The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

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The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 188OSCAR SCHERER STATE PARKSarasota County1384 acres (553 ha)LOCATION: in the town of Osprey in southwestern Sarasota County, east of U.S. Highway 41, north ofCounty Road 681, and west of Interstate 75. Near the Myakka River Watershed IBA to the east.DESCRIPTION: a small state park in a rapidly growing part of southwestern Florida. In 1991, the Statepaid $11.7 million to purchase 912 acres (364 ha) northeast of the original park to increase its sizeand to better protect the regional population of Florida Scrub-Jays. The Park receives 130,000recreationists annually.OWNERSHIP: Florida Division of Recreation and ParksHABITATS: *longleaf pine flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods, *temperate hammock, *riverine, xeric oakscrub, non-native pasture, mangrove forest, freshwater marsh, lacustrineLAND USE: *conservation, *recreationIBA CATEGORIES: significant populations of Threatened species; significant natural habitats; and longtermresearchAVIAN DATA: The Park supports a significant population of Florida Scrub-Jays that has been colorbandedand studied for 13 years.SPECIES DATES NUMBERS COMMENTSFlorida Scrub-Jay Mar 2000 36 groups 1% (R)Long-term research Since 1990 Florida Scrub-Jay demographic studyOverall diversity 1997 list 166 natives6 exoticsData provided by Michael DelGrosso (Florida Division of Recreation and Parks); see also +Thaxton and Hingtgen(1996)OTHER RESOURCES: The park contains an herbarium collection. Shell scatter sites are evidence of earlierhuman settlement.THREATS: *offsite development, *feral hogs [neither of these is addressed in the conservation issues]CONSERVATION ISSUES: Overgrown scrubby flatwoods in the park were restored to suitable habitat forFlorida Scrub-Jays using mechanical means and prescribed fire. By 1999, this restoration effort hadcreated 19 new scrub-jay territories. The scrub-jay population is censused monthly. • Acomprehensive management plan is being devised. • Management activities include mechanicaltreatment and prescribed fire. • Exotic plants such as cogongrass, ♦St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrumsecundatum), ♦rosary pea (Abrus precatorius), punktree, and Brazilian pepper are eradicated. •Hydrologic improvements are proposed for South Creek, which flows through the park.NOMINATED BY: Michael DelGrosso (Florida Department of Environmental Protection)REFERENCE: +Thaxton, J.E., and T.M. Hingtgen. 1996. Effects of suburbanization and habitatfragmentation on Florida Scrub-Jay dispersal. Florida Field Naturalist 24: 25–37.WEBSITE:
The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 189OSCEOLA FLATWOODS AND PRAIRIESPublicly owned sites are Bull Creek Wildlife Management Area (32,394 acres; 12,957 ha), ThreeLakes Wildlife Management Area (59,490 acres; 23,796 ha), and Triple N Ranch WildlifeManagement Area (10,894 acres; 4357 ha). Private lands are sought for acquisition or conservationeasements under the Big Bend Swamp–Holopaw Ranch CARL–FF Project (54,425 acres [21,770ha], unacquired), Osceola Pine Savannas CARL–FF Project (24,189 acres; 9675 ha remaining) andRanch Reserve CARL–FF Project (35,300 acres [14,120 ha], with perpetual conservationeasements obtained on 11,768 acres [4707 ha]). [what about Escape Ranch?]Osceola County216,692 acres (86,676 ha), with 102,778 acres (41,111 ha) acquired, and perpetual conservationeasements obtained on an additional 11,768 acres (4707 ha)[This IBA needs additional information]LOCATION: in central and southern Osceola County, encompassing much of the area south of U.S.Highway 441 between the Kissimmee River and the Osceola/Brevard county line. Contiguous withthe Kissimmee Lake and River IBA to the west, and near the Upper St. Johns River Basin IBA to theeast.DESCRIPTION: several large conservation areas linked by private ranches encompassing a vast rural areain the central Peninsula. About half of this IBA is in public ownership, while protection of theremainder is sought via perpetual conservation easements. Public properties are managed primarilyfor hunting. Data for this IBA are largely limited to Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area andranchland accessible along public roadways. Annual visitation for the wildlife management areas is:____ recreationists and ____ hunters for Bull Creek, ____ recreationists and ____ hunters for ThreeLakes, and ____ recreationists and ____ hunters for Triple N Ranch. Private properties along thenortheastern shore of Lake Marian not currently sought for preservation have been added to this IBAbecause they support several Bald eagle nests.OWNERSHIP: Florida Division of Wildlife (Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area), St. Johns RiverWater Management District (Bull Creek Wildlife Management Area and Triple N Ranch WildlifeManagement Area; managed by Florida Division of Wildlife), and private owners (remaining acreageof the Osceola Pine Savannas CARL–FF Project, and ranches sought for conservation easementsunder the Big Bend Swamp–Holopaw Ranch CARL–FF Project; to be monitored by St. Johns RiverWater Management District). [what about Escape Ranch?]HABITATS: *longleaf pine flatwoods, *temperate hammock, *dry prairie, *non-native pasture, *cypressswamp, *depressional marsh, pine plantation, sandhills, xeric oak scrub, scrubby flatwoods, sand pinescrub, citrus groves, hardwood swamp, bayhead, cattail marsh, riverine, lacustrine, artificial (sodfarm)LAND USE: *conservation, *hunting (16,000 hunter days [Three Lakes only?]), *cattle grazing (0.08cattle/acre; 0.032 cattle/ha [Three Lakes only?]), recreation, timber production, agriculture (citrus andsod production)IBA CATEGORIES: significant populations of Endangered, Threatened, FCREPA, and Watch Listspecies; complete diversity of dry prairie and longleaf pine flatwoods species; significant naturalhabitats; and long-term research.AVIAN DATA: Avian data are quite limited, owing to the inaccessibility of much of the area, but typicalspecies of flatwoods, prairies, and associated habitats are supported (including large numbers of WildTurkeys), as well as significant populations of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and “Florida”Grasshopper Sparrows. One of the densest nesting concentrations of Bald Eagles in North Americaoccurs in the region. Crested Caracaras probably occur in greater numbers than IBA data suggest. Alittle-known xeric oak scrub/scrubby flatwoods ridge runs southeast through this IBA, south beyondthe IBA boundary to areas south and east of Yeehaw Junction. A few groups of Florida Scrub-Jays
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MemorandumBill Pranty, Florida IBA
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The Important Bird Areas of Florida
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THE IMPORTANTBIRD AREAS OFFLORIDA:
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(25) *pickerelweed (Pontedaria cord
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“Southeastern” American Kestrel
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Purple Martin (Progne subis)Tree Sw
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The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

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