FWC has recently started fencing off and doing controlled burns at the Henscratch Tract – named after the nearby road – and the Ridge Rangers will be reducing sand pines to help Scrub-Jays and beginning the debris cleanup at this tract in the upcoming weeks.

The Henscratch Tract is one of the many sites in FWC’s Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area, and is located to the immediate west of the Jack Creek tract.  The habitat at Henscratch is primarily oak scrub … and the endangered Florida Scrub-Jay lives there!

The Henscratch tract is located roughly half-way between Sebring and Lake Placid, and several miles to the west of US 27. The best access to the site is either via Henscratch Road or US 27.

Look for the workdays "Reduce Sand Pines" and "Clean Up Old Debris" below.

Saturday, March 3, from 8 AM to Noon

Reduce Sand Pines at Henscratch to Help Endangered Scrub-Jays

We'll be cutting down sand pines to create more useable habitat for Scrub-Jays. This type of pine will take over a Scrub Habitat, eliminating homes for endangered Scrub-Jays and harboring Scrub-Jay predators.

See the full details and register at this link.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018, from 9 AM to around noon

Kestrel Nest Box Survey Training

FWC Royce Unit, near Lake Placid

Looking for help for FWC’s annual Kestrel Nest Box Surveys! The surveys are done once per month April through June at six different sites in the Lake Placid/Avon Park area, and are done with another trained person at the team’s convenience.

This is the training for the surveys, where you’ll learn about:

• The threatened Southeastern American Kestrel and how this survey helps
• Survey Protocol
• Use of the Peeper Scope Camera System
• Smart phone app for data recording (optional)

This training has both a classroom portion and hands-on section in the field at a nearby kestrel box. See http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/KestrelTraining2018 for the details and to sign up!

The Southeastern American Kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus) is a non-migratory subspecies of kestrel found in open pine savannahs, sandhills, prairies, and pastures in Florida and the southeastern United States. It is listed as threatened in Florida due to a decline in nesting and foraging habitat. In the training you'll learn how biologists are using nest box programs to increase populations of this rare bird.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018, from 8 AM  to around noon.

Help Restore Prairie Habitat for Rare Species

Avon Park Air Force Range, Near Avon Park.

We’ll be using brush cutters and loppers to cut down small slash pines and myrtles to help restore the original prairie habitat to help rare and endangered species.

Kateri Tonyan of the Avon Park Air Force Range Conservation Office will be leading this workday.

Please see http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/MarchAPAFR2018 for the workday details and to register.