Management

Shane Belson Longleaf Pine/Turkey Oak Sandhill After Burn

Perry Oldenburg was acquired with funds received through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Mitigation Park Program. The primary goal of this program is to compensate for gopher tortoise habitat lost to development elsewhere. Through the program, developers opt to provide funds that are used to acquire and manage other offsite, upland communities. Three adjacent parcels, purchased between 1990 and 1995, comprise Perry Oldenburg’s 380 acres. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is responsible for the resource management of the park; activities are directed toward restoring and maintaining critical habitats to the long-term benefit of state and federally listed upland species, particularly the gopher tortoise, Florida mouse, southeastern kestrel and Sherman’s fox squirrel.

Fire historically played a vital role in maintaining the longleaf pine/wiregrass sandhill community at Perry Oldenburg and regular prescribed burning is the primary management tool used at this site. Most burning will be performed with the assistance of the Florida Division of Forestry from the nearby Withlacoochee State Forest and will consist primarily of growing season burns. Longleaf pine and wiregrass are dependent upon growing season burns for seed germination and establishment. Burns during this season also help control encroaching hardwoods. These regular burns maintain the open canopy and ground cover of herbs and grasses that benefit the Sherman’s fox squirrel and the gopher tortoise, gopher frog, Florida mouse and other animals that share the tortoise’s burrow. A significant long-term management problem facing Perry Oldenburg is the control of cogongrass, an aggressive exotic plant that occurs within the park and on private land just outside park boundaries. Burning will be used on a limited basis as a pretreatment measure prior to fall and spring season herbicide applications. Pastures on adjoining properties and the powerline right-of-way provide kestrel foraging habitat. Wooden nest box structures have been installed to promote kestrel nesting.