Management
|
Shane Belson
|
Fort White 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
minimize the effects of new development on gopher tortoise populations.
Developers may provide funds that are used for the acquisition and
management of other offsite, upland communities. The FWC is responsible
for all aspects of management on Fort White and the primary goal is to
promote habitat conditions critical to sustaining gopher tortoise, Sherman’s fox squirrel and other
listed upland species.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists have thinned
pines to open up dense tree canopies and stimulate the growth of
ground-dwelling plants used for food by the gopher tortoise. Fire
exclusion by previous landowners allowed oaks and other hardwoods to
become established, creating unfavorable conditions for gopher tortoises
and fox squirrels. Herbicide treatment and selective mechanical removal
are used to control this hardwood encroachment, but the primary
management tool is prescribed fire, using frequent, high intensity
growing season burns. These burns mimic lightning ignited fires and help
control hardwood growth while promoting wiregrass and longleaf pine seed
germination. The resulting open, grassy understory provides excellent
wildlife habitat and scenic expanses of fall wildflowers.
