1 Collaborave habitat improvement project benefits sensive species on Apalachicola Naonal Forest and City of Tallahassee Author: Susan Blake, Naonal Forests in Florida, USDA Forest Service R ecently, a collaborave effort was undertaken to improve habitat surrounding two ephemeral wetlands along U.S. Highway 319 south of Capital Circle on the Apalachicola Naonal Forest. This was the first in a series of habitat improvement projects involving the USDA Forest Service, the City of Tallahassee and The Nature Conservancy. Ephemeral wetlands are temporary or seasonal ponds. On the Apalachicola they usually fill up during the rainy, wet winter months and dry out by late spring and early summer. Many amphibians and invertebrates lay their eggs in these ponds during the dry months. “It really was a group effort, the City of Tallahassee was great to work with along with The Nature Conservancy,” said Deputy District Ranger Harold Shenk of the Apalachicola Naonal Forest. According to Shenk, The City of Tallahassee approached the Forest Service because they needed to install new transmission lines through the Apalachicola Naonal Forest south of Tallahassee to improve the electrical reliability of the city’s power grid. “We had just issued a special-use permit to Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) and created a temporary 60-foot work corridor so they could install a gas pipeline. This was a great opportunity for the City of Tallahassee to install transmission lines in the same locaon without disturbing addional habitat in the area,” said Shenk. The collaboraon involved strategic land offsets between the Forest Service and the City of Tallahassee and agreements in which the city funded amphibian studies and habitat improvement projects. These ephemeral wetlands are an extremely important part of the surrounding ecosystem. The invertebrates and amphibians that live and breed there, both rare and common, provide the base of the food chain for the enre system. Fish, which normally would be a natural predator for these species, cannot survive in these wetlands due to the fluctuang condions. Although many amphibians and other wildlife ulize ephemeral wetlands, one parcular species of great interest in this area is the striped newt. At one me, the Apalachicola Naonal Forest held one of the most reliable and robust populaons of striped newts. During the 1990s the populaon of striped newts on the Apalachicola Naonal Forest began to decline. Although no one can completely explain this decline, most believe it is due to a combinaon of drought, disease, habitat alteraon and other unknown factors. Despite the regular burns along U.S. Highway 319, hardwoods have developed over me impacng amphibians and other wildlife species that depend on these ephemeral wetlands. Many years of hardwood expansion can create a fire barrier that prevents natural fires from burning out these wetlands. When hardwoods get established around an ephemeral wetland a cycle begins that is difficult to break. Hardwood lier does not burn as readily as pine straw and grasses that would naturally surround the wetland. “Many of the oaks had reached a size so that only a catastrophic wildfire would turn this system back to where it needs to be. By mechanically removing most of the hardwoods, we hope to turn back the clock and give fire a chance to start maintaining this ecosystem again,” said Jana Mo, wildlife restoraon specialist for The Nature Conservancy. To learn more contact Susan at (850) 523-8590. www.sfrc.ufl.edu/CFEOR 09.10.13 Wildlife Ecologist Ryan Means captures a newly-metamorphosed striped newt eſt moving out of its ephemeral wetland or pond. At one me the Apalachicola Naonal Forest held one of the most reliable and robust populaons of striped newts. (Photo/Wildlife Ecologist Ryan Means)
3
Embed
ollaborative habitat improvement project benefits …1 ollaborative habitat improvement project benefits sensitive species on Apalachicola National Forest and ity of Tallahassee Author:
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
1
Collaborative habitat improvement project benefits sensitive species on Apalachicola National Forest and City of Tallahassee Author: Susan Blake, National Forests in Florida, USDA Forest Service
R ecently, a collaborative effort was undertaken
to improve habitat surrounding two ephemeral
wetlands along U.S. Highway 319 south of Capital Circle on
the Apalachicola National Forest. This was the first in a series
of habitat improvement projects involving the USDA Forest
Service, the City of Tallahassee and The Nature Conservancy.
Ephemeral wetlands are temporary or seasonal ponds. On
the Apalachicola they usually fill up during the rainy, wet
winter months and dry out by late spring and early summer.
Many amphibians and invertebrates lay their eggs in these
ponds during the dry months.
“It really was a group effort, the City of Tallahassee was great
to work with along with The Nature Conservancy,” said
Deputy District Ranger Harold Shenk of the Apalachicola
National Forest.
According to Shenk, The City of Tallahassee approached the
Forest Service because they needed to install new
transmission lines through the Apalachicola National Forest
south of Tallahassee to improve the electrical reliability of
the city’s power grid.
“We had just issued a special-use permit to Florida Gas
Transmission (FGT) and created a temporary 60-foot work
corridor so they could install a gas pipeline. This was a great
opportunity for the City of Tallahassee to install transmission
lines in the same location without disturbing additional
habitat in the area,” said Shenk.
The collaboration involved strategic land offsets between the
Forest Service and the City of Tallahassee and agreements in
which the city funded amphibian studies and habitat
improvement projects.
These ephemeral wetlands are an extremely important part
of the surrounding ecosystem. The invertebrates and
amphibians that live and breed there, both rare and
common, provide the base of the food chain for the entire
system. Fish, which normally would be a natural predator for
these species, cannot survive in these wetlands due to the
fluctuating conditions.
Although many
amphibians and other
wildlife utilize
ephemeral wetlands,
one particular species of
great interest in this
area is the striped newt.
At one time, the
Apalachicola National
Forest held one of the
most reliable and robust
populations of striped
newts.
During the 1990s the
population of striped
newts on the
Apalachicola National Forest began to decline. Although no
one can completely explain this decline, most believe it is due
to a combination of drought, disease, habitat alteration and
other unknown factors.
Despite the regular burns along U.S. Highway 319,
hardwoods have developed over time impacting amphibians
and other wildlife species that depend on these ephemeral
wetlands. Many years of hardwood expansion can create a
fire barrier that prevents natural fires from burning out these
wetlands.
When hardwoods get established around an ephemeral
wetland a cycle begins that is difficult to break. Hardwood
litter does not burn as readily as pine straw and grasses that
would naturally surround the wetland.
“Many of the oaks had reached a size so that only a
catastrophic wildfire would turn this system back to where it
needs to be. By mechanically removing most of the
hardwoods, we hope to turn back the clock and give fire a
chance to start maintaining this ecosystem again,” said Jana
Mott, wildlife restoration specialist for The Nature
Conservancy. To learn more contact Susan at (850) 523-8590.
www.sfrc.ufl.edu/CFEOR
09.10.13
Wildlife Ecologist Ryan Means captures a newly-metamorphosed striped newt eft moving out of its ephemeral wetland or pond. At one time the Apalachicola National Forest held one of the most reliable and robust populations of striped newts. (Photo/Wildlife Ecologist Ryan Means)