patrickbdevaney/mia9 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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augmented if necessary; prescribed fire must be used as a management tool;
preserves must be monitored for re-establishment of known exotic species and the
establishment of new species, and these plants and animals must be removed
before they can become well established; water management agencies must be
lobbied to continue providing the proper quantity of water; and, preserves must be
protected from pesticides and other contaminants.
Potentially, pine rocklands can also be restored where they have been
destroyed, although considerable research is needed in this area. Numerous
scrape-down sites exist in southern Miami-Dade County where the soil surface
was removed and the terrain leveled by a bulldozer. At many of these sites, pine
rockland herbs have recovered and now dominate the site, although exotic plant
species, especially grasses, have recently begun to invade these sites.
Potentially, pine rocklands can also be created from scratch. Native plant
enthusiasts have been promoting the use of native plants and the restoration of
native plant communities in South Florida since the early 1970s, and pine
rocklands are one of the natural communities which people have attempted to
create de novo. Efforts to create pine rocklands within the built environment began
as early as 1987 (H. Block, personal communication 1998). Almost all attempts to
create pine rocklands have been by homeowners and schools. While the
establishment of pine rockland herbs and shrubs (including palms) can be
accomplished fairly easily, the long-term establishment of South Florida slash
pine has been problematic. After a number of years of growth, most pines become
sick and die. This may be due to a lack of mycorrhizal fungi in the pine roots (e.g.
Sylvia 1997). Pine rockland is also a challenging natural community to create
because it requires fire, and the use of fire within a residential environment is
almost totally precluded. Fire analogs (such as trimming of shrubs and raking of
pine needle duff) have been explored, but will require more attention if this type
of community restoration is to be effective.
In the early 1990s, The Association of Florida Native Nurseries published a
common-sense guide to xeric landscaping with Florida Native Plants which
included a preliminary list of recommended species for pine rockland (Jameson
and Moyroud 1991). Miami-Dade County has recently published The Landscape
Manual (Miami-Dade County Department of Planning, Development, and
Regulation 1996), which includes a brief community description, a list of
recommended plants for pine rockland creation, and a table including cultural
requirements and tolerances. G. Gann of the Institute for Regional Conservation
has developed preliminary guidelines for pine rockland creation, but these have
not yet been published. Guidelines for the rescue of pine rockland plants from
development sites have also been developed (Hammer 1997). Pine rockland
creation guidelines should be completed and expanded to include pine rockland
creation in the Florida Keys, and refined to provide specific guidelines for distinct
floristic sub-regions (e.g. southern Miami-Dade County vs. Big Pine Key).
Page 3-181
PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida
One of the downsides of the trend in landscaping with native plants is that
some species are being distributed outside of their historic range, where they can
become established and, potentially, invasive. For example, the mahogany
(Swietenia mahagoni), which is native to the upper Florida Keys and the southern
edge of the mainland, has been widely distributed in cultivation throughout
southeastern Florida. It now has begun to naturalize throughout southeastern
Florida and poses a threat to several natural communities, including pine
rocklands. Other native species naturalizing outside of their historic range include
bitterbush (Picramnia pentandra) (Avery and Loope 1980), butterfly sage (Cordia
globosa), coffee colubrina (Colubrina arborescens), redberry stopper (Eugenia
confusa) (Avery and Loope 1980), and twinberry stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans).
In South Florida, native species have very specific natural ranges, and these
ranges must be respected within the restoration planning context.
Research is also a critical component of pine rockland recovery, especially
applied research that pertains to the recovery of the ecosystem. Loope and
Dunevitz (1981) provided a review of research relating to pine rocklands on the
Miami Rock Ridge up to that time. Recent research on pine rocklands has been
conducted by Armentano et al. (1995), Kernan (1997), Oberbauer et al. (1997),
Ross and Ruiz (1996), and Ross et al. (1997) and includes work on hurricanerelated mortality of South Florida slash pines, wind-throw of slash pine caused by
Hurricane Andrew, and research on endemic plants in the Florida Keys and the
Miami Rock Ridge. Current research on pine rocklands includes: the effects of
season of burning and proper fire-return intervals in pine rocklands on Big Pine
Key (M. Ross, personal communication 1998), research on the restoration of 1.6
ha (four acres) of pine rockland on Big Pine Key (M. Ross, personal
communication 1998); research on micorrhizal fungi and its role in pine rockland
restoration (J. Fisher, personal communication 1998); research on plant-animal
interactions and the effects of fragmentation on the pollination of pine rockland
plants on the Miami Rock Ridge (S. Koptur, Florida International University,
personal communication 1998); research on hurricane effects on mortality of
South Florida slash pines (R. Doren, Everglades NP, personal communication
1998).
Finally, formal and informal public awareness programs to promote pine
rockland conservation are very important and should be promoted. Everglades
NP, and the National Key Deer Refuge have excellent facilities interpreting the
importance of pine rocklands. Miami-Dade County has also produced a plant
guide of common pine rockland plants with a forward describing the
importance of the pine rockland community (Austin, no date).
Page 3-182
PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida
Species Community
Amorpha herbacea var. crenulata
Argythamnia blodgettii
Brickellia mosieri
Chamaecrista lineata var. keyensis
Chamaesyce conferta
Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. adhaerens
Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea
Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. pinetorum
Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. serphyllum
Chamaesyce garberi
Chamaesyce porteriana
Dalea carthagenensis var. floridana
Digitaria pauciflora
Elytraria caroliniensis var. angustifolia
Galactia pinetorum
Galactia smallii

augmented if necessary; prescribed fire must be used as a management tool;

preserves must be monitored for re-establishment of known exotic species and the

establishment of new species, and these plants and animals must be removed

before they can become well established; water management agencies must be

lobbied to continue providing the proper quantity of water; and, preserves must be

protected from pesticides and other contaminants.

