Rare Blushing Scrub Balm Endangered by Proposed Polk County Tollway

Endangered Blushing Scrub Balm

• 💡 The blushing scrub balm, an extremely rare plant, is listed as both a state and federal endangered species.
• 📌 This unique plant grows exclusively in Polk County, specifically in the Lake Marian Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Proposed Tollway Threat

• 🛣️ The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is proposing a new toll highway to alleviate future traffic congestion.
• ⚠️ Two alternative corridors for the highway pass dangerously close to the blushing scrub balm's only known natural habitat.
• 🌳 The highway construction could significantly hinder the ability to perform prescribed burns, which are essential for maintaining the plant's habitat.

Conservation Efforts and Challenges

• 🚫 Conservationists recommend a no-build alternative or relocating the highway further west.
• 🪴 Moving the plants is extremely difficult due to their exact habitat requirements.
• 🔬 The long-term impact of losing the blushing scrub balm on other Polk County species is unknown.
• 🤝 FDOT states they will collaborate with rare plant experts and ecologists to avoid and mitigate impacts on sensitive species.
• 🗓️ FDOT will present proposed corridors by the end of the year, with planning, design, and environmental impact assessments to follow.