Miradores Mitigation

Over the last two centuries, development in the Lower Rio Grande Valley has greatly impacted many wildlife species, including the endangered ocelot, jaguarundi, and Aplomado falcon. To mitigate some of these impacts, Fred Phillips Consulting was hired in 2019 to lead the design and planning of a 1,150 acre Permittee-Responsible Mitigation project near Harlingen, Texas. The project includes creating over 350 acres of “pothole” wetland and the enhancement and creation of 800 acres of coastal prairie and mesquite thorn-scrub habitat.

Under the direction of Ecosystems Investment Partners, the firm and Oxbow Ecological Engineering were tasked with completing the Mitigation Plan; implementing site soil, vegetation and topography surveys; and developing site revegetation, grading, and long term monitoring plans. The firm was also responsible for procuring the plant materials, construction team, and contractors for exotic plant control, seed and tree planting, and land grading. In under a year, the project was designed, permitted, and had a contracting team in place.

When completed, this project will be a model for precipitation-fed “pothole” wetlands and thorn-scrub restoration in the Lower Rio Grande River. These areas will provide critical habitat for the ocelot, jaguarundi and Aplomado falcon.

Project Slide Show