Monthly Meeting & Program
Dragonflies, Butterflies and other Fauna and Flora of the Flatwoods

Don Stillwaugh, Researcher, Land Manager and Educator
Monday August 2, 2010

Pine flatwoods, our most extensive ecosystem in Florida, are also home to much of our wildlife. Our expert speaker, Don Stillwaugh, will help you get to know the insects and other animals and plants who dwell in these flat open woods under their canopy of pine. Some early writers described pine flatwoods as, "open enough to drive wagons through easily." In Hernando county, you can encounter flatwoods in public lands, such as Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area, Weekiwachee Preserve, the Withlacoochee State Forest and the County's Fickets Hammock and Cypress Lake Preserves.

Monthly meetings and programs of the Hernando Chapter are held on the first Monday of the month, except November and when holidays occur. They are open to the public, free of charge. We meet at the American Legion Hall in downtown Brooksville across from the post office. We gather for delicious food and fellowship at 6:30pm, meeting and program starts at 7:00pm. For more information about this program or the Florida Native Plant Society, contact the Hernando Chapter Board at hcfnps@gmail.com.

More about Flatwoods

In our area, the Gulf Coast Flatwoods of Florida meet the Central Florida Ridges and Uplands. You can see the EPA Ecoregions Map for Florida that describe areas of general similarity in ecosystems and climate. The USDA Soil Conservation Service classification system divides the pine flatwoods into two distinct groups: North Florida flatwoods are typically open woodlands dominated by pines.  This ecosystem is most commonly used as woodlands (timber, wildlife, recreation, etc.). South Florida flatwoods are typically savannas, a type of vegetation community intermediate between grassland and forest.  This ecosystem is used extensively for range (cattle grazing). 

According the Florida Forest Stewardship project of University of Florida's IFAS Extension, Pine flatwoods are characterized by an open overstory of pines, an extensive shrub layer, and a variable and often sparse herbaceous layer.

The pine flatwoods of north and south Florida are home to a variety of animals.  Many larger animals are found where the flatwoods join other communities (ecotones), where nesting sites, den sites, food, and cover are provided. Sensitive species include the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus), Florida panther (Felix concolor coryi), Southeastern kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus), red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), Florida sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pratensis), bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and eastern indigo snake (Drymarshon corais couperi).

This community evolved under frequent lightning and human-caused fire, and seasonal drought and flooded soil conditions. Pine flatwoods have a low, flat topography, relatively poorly drained, acidic, sandy soil, and in the past, by open pine woodlands with frequent fires.

The pines you will see include slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. elliottii), south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa), pond pine (Pinus serotina), and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris). In the understory, you will find saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), gallberry (Ilex glabra), fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), dwarf live oak (Quercus minima), tarflower (Befaria racemosa) and blueberries (Vaccinium spp.). When managed with fire, you will find wiregrass (Aristida stricta), beard grasses (Andropogon spp.), white topped aster (Sericocarpus tortifolius), and the rare and beautiful Catesby's lily (Lilium catesbalaei).

Scrubby flatwoods occur on sites slightly higher and better drained than flatwoods, but lower than scrub or sand hills. Soils of scrubby flatwoods are sufficiently well-drained so there is typically no standing water, even under wet conditions. Scrubby flatwoods represent an ecotone (a boundary between plant communities) between flatwoods and scrub habitats. Scrubby flatwoods are a preferred habitat of the Florida scrub-jay and the Florida mouse.

About Don Stillwaugh

As coordinator of 11 NABA butterfly counts, our speaker is keen to the habits and identities of the denizens of Florida ecosystems. In fact, Don is a charter member of the North American Butterfly Association, and has served as the zone coordinator for seven “Fourth of July Butterfly Counts” in Florida, as well as Regional Co-editor for the annual NABA Butterfly Count Report and Secretary for the Southern Lepidopterists’ Society.

Don has been a field researcher, land manager and educator for over 20 years. He initially studied entomology as well as reptiles and amphibians on the prairies and savannas of the Chicago region. After moving to central Florida 10 years ago, he began studying rare plants on the Lake Wales Ridge. Then after 2 1/2 years with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission working on the Gopher Tortoise Mitigation Parks, and serving on the Gopher Tortoise Council, Don accepted a position with Pinellas County’s Environmental Lands Division where he worked primarily with plants, shorebirds and invertebrates. Don is currently a Environmental Specialist with Pinellas County Solid Waste Department.

New Article Clarifies Benefits of Fire vs. Mechanical Methods in Land Management

Eric Menges of Archbold Biological Station and Doria Gordon of The Nature Conservancy recently published an article on the effects of using mechanical treatments and herbicides as fire surrogates to manage Florida’s uplands. They reviewed the literature and found that mechanical treatments and herbicide often accelerated vegetation structure changes, but ecological benefits were generally greatest when these treatments were combined with fire. Soil disturbances, weedy species increases, and rapid hardwood resprouting were sometimes problems with mechanical treatments. Fire itself was crucial for maintenance of individual species and species diversity.

Based on the review, they recommended that when feasible, mechanical and herbicide treatments should be used as pretreatments for fire rather than as fire surrogates. Managers should segue to fire-only approaches as soon as possible. The effects of removing fire, the most evolutionarily significant disturbance in Florida, on fire-adapted plants and animals requires more study. They suggested caution in using these evolutionarily novel treatments, with close monitoring of their effects. More information on the long-term effects of repeated non-fire treatments is needed before such approaches should be adopted uncritically.

For more information see: Menges, E.S. and D.R. Gordon. 2010. Should mechanical treatments and herbicides be used to manage Florida’s natural areas? A review of their use as fire surrogates or pre-treatments in upland ecosystems across the state. Florida Scientist. 73: 147–174.

Native Plants make Fitting Tribute to Environmentalist John Parker

In July, Dave DeWitt, Jerry Mallams, and Jason LaRoche of the SWFWMD went to Parker’s Landing at Weeki Wachee and did native plant landscaping around the memorial to long-time District employee and environmentalist John Parker.

The plants and materials were purchased with donations from District staff from Hickory Hill Native Plant Nursery in Brooksville. The landscaping was designed by Jason LaRoche (Board member of the Hernando Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society) and master gardener Rita Grant (Rita Grant’s Central Florida Native Plants in Brooksville).  Mulch used is Florimulch (Melaluca tree mulch) purchased from Lowe’s on US19 in Spring Hill.

We will continue to maintain the native plants until they are established then they should create a self-sustaining natural and appealing habitat around John’s Memorial for all to enjoy.