Assessing wetland conditions across Orange County to guide land-use decisions, environmental protections, and long-term growth planning.
Wetlands play a critical role in flood attenuation, water quality protection, habitat, and overall ecosystem function. Rapid population growth in Central Florida has increased pressure on these natural systems through development, infrastructure expansion, and land-use change.
County leaders needed a comprehensive understanding of wetland conditions and trends to guide future planning decisions. Without reliable data, policies risked either over-restricting growth or failing to protect critical resources.
The assessment would provide an objective basis for balancing environmental stewardship with continued development.
Drummond Carpenter evaluated wetlands and surface waters across Orange County using field observations, spatial analysis, and historical comparisons, such as:
Rather than examining wetlands as individual sites, the study considered how they function as interconnected components of broader watershed systems.
Together, the analysis gave Orange County a countywide picture of where wetland systems were changing, where pressures were emerging, and how those trends could inform future planning and protection.
Central Florida’s landscape has changed substantially over time, altering drainage patterns and ecological relationships.
The analysis drew on:
Combining these sources allowed the County to see both current wetland conditions and how those systems were changing over time.
The report became a key reference for decision-makers addressing growth and environmental protection.
Wetland systems influence flooding, water supply, biodiversity and resilience to extreme weather. As regions grow, understanding how these systems are changing becomes increasingly important to land-use and environmental decisions.
By establishing a countywide picture grounded in data and field observations, Drummond Carpenter helped Orange County connect long-term planning with the changing conditions of its wetlands and surface waters.
The project was recognized with a Diamond Award from the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council and by the Florida League of Counties.
