Management
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Chris Tucker
Enclosure protecting several hatchling gopher
tortoises from predators
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Branan Field WEA was acquired with funds received through
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s
Mitigation Park Program. The primary goal of this program is to
compensate for gopher tortoise habitat lost to development elsewhere.
Through the program, developers opt to provide funds that are used to
acquire and manage other offsite, upland plant communities. The Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission is responsible for the resource
management of the area; activities are directed toward the restoring and
maintaining habitats critical to the long-term benefit of state
and federally listed upland species, particularly the gopher tortoise,
Florida mouse and southeastern kestrel.
After coming into state ownership and management, the commercial pine
stands were thinned to open up dense tree canopies and stimulate the
growth of ground-dwelling plants used for food by the gopher tortoise.
Open canopies also allow the heat from direct sunlight to assist with
tortoise nest incubation. Regular prescribed burning, using frequent,
high intensity growing season burns, was introduced as a primary
management tool. These burns mimic lightning ignited fires and help
control hardwood growth while promoting wiregrass and longleaf pine seed
germination. Burns also help control hardwood encroachment in wetter
areas dominated by slash pines and palmettos.
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