Help Pull Coral Ardisia Out of San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
First Saturday of Each Month
The invasive exotic plant Coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata) is threatening the hammocks at San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park. We need your help removing it. We have the infestation mostly confined to the hammock south of Millhopper Road, around Moonshine Creek and Moonshine Creek Sink. This rare example of a natural hammock has a greater diversity of plants than the common “junk” hammocks caused by fire suppression of open pinelands. It is a lower, wetter area, with grasses, sedges, violets, and even some ferns. The park’s natural community map categorizes it as Upland Mixed Forest and Bottomland Forest.
Because coral ardisia lacks natural enemies in Florida, it out-competes the diverse native understory and replaces it with a monoculture. Most of coral ardisia’s profuse red berries fall to the ground directly below the plant and germinate at a rate of 84-98%. The dense carpet of seedlings thrives in the deep shade of the mother plant, crowding and shading out native plants. Raccoons and birds eat some of the berries and deposit the seeds elsewhere.
The entire area of Upland Mixed Forest and Bottomland Forest south of Millhopper Road, encompassing about 200 acres, is infested with ardisia at varying densities. We only had enough volunteers to remove ardisia from eight acres in the previous pulling season, and we have to come back at least every two years or the area gets re-infested, so we’re not winning the fight yet.
The pulls this year are scheduled for 9 a.m., on April 4, May 2, June 6, Sept.5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7, and Dec. 5. We meet at the unpaved parking lot of the hiking-only trailhead on the south side of Millhopper Road. We sign volunteer agreements, and proceed to a treatment site inside the park. Wear sturdy shoes and long pants; you can get dirty. Bring a water bottle. Call (352) 494-7864 or email cara.gwalthney@dep.state.fl.us for more information.
Prairie Creek Paddle/Bar-B-Q
December 12, Saturday
no later than 9:30 a.m.
Enjoy a totally wilderness trip down the same creek the Potano Indians used some centuries ago. This designated Florida Paddling Trail and outflow of Newman’s Lake on the south end, at S.R. 20 and Kate’s fish camp, sits on the edge of urban Gainesville, which thankfully the Potano’s didn’t have to contend with…though those loose gators where abundant even back then.
Meeting at Kate’s, 6518 SE Hawthorne Rd. (S.R. 20) Gainesville 32641, 352-372-1026, rentals available, www.katesfishcamp.com ,no later than 9:30 AM….. Sat. Dec. 12, we will paddle the 3-4 hour roundtrip down Prairie Creek to C.R. 234 in Rochelle and back to Kate’s. This flat-water, no current, beginner’s paddle is suitable for everyone, who like to experience the natural, undeveloped environment. Each bringing your drinks and a potluck veggie/salad/dessert dish to share…along with provided Bar-B-Q of burgers (beef/veggie) and dogs, lunch over the fire as those Potano’s did, will finish off the day back at Kate’s. Reservations needed (if you wanta eat).
Knox Bagwell 352-468-1790 knoxberries@msn.com
If you have suggestions for future outings or would like to become an outings leader, please contact Robert Fisher at (352) 514-7674 or rcblast1@yahoo.com.
Please send your comments and additional outings suggestions to Robert Fisher at rcblast1@yahoo.com or call 352-514-7674.
We have a multitude of interesting places to visit locally.Suwannee/St. John’s outings are planned to inform members on environmental issues and we love kids to participate.