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“Protecting Florida’s Ancient Scrub” Winter 2009
by Jim Reed, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
from data provided by FWC and FNAI
R idge Ranger volunteers it wasn’t always like this. When
at many of our locations Florida started monitoring the
are very likely to spot an eagle or bald eagle in 1973, there were
Inside this issue:
The other day there was an
eagle perched at the pond near the
two during their work day. only 88 active nests found in the Ridge Ranger office, and I took its
Florida has a larger breeding entire state. picture. The Ridge Rangers are a
population of bald eagles than The turnaround has been so success story for Central Florida,
any other state successful that in but the bald eagle is a success story
outside of Alaska. 2007 the U.S. Fish for the entire country, and so we
made the eagle a feature of this
Bald eagles nest in and Wildlife issue.
tall trees (mostly Service took the Also inside, we have a troubling
pines) that provide a eagle off the story about scrub jays, photos of
clear view of endangered fellow Ridge Rangers at work, the
schedule for January thru March
surrounding areas. species list. In
2009, the schedule for Ridge
Nests are close to 2008 Florida also Rangers Recognition Day and other
lakes, marshes, rivers delisted the bald items of interest.
and seacoasts that eagle, and adopted
provide food sources. Bald eagle nesting sites, 2007. a new state Bald
The nesting season in Eagle
Florida begins in October. The Management Plan. Besides the
female will lay between one to management plan, the eagle is
three eggs, which are incubated protected by the Migratory Bird
for about 35 days before Treaty Act and the Bald and
hatching. The fledglings are able Golden Eagle Protection Act.
to leave the nest after 12 weeks. The FWC Bald Eagle
Most adult birds migrate out of Management Plan (which can be
Central and North Florida after found at myFWC.com/eagle)
the breeding season, although contains strict regulations which
eagles in the southernmost part protect eagles and provide buffer
of Florida may stay year-round areas around bald eagle nesting
A survey in 2007 found more sites. Bald eagle at Royce Ranch.
Photo by Jim Reed
than 1,100 nests in Florida, but
Why do we volunteer? Join the team to help protect
By Geoff Brown, rare wildlife and plants found
Community Partnerships Coordinator nowhere else on earth.
T he Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) Office of
organizations are facing. We
hope this survey can help us
better mobilize volunteers and
Ridge Rangers are a group
of dedicated volunteers helping
preserve the last remaining
Recreation Services (ORS) leverage our resources to fragments of the Lake Wales
Ridge. The ridge is a highly
will be launching a accomplish the FWC mission
endangered ecosystem, along the
multi-faceted survey in and create an even larger spine of Florida’s peninsula.
December to help FWC better constituency for fish and Ridge Rangers are individuals of
work with volunteers. The wildlife conservation.” all ages from different
survey targets several groups, “Our conservation partners backgrounds. The main
requirements to become a
including FWC senior will benefit from the results of volunteer are a smile and the
leadership, administrators, this survey as well”, she desire to make a difference!
and current and potential added.
volunteer project coordinators. ORS has contracted Dr. This unique volunteer
Current volunteers will Susan Jacobson of University program is managed by the
Florida Fish and Wildlife
also receive a questionnaire so of Florida’s Department of Conservation Commission
that they can offer feedback Wildlife Ecology and (FWC) with cooperation from
about why they volunteer, Conservation to develop the more than 10 public and private
what they like about their survey. agencies.
experience on FWC volunteer So what motivates you? At
Workdays are throughout
projects, and what could be this time the questionnaire the year, mainly on Saturdays, on
improved. and the implementation protected lands stretching from
“Our volunteers benefit strategy are still being near Orlando to Lake Placid.
FWC with their diverse skills formulated. Ridge Ranger Monitoring endangered species,
and experience,” said Anne volunteers will be randomly searching for rare plants,
maintaining trails and collecting
Glick, ORS Wildlife Viewing selected to participate. We trash are just some of the many
Section Leader. “We are look forward to your feedback ways Ridge Rangers have an
experiencing the same budget about your volunteer impact every day!
challenges that all experiences.
GET INVOLVED…
Whatever happened to . . .
Follow-up on past Ridge Ranger
•Call: 863-699-3742 or e-mail:
stories, events and activities James.Reed@MyFWC.com
Lake Blue Scrub (Update from Summer,
2008) Lake Blue Scrub is being prepared •Mail: The registration form
for scrub lupine planting in an effort to found in this newsletter.
create a protected population of this rare
plant. A portion of Lake Blue Scrub has •Visit: The Ridge Ranger office
been cleared and burned, and Ridge in Lake Placid at the FWC office
at 1630 Royce Ranch Ave.
Rangers have had two workdays to remove
Controlled burn at
nonnative and invasive vegetation. A Lake Blue Scrub.
planting date will be scheduled soon. Photo by Brad Kolhoff MyFWC.com/ridgerangers
2
HOT
By Tom Palmer, Ridge Ranger volunteer
OPPORTUNITIES
S crub lupine (Lupinus
aridorum) is one of the
most colorful and showy plants of
construction of a new rail freight
terminal. At the moment the
only fully protected and managed
For more information call Jim
Reed at 863-699-3742!
