Bob Tract Forest Management Plan

Forest Management Plan

Prepared For:

Bob Stobber

XXX NE XXXth Street

XXXXXXX, FL 369887

Plan Time Frame:

2006-2011

Introduction

Property Location:

The Bob Tract can be accessed by traveling north from Vero, Florida on State Road 77 for 17.5 miles to County Road 538. Turn left on CR 538. Head west on CR 538 for approximately 9.5 miles to NE xxth Avenue. Head north on NE xxth Avenue for 2.5 miles. The Bob Property lies to the northeast of the intersection of NE xxth Avenue and NE xxx Street and is located entirely in Section 22 of Township 9 South, Range 23 East. Appendix 1 is a locator map for the Bob Tract.

Landowner Objectives:

This is an update to the original Forest Management Plan that was prepared for the Bob Tract in 1997. The primary objective for the original plan was to restore native plant communities for the purposes of enhancing aesthetic value and contributing to wildlife habitat. Since the original plan was written, several achievements have been made toward a restored community. Stands of young longleaf pine have been successfully established on much of the property. Longleaf pine is a historically significant component of native ecosystems that once dominated the coastal plan from southern Virginia to central Florida and eastern Texas. It is widely believed that at the time of European settlement longleaf pine covered 92 million acres. Longleaf pine is native to a wide variety of sites ranging from wet, poorly drained flatwoods to sandhills (both common in this area of Florida) to dry, rocky mountain ridges such as those found in northeastern Alabama.

The Bob Family continues to be interested in adding to the aesthetic value of the property and contributing to wildlife habitat through the sound management of their recently established forest resources.

Management Recommendation Summary

Timber:

Recommendations for timber management will focus on maintaining and promoting growth of the established longleaf pine stands. The Bob Family is interested in long rotation timber production as well as continued reintroduction of other native plants.

Wildlife:

Creating and managing a diversity of habitat types is essential for successful wildlife management. Habitat diversity can be maintained on the Bob tract through prescribed burning, wildlife openings (such as wide firelines), and mowing.

Species which are native to the longleaf pine/turkey oak community such as the bobwhite quail and gopher tortoise benefit from prescribed burning through increased herbaceous forage, a decrease in competing woody species, and ease of movement. Prescribed burning can also be used to maintain the openings that currently exist on the Bob property. The majority of openings consist of ephemeral ponds which are extremely valuable as wildlife habitat. Ephemeral ponds serve as breeding grounds for amphibians, which in turn populate the area and serve as a food source for other reptiles, mammals and birds. Some of these amphibians can only successfully reproduce in seasonal wetlands that will not support populations of predatory fish.

Wildlife that has been observed on the Bob property include bobwhite quail, wild turkey, gopher tortoise, white-tailed deer, fox squirrels, red fox, swallow tailed kite, coots, and various wading birds. Within Appendix 4 is a list of T&E species that may be present in Vero County. All recommendations within this plan are conducive to T&E species management.

Aesthetics:

Longleaf pine ecosystems can be one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the Southeast if managed properly. Many consider some of the physical attributes associated with biodiversity to be pleasant to the eye. Nature intended this sandhill ecosystem to burn. Fire removes old brush, reduces midstory shrubs, and provides space for easy travel in an open, park-like atmosphere. Both plant and animal species native to sandhill ecosystems are dependent

on periodic, low intensity ground fires. Flowering sandhill plants react to the burning regimes by showing their colors. The use of fire to promote habitat will provide great wildlife viewing opportunities as well.

In addition to establishing stands of longleaf pine, the Bob family has planted a variety of native hardwood and ornamental trees around the property and near the homesite.

Soil and Water Conservation:

The soil series present throughout the Bob Tract are Ortega fine sand and Ridgewood fine sand. The following table (Table 1) presents a summary of the soil series found on the Bob Tract. This series is characterized by nearly level to gently sloping, well drained soils found in the uplands. Appendix 2 is a soils map for the Bob Tract and the surrounding area.

Table 1. Soil Series and Characteristics - Bob Tract, Vero County Florida

Soil Series Ecological Community Slope Drainage Site Index*

Ortega Fine

Sand Longleaf Pine - Turkey Oak Hills 0 to 5 percent slope Moderately Well Drained Longleaf Pine - 70

Ridgewood Fine Sand Upland Hardwood Hammocks 0 to 5 percent slope Somewhat Poorly Drained Longleaf Pine - 65

* Site index is a measure of soil productivity for a specific tree species. It is estimated by determining the average total height of a dominant or co-dominant tree after a given period of time, in this case 50 years.

Any further soil and water concerns should be addressed to the Waxahatchee River Water Management District Office, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, or the Vero County Extension Agent.

Stand Management Descriptions and Recommendations

The following table (Table 2) lists stand numbers, acreage of stand and a brief description of each stand. Appendix 3 is a Stand Map showing the location of each stand.

Table 2. Stand Description - Bob Tract,