Endangered Species Research/Conservation Project

Dicerandra thinicola (Titusville mint), is an endemic, endangered plant species found only in a limited area of Titusville in Brevard County Florida. Ms. Kennedy currently co-leads a long-term study of this endangered plant species, a reserach and conservation project she initiated in 2001 with colleague Dr. Eric Menges of Archbold Biological Station.

With the enthusiastic support of local officials, the project has included controlled burns, seed collection, selective reintroduction, and recently received grant money to aid in covering the costs of the research.

Residential Acreage Restoration

A Merritt Island property owner hired Floravista to offer consultation and site design plan services for the restoration of a three acre, residential property with more than 100 feet of shoreline on the Banana River.The owner was interested in returning the property to a natural habitat, removing all invasive plant species and planting species native to Florida.

With naturally occurring water features, open marsh, and tree hammocks, the multi-phased project helped return the property to an oasis for birds, butterflies, and even a small alligator or two.

Arborist Consultation

A project in New Smyrna Beach, Florida (Volusia County) required Arborist consultation and site design with a focus on maximizing profits while conserving the site's most valuable resources.

Floravista completed a comprehensive tree inventory of the approximately 500 trees surveyed on this site:  identifying each tree species and its DBH, examining each individual tree following certified arborist methodology, and compilng detailed data to produce a score-card on the health or hazard potential of each tree.

Subdivision Development Consultation

The Developer of a conservation subdivision design in Micco, Florida (Brevard County) utilized Floravista's advice on avoiding all wetland and specimen/heritage impacts. This saved the developer mitigation time and expenses, while preserving a naturally vegetated and wooded setting between the large lot home sites.

The natural vegetation fulfilled the tree canopy cover and landscaping requirements, and eliminated the need for spending money on additional landscaping. The result of this approach meant "instant", peripheral, native landscaping, offering privacy and a sound buffer between other houses and wetlands.

Retail Center Development

The Client's goal was to preserve healthy specimen and heritage trees and remove hazardous trees to beautify the planned retail center and minimize tree replacement costs on this densely wooded vacant site in Volusia County, Florida.  

Floravista worked with a tree survey to complete a comprehensive tree inventory and health assessment of the approximately 450 trees surveyed on this 4.49 acre site.   Historic trees (Quercus virginica 36 inches DBH and greater) received special attention and careful evaluation for preservation potential or removal proposal due to severly damaged, diseased, or dying condition.

Floravista recommended a roadmap to apply results to tree mitigation cost estimates and developed a Preservation Optimization plan.

12-Lot Subdivision Development

Floravista, Inc.  provided consulting services to the Client with a goal to avoid all listed species impacts, wetland and wetland buffer impacts and created a rural, conservation-oriented, wooded, subdivision design for a 32.580 acre parcel, while minimizing land clearing and mitigation costs.  

During 2006, Floravista, Inc. completed an environmental assessment of the site.   Floravista mapped the soils and vegetation, which comprised mesic pine flatwoods, hydric pine flatwoods, graminoid marsh, and scrubby pine flatwoods. Listed wildlife species were inventoried.  

To meet Brevard County's Tree Protection and Canopy Cover Ordinance, Floravista conducted canopy measurements in sub-sample units of varying canopy densities, including helicopter photography.