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In this newsletter ...

• December Ridge Ranger Events
• Reference Links
• Sand Pine Removal Wraps Up at Lake Placid Scrub
• Update on Project Acorn ... In pictures

December Ridge Ranger Events

Mondays in December

Help in  the Native Plant Nursery at DEP Homeland
Near Bartow

See the Ridge Rangers Online Calendar for the nursery dates at Homeland..

Tuesdays in December

Help in the Native Plant Nursery at FWC Royce Unit
Near Lake Placid

See the Ridge Rangers Online Calendar for the nursery dates at the Royce Unit.

Saturday, December 7
Collect and Sow Seeds - Warea Tract Project
Near Clermont
We'll be working with Florida Forest Service Staff to collect selected seeds and then sow in nearby open areas to help restore damaged habitat.

Saturday, December 14
Remove Invasives on Conservation Lands along the Peace River
Near Bartow
We'll be removing invasive Chinese Tallow trees  along the Peace River in the 280 acre Upper Peace River Conservation Area

Tuesday, December 17
Plant Acorns to Restore Scrub Oak Habitat at FWC Royce Unit
Near Lake Placid
We'll be using tools to work standing up while moving through an open sandy area and planting acorns collected by Ridge Rangers earlier this fall. 

Wednesday, December 18
Plant Scrub Lupine seedlings at Mackay Gardens
Lake Alfred
We'll be planting seedlings of the rare lupine plant in a restoration plot at the Mackay estate.

See the full schedule at Ridge Rangers Online Calendar

Reference Links

Ridge Rangers Home Page: http://www.myfwc.com/ridgerangers

For Land Managers: Workday Request Form

Would you like to find out about the Ridge Rangers program, including how to participate? Send an email to the Ridge Rangers Coordinator

The Ridge Rangers Online Calendar has our schedule of upcoming volunteer events.

For Ridge Rangers working independently: find out how to report your hours at this link

Would you like to make a donation to help support Ridge Ranger workdays? See Ridge Rangers 501 (c)(3) Fund

11/2/2013: Ridge Ranger Marilyn Blair prepares to cut down sand pines at FWC Lake Placid Scrub Unit.

Sand Pine Removal Wraps Up at Lake Placid Scrub

Ridge Rangers completed the sand pine removal effort at FWC Lake Placid Scrub Unit in early November, clearing hundreds of sand pines from over 20 acres in three workdays in 2013.

Scrub-jays prefer scrub habitat without a lot of tall trees like sand pines, as they provide perches for jay predators like hawks and owls. Cutting down the intruding pines increases preferred habitat for these endangered birds.

FWC prioritized this project to provide more short term living area for the jays while the surrounding areas underwent long term controlled-burn management.Twelve Ridge Rangers contributed a total of over 90 hours to achieve this critical habitat enhancement need!

Aerial image of the area where Ridge Rangers cleared sand pines from scrub habitat. FWC Lake Placid Scrub is a 3,158 acre site located to the southwest of Lake Placid, and is home to many families of scrub-jays.

Update on Project Acorn ... In pictures

First CCC Days Sprouts Up! Acorns potted on November 9 by CCC Days attendees at Highlands Hammock State Park are starting to show ...

Boktoberfest Sprouts Doing Great Hundreds of sprouts are up and growing from acorns potted in mid-October at Boktoberfest.

The count so far ... .. is about 6,500 acorns potted in 3,000 containers ... and around 600 sprouts are up!

We'll be planting acorns directly in damaged habitat at FWC Royce unit on Tuesday morning, Dec 17 ... come help us! See http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/RoyceAcornDec

Project Acorn is multiyear effort to grow and plant scrub oaks to restore damaged scrub oak habitat on the Lake Wales Ridge.