Starting last fall, Ridge Rangers gathered scrub oak acorns and then took the seeds to community festivals where they were potted
in trays by festival attendees. The resulting sprouts were repotted by Ridge
Rangers over the 2014-2015 winter into larger containers along with fertilizer and mycorrhizal
material, and the first batches are getting tall and ready for planting!
We have 2,500 well-maintained sprouts for this year's effort, and we’ll be planting them in a restoration area
over nine volunteer planting efforts starting July 1… and we’d love to
have your help!
The sprouts will be planted in a damaged oak scrub habitat
at the FWC Royce Unit, near Lake Placid, FL. Restoring the damaged
scrub will provide habitat for endangered species like Gopher Tortoises and the
Florida Scrub-Jay.
 The Royce Unit is located at 1630 Royce Ranch, Lake Placid, FL (click the image to access the map)..
For best planting survival rate and to take advantage of the seasonal rains, we’ll need to plant the oak sprouts between late June and mid-August. To avoid as much heat as possible, on most days we'll be planting in the morning and wrapping up by 11 AM (Thursday dates are all day).
We’d
love to have your help! The effort includes moving plants to the
planting area, digging holes in sandy soil (easy), planting the oak sprouts,
and watering the newly planted oaks. See dates on the left and click on the
links for the details.
If you or your organization would like to help but the dates
aren’t convenient, please contact the Ridge Rangers Coordinator at bill.parken@myfwc.com to coordinate a better time for you.
Can’t participate in the restoration effort but would still
like to help?
We’re raising funds to provide hydration drinks, energy food, and gear for volunteers doing the plantings ... you'll be helping someone else restore habitat for endangered species!
Donations are tax deductible and go to the Project Acorn account at the Wildlife Foundation of Florida, a registered 501(c)(3) organization (FEIN 59-3277808). $10 goes a long way!
Learn more at http://www.razoo.com/story/Projectacorn
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Please contact Bill Parken, Ridge Rangers Coordinator, at bill.parken@myfwc.com, or 863 699 3742.
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