Keith Preserve Management Plan
By: Gene DempseyBill Keith Preserve is a 3.4 acre area that the City of Fort Lauderdale has be given the responsibility to management as a natural area. Part of that management plan that is required by Broward County is the eradication of invasive exotic plant species. An Invasive exotic plant is a plant not native to Florida ecosystems that not only has naturalized but is expanding on its own in Florida plant communities. Most invasive exotic plants are able to out compete native plants, creating plant communities that have adverse effects on Florida's environment. Australian Pine, Melaleuca and Brazilian Pepper are some of the most infamous of invasive exotics and millions of dollars are have been spent in control of these plants.
Invasive exotic plants have been categorized by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (www.fleppc.org). Bill Keith Preserve contains invasive exotics that are Category I and II. Category I is defined as invasive exotics that are altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives. Category II plants are invasive exotics that have increased in abundance or frequency but have not yet altered Florida plant communities to the extent shown by Category I species.
Exotics identified so far:
Category I Plants: Brazilian Pepper, Australian Pine, Oyster plant, Schefflera, Rosary pea, shoebutton ardisia, Bischofia, Calophyllum, Carrotwood, Surinam cherry and Air-potato.
Category II Plants: Pothos, Mahoe, Tropical Almond, and Wedelia. Areca Palm and Loquat has not be categorized but are a problem exotics on this site.
The plan for the eradication of these exotics is in phases. During this first phase, we are going to remove the most noticeable exotics, except for the Areca Palms that we are giving time for anyone that would like to relocate them into their landscape and the established Australian Pines, due to the fact they do offer roosting sites for birds. After we have gone through the entire site, I will meet with Broward County Biologists and inspect the site for remaining exotics and native plants. The second phase will be to go through removing newly identified exotics and newly sprouted exotics. Exotic Eradication and control is an on-going process and there will be annual inspections to identified any exotics trying to re-establish on the site. Exotics will sprout from seeds remaining in the soil and brought in by wildlife and humans. The third phase will be to establish additional native plants on the site. This phase will commence with the start of the rainy season next year. With the help of the Broward County Biologists, a plan will be developed to identify which natives to plant on the site. Over time, the established Australian Pines will be removed as native trees mature.
Native Plants that have been identified so far: Live Oak, Laurel Oak, Gumbo Limbo, Satin Leaf, Cocoplum, Pond apple, Seagrape, Florida Trema, Wild coffee, Bald Cypress, Beauty Berry, and Strangler Fig. Many of these have be found as seedlings and will now be allowed to mature. If past events hold true, more native plants will sprout as we clear away the exotics. During other native restoration projects, it's been found that a native seed bank exists in the soil just waiting for the proper conditions to sprout.
Gene Dempsey, Parks Supervisor - City Forester
GDempsey@FortLauderdale.gov
954.828.5785 --- 954.828.5799 faxSeptember 2007