Hot Opportunity: Bat Research
Florida’s scrub. Also known as population survives at a 55-acre
Early in 2009, a group from the
pink lupine (for the color of its federal preserve in central Polk
Florida Bat Conservancy will survey
flowers) or McFarlin’s lupine (in County near Lake McLeod in
bats in the Lake Wales Ridge area of
honor of Winter Haven botanist Eagle Lake.
Polk County. This unusual opportunity
If all goes well, scrub lupine
will include using aural equipment to
will be protected at two other
locate bats in specific regions and
sites. One is Lake Blue Scrub
catalogue the number of animals.
near Auburndale, a 78-acre site Interested Ridge Rangers may be able
managed by the Florida Fish and to participate.
Wildlife Conservation Hot Opportunity: Fish Inventory
Commission (FWC). The other is In March, 2009, a group of Ridge
Tibet-Butler Preserve, a 440-acre Ranger volunteers will survey for fish
site near Orlando managed by species in the waters at Royce Ranch.
the South Florida Water This will require preplanning and
Management District. preparation, so volunteers are needed
The reintroduction of the now to set up the program and prepare
lupine on FWC’s Lake Blue scrub the survey equipment, as well as
is being accomplished by the U.S. conduct the surveys on the work day.
Fish and Wildlife Service, in
cooperation with Bok Tower
Gardens. The Bok Tower apparently the first person to
Gardens, affiliated with the publish comments suggesting it was
Center for Plant Conservation in a separate species. However, he
Scrub lupine. Photo by Tom Palmer St. Louis, is raising lupine and didn’t formally describe it as a new
other rare plants in their species and that task fell to Jon
James Brigham McFarlin), scrub greenhouse. Lupine is grown Beckner, another Florida botanist,
lupine is an anomaly among the using seeds collected from known who published a description in 1982.
rare plants in the network of wild populations. The further
scrub preserves in Central protection of scrub lupine in the
Florida. It blooms in the spring Winter Haven area is a fitting
Editor’s notes:
and is the only upright pink- tribute to James Brigham
Ridge Ranger Tom Palmer is the
flowered lupine in Florida. McFarlin (1901-1969), who in the
environmental reporter for the
Scrub lupine’s protection is early 1930s collected specimens,
Lakeland Ledger.
tenuous. It survives in only a documented the existence of this
Ridge Rangers have had
few spots on the Winter Haven plant in several locations in Polk
workdays scheduled at Bok Tower,
and Mt. Dora ridges in Polk and County and may have been the
Lake McLeod and Lake Blue scrub.
Orange counties. There is a first person to recognize its
We are a link in the chain of
recently-discovered population uniqueness. Although scrub
organizations working to
on the south of side of Winter lupine had been collected as
reestablish this rare species.
Haven in an area planned for the early as 1900, McFarlin was
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by Reed Bowman,
Associate Research Biologist, Archbold Biological Station Here are some of your
neighbors who have joined
Ridge Rangers since September 1:
T he scrub-jay is a special
creature, endemic to this
area and an icon for Florida scrub
That’s a 56 percent mortality rate in
only three months. Overall, the entire • Melanie Bond, Wauchula
Archbold population declined by 25 • Dayle and Diedrich Dierks, Lake
land. But now it may be in trouble. percent as many of our oldest Wales
When we think of the things that kill breeders disappeared as well. • Carol Edeker, Winter Haven
Florida scrub-jays, predation is one We do not know if these patterns • Amber Hadden, Orlando
of the leading causes. Hawks, are wide-spread. It seems to be • George Irwin, Winter Haven
snakes, foxes, cats and cars are just a happening in some populations but • Linda Jennings, Sebring
few of the things that come to mind, not in others, a pattern typical of • Tiffany K. Johnson, Lakeland
but we may not think of the smaller disease. Many small, isolated jay • Dennis E. Larson, Sebring
creatures such as viruses that also kill populations may not be resilient • Randy Ludwig, Lake Placid
birds. enough to withstand • Ray E. Mayfield, Fort Meade
Disease plays that level of loss
• Dori McPherson, Winter Haven
a large role in without a great
• Doris Melvin, Auburndale
regulating animal increase in their risk
populations. It of extinction. In the • Taylor Michener, Lakeland
probably occurs future, if Florida’s • Henry Rideout, Lakeland
at low levels all climate becomes • Todd Rossow, Lakeland
the time, but also increasingly warm • Ann E. Stansel, Bartow
occurs and wet, mosquitoes • Rick B. and Maryanne Stevens,
episodically as will thrive and disease Lakeland
large-scale could become an • Sunshine Swearingen, Winter Haven
epidemics. During Scrub-jay. FWC photo increasing threat to the • Tim Tillman, Winter Haven
epidemics losses can viability of scrub-jays. • Melissa Vogelsang, Sanford
account for half a population or Do any solutions to this threat • Amy Williams, Sebring
more. The patterns of mortality exist? We know an increasing • Fion and Paul Wong, Lake Placid
resulting from epidemics are distinct. amount about the genetics of Florida
At Archbold Biological Station, scrub-jays, and we have the Welcome, everyone. We’ll see you at one
we have seen four scrub-jay opportunity to search for the very of the next workdays!
