The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 182Myakka River State Park:SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSWading birds May 1996 500 birds (N)“Greater” Sandhill Crane Dec 1996 333 birds 1% (W)Swallow-tailed Kite Apr 1999 11 pairs 2% (B)White-tailed Kite Feb–Apr 2000 1 nest (B)Osprey May 2000 25 nests 1% (B)Bachman's Sparrow May–Jul 2000 30 singing males (B)Overall diversity Feb 2000 list 246 natives7 exoticsCrane data from the 1996 Myakka River CBC; all other data provided by Belinda Perry (Florida Division ofRecreation and Parks)Pinelands Reserve:SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSWading birds 17 Jul 19976 Sep 199812 Oct 2000458 birds432 birds486 birds(B)(B)(B)Data provided by Jeffrey Weber (Sarasota County Resource Management)T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve:SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSWading Birds 9 Feb 19858–9 Mar 1986909 birds729 birds(N)(N)Overall diversity 1997–1998 136 natives2 exoticsWading bird data from +Collopy and Jelks (1989), provided by Jeffrey Weber (Sarasota County ResourceManagement), checklist produced in February 1999 based on surveys by members of Venice Area Audubon SocietyOTHER RESOURCES: The Myakka River is designated as a Wild and Scenic River, and as an OutstandingFlorida Water. Myakka River State Park is one of the oldest and largest units in Florida's state parksystem, and is part of an extremely significant large, intact natural area along Florida's southwestcoast. Acquisition began in 1936, and the Civilian Conservation Corps developed the park's facilities.Twelve of the 13 original CCC buildings remain in use, and are considered historically significant.Pinelands Reserve: 5 listed plants and 6 listed animals occur. T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. MemorialReserve: 20 listed plants and 30 listed animals occur, including occasional observations of Floridamanatee and Florida panther. A number of cultural and historical sites also are present.THREATS: *development, *exotic plants, *feral hogsCONSERVATION ISSUES: Myakka River State Park: The five-year management plan (dated 29 July1999) specifies maintaining or restoring natural communities. Approximately 12,000 acres (4800 ha)of the park are burned annually to maintain fire-dependent communities such as dry prairie and pineflatwoods. Over the next five years, at least 1000 acres (400 ha) of overgrown dry prairie habitat willbe roller-chopped annually to return a natural fire regime. • Invasive exotics such as feral hogs,hydrilla, cogon grass, tropical soda apple, Japanese climbing fern, air-potato, Brazilian pepper, andpunktree are treated or removed. • Hydrologic improvements planned include dechannelizing ClayGulley, minimizing damming of water by the main park road, and possibly removing the weir anddike below Upper Myakka Lake. • Park plans include maintaining at least five groups of Florida