening Criteria, including Biological and Hydrological
Characteristics
2004 Railhead Scrub Preserve property (northern 80 acres) purchased
by Conservation Collier
2006 RR Land Trust (55 acres) property initially assessed
2007 RR Land Trust parcel purchased and incorporated into Railhead
Scrub Preserve
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Conservation Collier 14 Railhead Scrub Preserve
7.0 Budget Table
*Project Implementation Dependent on Veteran’s Memorial Blvd Extension Construction Timeline
Table 4: Projected Costs Operational Costs 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034
Exotics Removal $8,500 $50,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000
Fuel Reduction and Fireline Maintenance $91,437.50 $50,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000
Fencing, Gates, Amenities $0 $35,000 $35,000 $100,000 $75,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000
Educational Material: Signage and Brochures $0 $0 $0 $2,000 $2,500 $500 $0 $500 $0 $500 $0
Restoration/ Planting $0 $35,000 $9,000 $2,500 $2,500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500
Listed Species Surveys/ Environmental Monitoring $0 $5,000 $25,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $500 $500 $500
Equipment/ Supplies $1,500 $3,000 $1,000 $2,500 $2,500 $2,500 $2,500 $2,500 $2,500 $2,500 $2,500
Total
Anticipated
Costs
$101,437
$198,000 $85,000 $157,000 $132,500 $58,500 $58,000 $58,500 $43,500 $44,000 $43,500
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Appendix
Appendix 1: Legal Description
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Appendix 2: Photoset- Representative Communities
Oak Scrub Oak Scrub Scrubby Flatwoods
Scrubby Flatwoods Cypress Wet Prairie
Hydric Flatwoods Mesic Flatwood Bare Soil
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Appendix 3: Photoset- Representative Groundcover
Chapman’s Blazing Star Florida Rosemary Prickly Pear Cactus
Tarflower Curtiss’ Milkweed Spikemoss
Gopher Apple Whitemouth Dayflower Yellow-eyed grass
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Appendix 4: Photoset-Notable Wildlife
Florida gopher tortoise- ST White-tailed deer Florida black bear
Coyote Cottontail rabbit Bobcat
Southern bald eagle Eastern bluebird Swallow-tailed Kite
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Appendix 5: Photoset- Resource Protection Concerns
Illegal Trespass Via Railroad Boundary Fence Damage Rare Habitat Soil Erosion
Illegal Dumping Off-Road Trespass Damage Habitat Fragmentation
Vehicle Wildlife Mortalities Wildlife Crossings Illegal Brush Fires
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Appendix 6: Species Tables
Table 5. Bird Species Observed at Railhead Scrub Preserve
Common Name Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name
American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos house sparrow Passer domesticus
American kestrel Falco sparverius house wren Troglodytes aedon
barn swallow Hirundo rustica killdeer Charadrius vociferus
belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon laughing gull Leucophaeus atricilla
black vulture Coragyps atratus least bittern Ixobrychus exilis
black-bellied whistling
duck
Dendrocygna
autumnalis least tern Sternula antillarum
black-whiskered vireo Vireo altiloquus limpkin Aramus guarauna
blue jay Cyanocitta cristata little blue heron Egretta caerulea
blue-gray gnatcatcher Polioptilia caerulea loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus
boat-tailed grackle Quiscalus major mottled duck Anas fulvigula
broad-winged hawk Buteo platypterus mourning dove Zenaida macroura
brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum muscovy duck Cairina moschata
carolina wren Thryothorus
ludovicianus Northern cardinal Cardinalis
cattle egret Bubulcus ibis Northern flicker Colaptes auratus
chimney swift Chaetura pelagica Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus
carolinensis Northern parula Setophaga americana
common grackle Quiscalus quiscula osprey Pandion haliaetus
common ground dove Columbina passerina palm warbler Setophaga palmarum
common moorhen Gallinula chloropus pileated woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
common nighthawk Chordeiles minor pine warbler Setophaga pinus
common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas prairie warbler Setophaga discolor
cooper’s hawk Accipiter cooperii purple martin Progne subis
double-crested
cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus red-bellied woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
downy woodpecker Picoides pubescens red-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatus
Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Eastern phoebe Sayornis phoebe red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Eastern screech owl Megascops asio roseate spoonbill Platalea ajaja
Eastern towhee Pipilo
