The Important Bird Areas of Florida - National Audubon Society

The Important Bird Areas of Florida: 2000–2002 – Pranty – 2-Jul-02 246THREATS: *offsite development, *human disturbance, *exotic plants, altered hydrology, runoff, feralhogs, monofilament fishing lineCONSERVATION ISSUES: Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve: Increasing humandevelopment in the Naples area is creating additional human disturbance problems within theReserve, especially areas closest to Marco Island. Efforts are underway to minimize disturbancethrough the construction of trails and boardwalks, informational signage, and public workshops. Thelarid colony at Cape Romano is closed to public access, posted, and monitored weekly. • Long-termmonitoring stations assess water quality from offsite developments and agricultural areas. • Reservestaff and other agencies are pursuing acquisition of private inholdings. • Large-scale removalprograms for exotic plants, especially Australian-pine, Brazilian pepper, and ♦latherleaf (Colubrinaasiatica), are underway. • Native habitats are prescribed burned. Rookery Bay Colony Islands:Wading birds are disturbed by boaters and recreational fishermen, and the latter often leavemonofilament fishing line in the mangroves. • Although the islands are a designated CriticalWildlife Area, there is no known management plan.NOMINATED BY: Beverly Anderson (Florida Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas) and TedBelow (Audubon of Florida)