The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 152HIGHLANDS HAMMOCK–CHARLIE CREEKHighlands Hammock State Park (5540 acres; 2216 ha) and the Charlie Creek SOR project (9703acres [3881 ha] remaining)Hardee and Highlands counties15,243 acres (6097 ha), with 5540 acres (2216 ha) acquiredLOCATION: west of Sebring, predominantly in northwestern Highlands County with a tiny portion innortheastern Hardee County, mostly between the Hardee–Highlands county line and County Road635. Near part of the Lake Wales Ridge IBA to the east.DESCRIPTION: a diverse assemblage of habitats along the western edge of the Lake Wales Ridge. Thepark's main feature is a magnificent virgin hardwood hammock covering many hundreds of acres(>100 ha). The Park receives ____ recreationists annually.OWNERSHIP: Florida Division of Recreation and Parks (Highlands Hammock State Park) and privateowners (remaining acreage of the Charlie Creek SOR Project)HABITATS: *slash pine flatwoods, *temperate hammock, *sand pine scrub, *cypress swamp, *hardwoodswamp, xeric oak scrub, bayhead, freshwater marsh, riverineLAND USE: *conservation, *recreation, privateIBA CATEGORIES: significant numbers of Neotropical migrants and significant natural habitatsAVIAN DATA: The primary importance of this IBA is to Neotropical migrants. If located closer tometropolitan areas in central Florida, Highlands Hammock State Park undoubtedly would be the topdestination for birders seeking fall migrants; no other site in the region contains a similar amount ofhabitats for Neotropical migrants. Unfortunately, the relative isolation of the park has prevented muchavian surveying. The SOR project contains the site of the last-reported Ivory-billed Woodpecker inFlorida, in 1969 [AOU doesn't accept this?].SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSNorthern Parula 27 Apr 1994 102 birds (B)Wood-warbler diversity since 1930s 32 species (M)Overall diversity Dec 1997 list 180 natives2 exoticsHighlands Hammock State Park onlyNorthern Parula observation of Doug Stotz, published in Florida Field Naturalist; other information from theHighlands Hammock State Park bird checklist.OTHER RESOURCES: The virgin hardwood hammock that is the centerpiece of Highlands HammockState Park contains oaks that are over 1000 years old and up to 33 feet (9.9 m) in circumference. Oneof the first four sites purchased in Florida (in 1931) for its natural resources, the park is a little-knowntreasure.THREATS: *development, *habitat succession, human disturbance, exotic plants, feral hogsCONSERVATION ISSUES: Much of the xeric oak scrub onsite is heavily overgrown, and needsmanagement to sustain the resident Florida Scrub-Jays. • Over 12,300 acres (4920 ha) have yet to beacquired north and (mostly) south of the existing park. Efforts to acquire these buffer areas should beaccelerated. • Development is a moderate to serious threat to the unacquired properties surroundingHighlands Hammock State Park. • The Young Hammock Trail area contains one of the very fewremaining virgin slash pine flatwoods remaining in Florida, with many “cat-faced” turpentine treesstill alive. But this area has succeeded to a hardwood hammock in the recent absence of fire, with nopine regeneration for many years—the park management plan does not address restoring this area toflatwoods. • There is some infestation of exotic plants such as air-potato and cogongrass, but theseare monitored and controlled by park staff. • An unpaved county road through the park allows nonparktraffic to interfere with the aesthetic beauty and serenity of the park.