Small but ecologically valuable, freshwater wetlands – especially near the coast – are extremely important for wading birds and amphibians.  These “frog ponds” have historically been lost disproportionately in the Tampa Bay ecosystem, and are a priority for restoration.

Ecosphere converted degraded uplands on this property along Tampa Bay’s South Shore into five freshwater ponds by removing fill material and invasive Brazilian pepper and Australian pine trees, sculpting shallow ponds with gently sloping banks and installing native aquatic plants. The ponds are an essential component of a larger, 1,100-acre tidal wetland restoration conducted by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Wolf Branch Creek is now a nature preserve managed by Hillsborough County, open to the public for passive nature recreation such as fishing and wildlife watching.