patrickbdevaney/mia9 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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of other machinery.
All exotic plant control methods in pine rocklands should limit soil disturbance. Soil
disturbances can create opportunities for invasion of the same exotic plant being removed or for
new exotic or ruderal species. While utilizing techniques such as hand pulling or digging, soil
disturbance should be reduced as much as possible. Chemical control or cutting of exotic plants
can also be employed as alternatives to soil disturbing activities.
Management Policy
Exotic plants must be eliminated from pine rockland EEL sites or maintained at very
low densities. Planting of these species on pine rockland EEL sites is forbidden.
EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 36
4.5.2 Animals
Populations of exotic animals in the pine rockland community should be evaluated for their
impact to these habitat. In addition to feral domestic cats, already discussed Part I of this
management plan (see Section 5.2.2.2), the following non-indigenous animals have the potential
to impact pine rockland communities to varying degrees. Non-indigenous animals should be
targeted for removal from pine rockland fragments, especially when they alter ecosystem
processes, compete with native wildlife, or damage native plant species. Control of some species
may be impractical or even impossible.
Red imported fire ant – Fire ants may be controlled by treating individual mounds or through
broadcast treatments. While broadcast treatments are more effective at eliminating entire
colonies, this technique should generally be avoided in EEL pine rocklands so as not to impact
populations of native ant species. There are many options for mound treatment, but the most
appropriate and effective in natural areas is probably placing toxic bait directly on individual
mounds. Biological controls are also being tested in Florida and may prove to be appropriate for
EEL sites. These include a decapitating fly of the genus Pseudacteon which attacks fire ant
workers and a fire ant disease, Thelohania solenopsae (Willcox and Giuliano 2006).

European starling – Numerous products exist for controlling starlings, but many of these would
likely disturb native birds as well. There are auditory repelling devices designed to target this
species by emitting their distress calls, but experimentation should be done prior to installation to
ensure that they only impact starlings. Even if effective, this method may only work in smaller
pineland fragments where enough devices could be set up to cover the entire area.
Parrots and parakeets – Managing for members of the Psittacidae family may not be possible.
These birds are highly charismatic and are adored by the public. Any large-scale effort to control
their populations will likely be met with outrage. The only option may be monitoring of nest
cavities and manual removal of non-native birds.
Lobate lac scale – Protected pine rockland areas should be monitored for the presence of this
species and control measures implemented in the area if detected. Some woody plant species
appear to be highly susceptible, including certain natives, e.g., wax-myrtle, strangler-fig,
myrsine, swamp bay, and wild-coffee. Control can be accomplished in part by following regular
subcanopy management recommendations – cutting and burning. In some cases, especially for
rare plants, an insecticidal solution may be applied for several weeks to kill the scales. Treatment
of lobate lac scale is particularly important in areas with rare bushes, especially Florida
prairieclover and crenulate leadplant, which have been observed with infestations.
Management Policy
Control measures must be developed and implemented at pine rockland EEL
preserves to halt and reverse the spread of invasive naturalized exotic animal species
and to prevent the establishment of new exotic animal species populations
EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 37
4.6 Fire Management
Since pine rocklands are fire climax communities, fire management, along with exotic plant
control, is one of the most critical techniques required to restore and manage pine rocklands.
Site-specific recommendations and objectives for prescribed fires will be presented in Part III of
this management plan. General recommendations for fire management are discussed here,
including hardwood control, fire breaks, prescribed burning, and alternatives to prescribed
burning.
4.6.1 Hardwood Control
Manual, mechanical, or chemical hardwood
control will be required at many pine
rockland sites to prepare for prescribed
fires. The amount of woody material to be
removed should be coordinated with the
burn team. Hardwood and palm densities
should be reduced prior to burning to
reduce burn temperatures. An added benefit
is the reduction of smoke levels during and
post-fire, and less need for mop up.
4.6.2 Fire Breaks
Fire breaks should be maintained or installed around all pine rocklands. Construction of these
fire breaks is necessary to permit access for fire fighting equipment and staff. Fire breaks are also
essential to protection of structures and surrounding properties if and when wildfires occur.
Only general considerations about fire breaks are made here in Part II. Their specific location on
each site is discussed in Part III of this management plan.
Though utilizing existing rights-of-way as fire breaks is preferred, fire break construction may
require destruction of some pine rockland habitat. Nevertheless, fire breaks, and the consequent
habitat destruction, are necessary to properly control a burn, and if fires cannot be set then the
entire site will degrade, making the cost of limited habitat destruction worthwhile. Fire breaks
should be cleared to bare rock or soil, which will not only prevent ground fires from crossing
them, but will create habitat for pine rockland plant species and limit invasion of exotic and
ruderal plant species (see Section 4.5.1 above).
Management Policy
Fire management on all pine rockland EEL sites shall concentrate on a prescribed
burning program, along with hardwood control and installation and maintenance of
fire breaks. The prescribed burning program must account for seasonality of burns,
personnel necessary, the risk of wildfires, and actual application, including safety
measures and effectiveness. Alternatives to prescribed burning will only be utilized as
a last resort.
Pineland with hardwood invasion
Photo by Keith Bradley, IRC
EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 38
4.6.3 Prescribed Burning
As discussed in Section 2.6.1 above, large wind-driven fires historically swept across the South
Florida landscape every three (3) to seven (7) years, especially in the spring and summer. More
recently, as discussed in Section 3.6.1, fire frequency has been drastically reduced or eliminated
on most sites, resulting in changed vegetation structure, decreased plant diversity, and increased
fuel loads. To compensate for the lack of natural fires, prescribed burns should be applied to pine
rocklands every three (3) to seven (7) years.

of other machinery.

