The Wetlandsbank Group completed the Panther Island Mitigation Bank adjacent to Corkscrew in 2009. The restoration was successful in bringing high quality wetland functions back on what had been agricultural fields.

Given the obvious wetland value of the restored habitat, Audubon accepted the responsibility of serving as the long term steward of Panther Island, which is now an important part of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Since that time, Audubon has embarked on a partnership to expand the bank within the boundaries of the Sanctuary to restore other agricultural fields which were formerly wetlands. 

Audubon has directed the design of the bank expansion to center on restoration of shallow wetlands aimed at providing foraging habitat for the endangered wood stork colony nesting at Corkscrew.

In 2012, restoration began on the 1,500 acres of the expansion site and is currently underway.