erythrophthalmus sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus
Eurasian collared-
dove Streptopelia decaocto Southern bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
European starling Sturnus vulgaris swallow-tailed kite Elanoides forficatus
fish crow Corvus ossifragus tricolored heron Egretta tricolor
glossy ibis Plegadis falcinellus tufted titmouse Baeolophis bicolor
gray catbird Dumetella carolinensis turkey vulture Cathartes aura
great blue heron Ardea herodias white ibis Eudocimus albus
great crested
flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus white-eyed vireo Vireo griseus
great egret Ardea alba wood stork Mycteria americana
green heron Butorides virescens yellow-bellied sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
hairy woodpecker Leuconotopicus villosus
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Table 6. Wildlife Species Observed at Railhead Scrub Preserve
Mammals Scientific Name Designation
bobcat Lynx rufus
Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
Eastern gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
Eastern mole Scalopus aquaticus
Florida black bear Ursus americanus floridanus
gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus
hispid cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus
marsh rabbit Sylvilagus palustris
nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus
raccoon Procyon lotor
Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana
white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus
Reptiles
black racer Coluber constrictor
brown anole Anolis sagrei *non-native
common five-lined skink Plestiodon fasciatus
corn snake Pantherophis guttatus
Eastern coachwhip Masticophis flagellum
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus
Eastern ratsnake Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Florida box turtle Terrapene carolina
Florida gopher tortoise Gopherus polyphemus *State-threatened
Florida red-bellied cooter Pseudemys nelsoni
Florida softshell turtle Apalone ferox
six-lined racerunner Aspidoscelis sexlineatus
Amphibians
cane toad Rhinella marina *non-native
Cuban treefrog Osteopilus septentrionalis *non-native
greenhouse treefrog Eleutherodactylus planirostris *non-native
oak toad Anaxyrus quercicus
pinewoods treefrog Hyla femoralis
Southern toad Anaxyrus terrestris
squirrel treefrog Hyla squirrella
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Table 7. Imperiled Plant Species at Railhead Scrub Preserve
Scientific Name Common Names IRC State FNAI
Asclepias curtissii Curtiss' milkweed E S3
Chamaesyce cumulicola Sand-dune spurge; Coastal dune
sandmat E S2
Encyclia tampensis Florida butterfly orchid C
Lechea cernua Nodding pinweed T S3
Lilium catesbaei Cateby’s lily T
Lipocarpha maculata American halfchaff sedge SF1
Ophioglossum nudicaule Slender adder’s tongue SF1
Orthochilus ecristatus Giant orchid, non-crested Eulophia T S2
Scleria ciliata var. curtissii Curtiss’ nutrush SF1
Stylisma abdita Showy dawnflower SF1 E S2S3
Swietenia mahagoni West Indian mahogany T S3
Tillandsia balbisiana Reflexed wild-pine,
Northern needleleaf T
Tillandsia fasciculata var.
densispica Stiff-leaved wild-pine, Cardinal airplant E
Tillandsia flexuosa Banded wild-pine, Twisted airplant T S3
Tillandsia utriculata Giant wild-pine, Giant airplant E
E: Endangered, T: Threatened, C: Commercially Exploited, SF1: Critically Imperiled, S2: Critically
Imperiled, S3: Imperiled
Table 8. Exotic Plant Species at Railhead Scrub Preserve
Scientific Name Common Names Category Scientific
Name
Common
Names Category
Abrus precatorius rosary-pea, crab-eyes I Momordica
charantia
balsam
apple II
Acacia auriculiformis earleaf acacia I Nephrolepis
multiflora
Asian sword
fern I
Albizia lebbeck woman’s tongue I Panicum
maximum Guineagrass II
Ardisia elliptica shoebutton ardesia I Panicum
repens
torpedo
grass I
Bauhinia variegata mountain ebony, orchidtree I Psidium
cattleianum
strawberry
guava I
Bischofia javanica Bishopwood I Pteris vittata China brake II
Casuarina equisetifolia Australian pine I Rhodomyrtus
tomentosa
downy
myrtle,
rose-myrtle
I
Cupaniopsis anacardioides Carrotwood I Rhynchelytrum
repens
rose
natalgrass I
Dioscorea alata white yam I Ricinus
communis Castor-bean II
Dioscorea bulbifera air potato I Sansevieria
hyacinthoides
bowstring-
hemp,
mother-in-
laws tongue
II
Ficus microcarpa laurel fig, Indian laurel I Schinus
terebinthifolius
Brazilian
pepper I
Hymenachne amplexicaulis west Indian marsh grass I Schefflera
actinophylla
Australian
umbrellatree I
Lantana camara Shrubverbena I Solanum
viarum
tropical
soda-apple I
Leucaena leucocephala white leadtree II Urena lobata Caesarweed I
Lygodium microphyllum old world climbing fern I Wedelia
trilobata
creeping
oxeye II
Melaleuca quinquenervia Melaleuca I
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Table 9. Railhead Scrub Preserve Plant Inventory
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