Everyone loves South Florida’s subtropical climate – including invasive plants and animals! Invasive species are well-established throughout South Florida’s natural habitats; this invasion can result in the displacement of native species, loss of habitat, alteration of hydrology, changes in natural fire conditions and degradation of public use areas.
Did you know that the South Florida Water Management District manages over 1 million acres of public lands? A large number of these conservation lands are open to the public for recreation – and nearly all of them require some form of land management.
You might be familiar with our world famous Python Removal Program and the successful 2021 Python Challenge. This annual competition to remove pythons from the Everglades is a joint effort between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, SFWMD, and other partners.
But managing our lands involves more than just pythons. It includes:
- Natural Resources Monitoring – This involves vegetation analyses, wildlife surveys and panoramic photo monitoring. Check out this video from a recent nighttime survey at Abiaki Prairie.
- Exotic Plant Control – Stopping the spread of harmful exotic plants is important to protecting our native wildlife and plant species. We use a combination of management tools known as Integrated Pest Management to knock back invasive plants, and we target more than 60 species of plants for control. Learn more about how the Brown Lygodium Moth (pictured above) is used as a biocontrol to maintain the natural landscape along the Kissimmee River.
- Prescribed Burning – Most native plant communities in Florida are naturally fire-adapted, thanks to a historically high rate of lightning-induced fires in South Florida. We use prescribed burns to support the native ecology and reduce the risk of uncontrolled wildfires. Watch this short video to learn more about prescribed burns.
Read more here about the ways we manage your public lands.