All exotic plant control methods in pine rocklands should limit soil disturbance. Soil

disturbances can create opportunities for invasion of the same exotic plant being removed or for

new exotic or ruderal species. While utilizing techniques such as hand pulling or digging, soil

disturbance should be reduced as much as possible. Chemical control or cutting of exotic plants

can also be employed as alternatives to soil disturbing activities.

Management Policy

Exotic plants must be eliminated from pine rockland EEL sites or maintained at very

low densities. Planting of these species on pine rockland EEL sites is forbidden.

EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Page 36

4.5.2 Animals

Populations of exotic animals in the pine rockland community should be evaluated for their

impact to these habitat. In addition to feral domestic cats, already discussed Part I of this

management plan (see Section 5.2.2.2), the following non-indigenous animals have the potential

to impact pine rockland communities to varying degrees. Non-indigenous animals should be

targeted for removal from pine rockland fragments, especially when they alter ecosystem

processes, compete with native wildlife, or damage native plant species. Control of some species

may be impractical or even impossible.

Red imported fire ant – Fire ants may be controlled by treating individual mounds or through

broadcast treatments. While broadcast treatments are more effective at eliminating entire

colonies, this technique should generally be avoided in EEL pine rocklands so as not to impact

populations of native ant species. There are many options for mound treatment, but the most

appropriate and effective in natural areas is probably placing toxic bait directly on individual

mounds. Biological controls are also being tested in Florida and may prove to be appropriate for

EEL sites. These include a decapitating fly of the genus Pseudacteon which attacks fire ant

workers and a fire ant disease, Thelohania solenopsae (Willcox and Giuliano 2006).

European starling – Numerous products exist for controlling starlings, but many of these would

likely disturb native birds as well. There are auditory repelling devices designed to target this

species by emitting their distress calls, but experimentation should be done prior to installation to

ensure that they only impact starlings. Even if effective, this method may only work in smaller

pineland fragments where enough devices could be set up to cover the entire area.

Parrots and parakeets – Managing for members of the Psittacidae family may not be possible.

These birds are highly charismatic and are adored by the public. Any large-scale effort to control

their populations will likely be met with outrage. The only option may be monitoring of nest

cavities and manual removal of non-native birds.

Lobate lac scale – Protected pine rockland areas should be monitored for the presence of this

species and control measures implemented in the area if detected. Some woody plant species

appear to be highly susceptible, including certain natives, e.g., wax-myrtle, strangler-fig,

myrsine, swamp bay, and wild-coffee. Control can be accomplished in part by following regular

subcanopy management recommendations – cutting and burning. In some cases, especially for

rare plants, an insecticidal solution may be applied for several weeks to kill the scales. Treatment

of lobate lac scale is particularly important in areas with rare bushes, especially Florida

prairieclover and crenulate leadplant, which have been observed with infestations.

Management Policy

Control measures must be developed and implemented at pine rockland EEL

preserves to halt and reverse the spread of invasive naturalized exotic animal species

and to prevent the establishment of new exotic animal species populations

EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Page 37

4.6 Fire Management

Since pine rocklands are fire climax communities, fire management, along with exotic plant

control, is one of the most critical techniques required to restore and manage pine rocklands.

Site-specific recommendations and objectives for prescribed fires will be presented in Part III of

this management plan. General recommendations for fire management are discussed here,

including hardwood control, fire breaks, prescribed burning, and alternatives to prescribed

burning.

4.6.1 Hardwood Control

Manual, mechanical, or chemical hardwood

control will be required at many pine

rockland sites to prepare for prescribed

fires. The amount of woody material to be

removed should be coordinated with the

burn team. Hardwood and palm densities

should be reduced prior to burning to

reduce burn temperatures. An added benefit

is the reduction of smoke levels during and

post-fire, and less need for mop up.

4.6.2 Fire Breaks

Fire breaks should be maintained or installed around all pine rocklands. Construction of these

fire breaks is necessary to permit access for fire fighting equipment and staff. Fire breaks are also

essential to protection of structures and surrounding properties if and when wildfires occur.

Only general considerations about fire breaks are made here in Part II. Their specific location on

each site is discussed in Part III of this management plan.

Though utilizing existing rights-of-way as fire breaks is preferred, fire break construction may

require destruction of some pine rockland habitat. Nevertheless, fire breaks, and the consequent

habitat destruction, are necessary to properly control a burn, and if fires cannot be set then the

entire site will degrade, making the cost of limited habitat destruction worthwhile. Fire breaks

should be cleared to bare rock or soil, which will not only prevent ground fires from crossing

them, but will create habitat for pine rockland plant species and limit invasion of exotic and

ruderal plant species (see Section 4.5.1 above).

Management Policy

Fire management on all pine rockland EEL sites shall concentrate on a prescribed

burning program, along with hardwood control and installation and maintenance of

fire breaks. The prescribed burning program must account for seasonality of burns,

personnel necessary, the risk of wildfires, and actual application, including safety

measures and effectiveness. Alternatives to prescribed burning will only be utilized as

a last resort.

Pineland with hardwood invasion

Photo by Keith Bradley, IRC

EEL Program, Management Plan, Part II – Pine Rockland (DRAFT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Page 38

4.6.3 Prescribed Burning

As discussed in Section 2.6.1 above, large wind-driven fires historically swept across the South

Florida landscape every three (3) to seven (7) years, especially in the spring and summer. More

recently, as discussed in Section 3.6.1, fire frequency has been drastically reduced or eliminated

on most sites, resulting in changed vegetation structure, decreased plant diversity, and increased

fuel loads. To compensate for the lack of natural fires, prescribed burns should be applied to pine

rocklands every three (3) to seven (7) years.