Potentially, pine rocklands can also be restored where they have been

destroyed, although considerable research is needed in this area. Numerous

scrape-down sites exist in southern Miami-Dade County where the soil surface

was removed and the terrain leveled by a bulldozer. At many of these sites, pine

rockland herbs have recovered and now dominate the site, although exotic plant

species, especially grasses, have recently begun to invade these sites.

Potentially, pine rocklands can also be created from scratch. Native plant

enthusiasts have been promoting the use of native plants and the restoration of

native plant communities in South Florida since the early 1970s, and pine

rocklands are one of the natural communities which people have attempted to

create de novo. Efforts to create pine rocklands within the built environment began

as early as 1987 (H. Block, personal communication 1998). Almost all attempts to

create pine rocklands have been by homeowners and schools. While the

establishment of pine rockland herbs and shrubs (including palms) can be

accomplished fairly easily, the long-term establishment of South Florida slash

pine has been problematic. After a number of years of growth, most pines become

sick and die. This may be due to a lack of mycorrhizal fungi in the pine roots (e.g.

Sylvia 1997). Pine rockland is also a challenging natural community to create

because it requires fire, and the use of fire within a residential environment is

almost totally precluded. Fire analogs (such as trimming of shrubs and raking of

pine needle duff) have been explored, but will require more attention if this type

of community restoration is to be effective.

In the early 1990s, The Association of Florida Native Nurseries published a

common-sense guide to xeric landscaping with Florida Native Plants which

included a preliminary list of recommended species for pine rockland (Jameson

and Moyroud 1991). Miami-Dade County has recently published The Landscape

Manual (Miami-Dade County Department of Planning, Development, and

Regulation 1996), which includes a brief community description, a list of

recommended plants for pine rockland creation, and a table including cultural

requirements and tolerances. G. Gann of the Institute for Regional Conservation

has developed preliminary guidelines for pine rockland creation, but these have

not yet been published. Guidelines for the rescue of pine rockland plants from

development sites have also been developed (Hammer 1997). Pine rockland

creation guidelines should be completed and expanded to include pine rockland

creation in the Florida Keys, and refined to provide specific guidelines for distinct

floristic sub-regions (e.g. southern Miami-Dade County vs. Big Pine Key).

Page 3-181

PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida

One of the downsides of the trend in landscaping with native plants is that

some species are being distributed outside of their historic range, where they can

become established and, potentially, invasive. For example, the mahogany

(Swietenia mahagoni), which is native to the upper Florida Keys and the southern

edge of the mainland, has been widely distributed in cultivation throughout

southeastern Florida. It now has begun to naturalize throughout southeastern

Florida and poses a threat to several natural communities, including pine

rocklands. Other native species naturalizing outside of their historic range include

bitterbush (Picramnia pentandra) (Avery and Loope 1980), butterfly sage (Cordia

globosa), coffee colubrina (Colubrina arborescens), redberry stopper (Eugenia

confusa) (Avery and Loope 1980), and twinberry stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans).

In South Florida, native species have very specific natural ranges, and these

ranges must be respected within the restoration planning context.

Research is also a critical component of pine rockland recovery, especially

applied research that pertains to the recovery of the ecosystem. Loope and

Dunevitz (1981) provided a review of research relating to pine rocklands on the

Miami Rock Ridge up to that time. Recent research on pine rocklands has been

conducted by Armentano et al. (1995), Kernan (1997), Oberbauer et al. (1997),

Ross and Ruiz (1996), and Ross et al. (1997) and includes work on hurricanerelated mortality of South Florida slash pines, wind-throw of slash pine caused by

Hurricane Andrew, and research on endemic plants in the Florida Keys and the

Miami Rock Ridge. Current research on pine rocklands includes: the effects of

season of burning and proper fire-return intervals in pine rocklands on Big Pine

Key (M. Ross, personal communication 1998), research on the restoration of 1.6

ha (four acres) of pine rockland on Big Pine Key (M. Ross, personal

communication 1998); research on micorrhizal fungi and its role in pine rockland

restoration (J. Fisher, personal communication 1998); research on plant-animal

interactions and the effects of fragmentation on the pollination of pine rockland

plants on the Miami Rock Ridge (S. Koptur, Florida International University,

personal communication 1998); research on hurricane effects on mortality of

South Florida slash pines (R. Doren, Everglades NP, personal communication

1998).

Finally, formal and informal public awareness programs to promote pine

rockland conservation are very important and should be promoted. Everglades

NP, and the National Key Deer Refuge have excellent facilities interpreting the

importance of pine rocklands. Miami-Dade County has also produced a plant

guide of common pine rockland plants with a forward describing the

importance of the pine rockland community (Austin, no date).

Page 3-182

PINE ROCKLANDS Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida

Species Community

Amorpha herbacea var. crenulata

Argythamnia blodgettii

Brickellia mosieri

Chamaecrista lineata var. keyensis

Chamaesyce conferta

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. adhaerens

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. deltoidea

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. pinetorum

Chamaesyce deltoidea ssp. serphyllum

Chamaesyce garberi

Chamaesyce porteriana

Dalea carthagenensis var. floridana

Digitaria pauciflora

Elytraria caroliniensis var. angustifolia

Galactia pinetorum

Galactia smallii