Exotics Treatment in the Everglades Complex of Wildlife Management

Areas 2006/2007

Jenny KetterlinSunrise Field Office

Sunrise, FLjennifer.ketterlin@myfwc.com

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Everglades Complex of Wildlife Management Areas

• Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA671,831 acres

• Rotenberger WMA28,760 acres

• Holey Land WMA35,350 acres

• Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area30,080 acres

• Frog Pond WMA470 acres

Treatment by private contractors in FY 06/07

• Chemical treatment in Everglades, Holey Land, and Rotenberger WMAs

• Lygodium microphyllum survey in

WCA 3AS of Everglades WMA

• Maintenance and inventory of planted trees in WCA 3AN of Everglades WMA

Chemical treatment

Everglades WMA• 14 acres on 10 tree islands

treated for Schinus• 170 acres treated on Miami Canal

north of I-75 for Schinus• Total of $44,710.52 at $243.00 per acreRotenberger WMA • 540 acres of Schinus and some Australian pine• Total of $99,900.00 at $185.00 per acreHoley Land WMA • 753 acres of Schinus and some Lygodium• $119,943.62 at $159.33 per acre

Cage maintenance

Total of $85,952.00 for 3,731 exclosures removed and 8,107 exclosures cleaned

Cooperative projects with SFWMD

• Chemical treatment of Miami Canal spoil banks

• Treatment of Lygodium on islands surveyed by FWC contractor

• Mechanical removal of S. terenbithifolius on three tree islands in WCA 3AN, west of Miami Canal

• Treatment of 106 acres of Ardesia, pepper, and some guava in Southern Glades

Removal of Brazilian pepperAugust 2006

SFWMD contractors chainsaw pepper trees

FWC employees pull off trunks

Before After

Before

After

Contracts for 2007/08 fiscal year

• Lygodium microphyllum survey in WCA 3A that will include collection of hydrological data with the goal of creating a predictive model for sampling prioritization

• Maintenance of planted trees, more tree planting, and spot exotics treatment in Everglades WMA

• Exotics treatment in Holey Land and Rotenberger WMAs

Emerging issue:Spread of torpedo grass in ATV trails

Questions?