|
The Ridge Rangers dedicated 95 hours of cumulative work in October and December pushing back the invasion front on Carter Creek tract of Lake Wales Ridge (LWR) Wildlife and Environmental Area (WEA). This work will allow for future successful restorative fires and create habitable areas for rare and endangered Florida plants, 28 of which are known to occur on the site. As we look ahead to 2020, we hope to be able to continue to make significant gains towards removing balsam apple from this area! Balsam apple is an invasive vining plant, brought to the United States as a culinary and medicinal crop. It is easy to spot the ripe fruit of this plant, which is bright orange with fleshy red seeds. When left to grow unimpeded in natural areas its extensive vines can overcome native plant species and shade out smaller plants.
 A heap of balsam apple vines
Bring in the sun! Maintaining healthy habitats in Florida sometimes requires removal of overabundant native plants. Human disturbance often interferes with natural processes that keep populations of plants within a community in check. Trees, such as pines and oaks, can overshadow sun-loving wildflowers. During cooler months, the Ridge Rangers are often called upon to assist land managers in tree reduction efforts.
Oak Reduction with Florida Forestry Service and Bok Tower Gardens
In November the Ridge Rangers helped with two separate projects to protect state listed endangered flowering plants that exist only in central Florida and nowhere else on earth. The first was part of an ongoing restoration effort at Walk-in-the-Water Wildlife Management Area, part of the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest, where the Ridge Rangers worked alongside the Florida Forestry Service to reduce a dense overgrowth of more than 1300 small-diameter oaks. This project will benefit two state listed endangered flowering plants, scrub pigeonwing (Clitoria fragrans) and Florida lady’s nightcap (Bonamia grandiflora). For the second project, the Ridge Rangers assisted Bok Tower Gardens staff to remove 2722 trees encroaching on sandhill habitat for the benefit of the endangered clasping warea (Warea amlexifolia).
 Ridge Rangers work with Florida Forest Service staff to remove an overgrowth of oaks
Avon Park Slash Pine Reduction
Carnivorous plants such as sundew and pitcher plant are dependent upon open, boggy prairies with unobstructed canopies. Many of these plants found in Florida are also threatened. To ensure future habitat heath of these extraordinary plants, delicate orchids and other wildflowers, the Ridge Rangers participated in three slash pine reductions resulting in 1,525 trees removed. Way to go!
 Ridge Rangers braved foggy mornings to help remove slash pines.
 Hooded pitcher plant (Serracenia minor), left, and pink sundew (Drosera capillaris), right, both encountered during the workday.
It may not be glamourous, but debris removal is a critically important task performed by FWC volunteers throughout the state. In an ongoing effort, the Ridge Rangers are tackling trash removal at Highlands Park Estates in Lake Placid, FL on recently fenced public land. During two workdays in October and December, over 30 bags of glass bottles and 35 lbs. of aluminum cans were recovered, with more left on-site awaiting a future workday to be retrieved. These bottles and cans represent a long history of the site’s misuse as a “party” spot.
A huge THANK YOU to the Ridge Rangers participating in this cleanup. We love for people to visit our public spaces and hope they enjoy their time in nature, but we encourage visitors to embrace the “stash your trash" culture and teach others to do the same. Join us in 2020 to help us continue to reclaim the site for wildlife!
 Ridge Rangers (from left to right) Bill Smith, Gabriel Rogasner, Liane Plumhoff, Barbara Stimpson , Marilyn Blair, Connie Sweet and Bill Rogasner after the first of two workdays.
 Ridge Rangers scouted the area for trash, much of which was hidden by vegetation.
 Bottles, cans and even a wire spring mattress were found and removed during the workday.
|