epidemics over the last 38 years. genes that encode information about
Deaths occur in summer and fall and immune responses to diseases. Are
the very young and old die in the some birds more resistant? Could Feb. 28, 2009 is the date
greatest numbers. We do not know some small populations, where For Ridge Ranger Recognition
the specific cause of this mortality, genetic diversity has been lost to On Saturdays, Ridge Ranger
but it often occurs when various habitat fragmentation and isolation, volunteers are out in force, helping make
encephalitis viruses such as Eastern be more vulnerable to disease? the Lake Wales Ridge a better place.
equine encephalitis (including West Answers to these questions, although Once a year, we get together without
Nile virus) appear to be common in potentially years away, can
worrying about endangered species or
the environment. measurably improve our ability to
building fences. That’s on the Ridge
This year started out as a pretty conserve jays, and this is where our
Ranger Recognition Day.
good one for the jays. The jays research is heading.
Feb. 28, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. is
produced about 1.45 independent
Editor’s note: Ridge Ranger the time for the next Ridge Ranger
young per group, well above the
volunteers participate in the Jay Recognition. It will be at Circle B Bar
long-term average. Then, beginning
Watch program, an ongoing effort to Reserve in Polk County and will include a
in July, we started to see
keep track of the scrub-jays that are cookout. We will have a chance for an
extraordinarily high rates of mortality
living in portions of the Lake Wales inside look at this remarkable new facility,
and by October only 53 of the 121
Ridge. as well as recognize the hard work of the
independent young were still alive.
Ridge Rangers over the past year.
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To register for projects, complete the enclosed registration form or contact Jim Reed at:
Telephone: FAX: mail:
Telephone (863) 699-3742 / FAX (863) 699-3741 / E-mail James.Reed@MyFWC.com
Or mail to: Ridge Rangers, 1630 Royce Ranch Ave., Lake Placid, FL 33852
Date Time Location Activity / Details
Jan. 10, 2009 9 a.m. Saddle Blanket Lakes Preserve, northwest of Stewardship. Specific activities to be announced
Avon Park later.
Jan. 17, 2009 9 a.m. Archbold Biological Station, south of Lake Fenceline clearing.
Placid off SR 70
Jan. 24, 2009 9 a.m. Walk-in-the-Water tract of Lake Wales Ridge Trail maintenance.
State Forest, located east of Frostproof
Jan. 31, 2009 9 a.m. FWC Lake Blue Scrub, in Auburndale Air potato removal.
Feb. 7, 2009 9 a.m. Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales Stewardship. Specific activities to be announced
later.
Feb.14, 2009 9 a.m. Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve, in the Trail and garden maintenance.
town of Lake Alfred
Feb.21, 2009 9 a.m. FWC Mountain Lake Cutoff Scrub, in Lake Area cleanup.
Wales, near intersection of US 27 and SR 17
Feb. 28, 2009 9 a.m. Circle B Bar Reserve, located between Bartow Recognition Day. Plans: Cookout, tour of
and Lakeland on SR 540 Circle B Bar Reserve and recognition of the
many hours of volunteer time provided by
March 7, 9 a.m. Tiger Creek Preserve, near Babson Park Stewardship. Specific activities to be announced
2009 later.
March 14, 9 a.m. FWC Royce Ranch, outside the town of Lake Inventory of fish species in Royce Ranch waters.
2009 Placid near Lake Istokpoga Requires participant preplanning. Citizen-
science project for Ridge Rangers.
March 21, 9 a.m. FWC Carter Creek property, east of Sebring off Area cleanup.
2009 Arbuckle Creek Road
March 28, 9 a.m. FWC Royce Ranch, outside the town of Lake Build wood duck boxes.
2009 Placid near Lake Istokpoga
Additional schedule items:
• Every Tuesday morning: Greenhouse activities take place at Royce Ranch. All Ridge Rangers invited—call
before coming for the first time.
• Individual Schedule: Invertebrate study activities. Watch for information on a training session and greater program
opportunities.
• New Citizen-Science Project: Fish species inventory at Royce Ranch - in the planning stages.
• In-Work: The Florida Bat Conservatory will be doing a survey in Polk County and may be able to include Ridge
Rangers in the survey work.
• Special Event—Recognition Day Outing: Save Feb 28 for Recognition Day. Planned as an outing to Circle B Bar
in Polk County. More details as the date approaches!
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MyFWC.com
Ridge Rangers Volunteer Program
1630 Royce Ranch Ave.
Lake Placid, FL 33852
All photos by Jim Reed
Ridge Rangers take a break during a
workday at Allen David Broussard
Catfish Creek State Preserve to
Al Honican clearing a trail at inspect a monument to Allen David
MacKay Gardens Broussard
Part of the crew working at Bok Tower
Ridge Rangers at Lake Louisa State Park
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