Management

Heavy thickets of palmetto have encroached on many places on Babcock-Webb. This overgrown palmetto was not present historically and has reduced the habitat for native plants and wildlife. Single pass roller chopping is used to reduce heavily overgrown palmetto areas and to return the vegetation to the primary stages of plant succession, benefiting many species of wildlife. Roller chopping also reduces the volume of volatile fuels.

Babcock-Webb now has an annual all-season burning program to further reduce hazardous fuel accumulation, to improve wildlife habitat, and to restore fire-dependent ecological communities. Fire is important for maintaining communities favored by the beautiful pawpaw and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

Return to Natural Communities