Ridge Rangers April 2015 Newsletter

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sent this bulletin at 04/02/2015 03:12 PM EDT

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Ridge Rangers are volunteers restoring wildlife habitat on the Lake Wales Ridge and nearby areas in Central Florida.

April 2015

April is National Volunteer Month!

News and Updates

March 31, 2015: The Royce Native Plant Nursery is completey full!

Expansion of the Royce Native Plant Nursery

Over the last few months Ridge Rangers have been re-potting our scrub oak sprouts from tray cells into one gallon pots to increase plant survivability for summer’s restoration plantings. We’re now over half way to our goal of 2,500 repotted sprouts, and the Royce nursery is full!

In the upcoming weeks, contractors will be doubling the current size of the Royce nursery. This new phase will use rustproof metal tables and have overhead irrigation, but, as advised by experts, it won't have overhead shade cloth ... more sun will increase the growth of the sprouts!

We’re targeting to have the expansion complete by the April 29 nursery workday … hoping to get another 500 plants repotted then!

Raising funds to help volunteers do challenging restoration planting

Would you like help provide hydration drinks, energy bars, and inexpensive water bottles for the volunteers who will be planting the above oak sprouts this summer in damaged Florida Scrub? These items can’t be purchased by the state, but are unbelievably helpful to everyone working in the heat to restore this critical habitat.

The donations are tax deductible and quick & easy to do, and $10 goes a long way …

Learn more at Help a critical wildlife habitat by helping a volunteer

Upcoming Events in April

Saturday, April 4

Easter Weekend - No Ridge Rangers Workday

Metal Debris at Highlands Hammock State Park

Remove Old Metal Debris to Restore Habitat

Highlands Hammock State Park (near Sebring, FL)

Saturday, April 11, 8:30 AM to Noon

We’ll be removing old dumped appliances and other debris from a section of Highlands Hammocks State Park that is rarely seen.

Your efforts cleaning up this scrub oak habitat will help to restore it to its natural condition.

We'll be meeting at the corner of Dunn Ave and Golfview Road, and entering an eastern section of the park through a gate at that intersection. For the full details, see http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/HHSPapril2015

Ridge Rangers Recognition Event

Saturday, April 18

FWC Royce Ranch

Our annual event for everyone who has participated in the program in the last year.

Theme: Birds That Migrate

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Paul Gray

Science Coordinator for Audubon Florida's Everglades Program

Questions? Please contact the Ridge Rangers Coordinator at ridgerangers@myfwc.com

Remove Invasive Guava Trees To Help Restore State Forest

Prairie Tract of the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest (near Frostproof, FL)

Wednesday, April 22, 8 AM to around noon

We'll be using handsaws, loppers, and chainsaws (for qualified Ridge Rangers) to help restore this habitat by removing invasive guava trees.

Meet at the Forest Service Office on CR 630 near Frostproof at 8 AM (we'll be moving from there to the Prairie Tract). For a map of the meeting location and to register, please see http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/GuavaLWRSFApril .

April 22 is Earth Day!

Ridge Rangers carry a ladder to inspect a Kestral Box

Inspect Kestrel Boxes for Nesting Status

Conservation sites near Lake Placid, FL

Saturday, April 25, from 8 AM to around noon

We’ll meet at the Publix parking lot in Lake Placid, and then travel to FWC Platt Branch (near Venus), where we’ll inspect four Kestrel Boxes. From there and as time permits, we’ll travel to Highlands Hammock State Park and inspect two more boxes.

At each conservation area, we’ll use a 4WD vehicle to travel down firebreaks to the kestrel boxes (typically on established poles), and then place a ladder and climb to inspect the boxes for kestrel use and for any issues.

Three persons (plus myself) are needed. See http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/KestrelApril2015

Ridge Rangers Group Shot after Repotting

Repot Scrub Oak Sprouts for Project Acorn

FWC Royce Unit (near Lake Placid, FL)

Wednesday, April 29, from 9 AM to around noon

We're targeting to have the nursery expansion complete before this workday, and hoping we'll get 500 sprouts repotted!.

We’ll be working in the native plant nursery at the FWC Royce Unit, transplanting baby scrub oaks from tray cells to one-gallon pots, which will be planted next summer in the Project Acorn Restoration area at the FWC Royce Unit. Repotting the sprouts from tray cells to one gallon containers greatly increases the planting survival rates!

Meet at the Royce Admin Area parking lot at 9 AM, see a map, full details, and sign up at http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/ProjectAcornApril2015 .

Editor: Bill Parken, Ridge Rangers Coordinator, bill.parken@myfwc.com

Ridge Rangers are volunteers helping to restore wildlife habitat on the Lake Wales Ridge and nearby areas in Central Florida.

Learn more

Ridge Rangers website: myfwc.com/ridgerangers

Upcoming schedule at Ridge Rangers Online Calendar.

Support our fundraiser at Help a critical wildlife habitat by helping a volunteer

Want to participate in the Ridge Rangers program? Apply here, or just look on our calendar, sign up for a workday and come on out! There are no dues and no commitments in the Ridge Ranger program.

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