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Prairie Pines Preserve |
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Prairie Pines Preserve is located in north central Lee County, within Sections 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 of Township 43 South, Range 24 East. The Preserve is bordered by an active railroad and I-75 on its northeast side, Lost Lane, which is unimproved, and a drainage ditch on its east side, Del Prado Extension/Mellow Drive and a drainage ditch on its south side. On the west side there is an abandoned railroad grade that is owned by the Division of Utilities, with 320 acres of the 2,709 acre Preserve extending west beyond this railroad grade towards US 41. |
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The west, east and south boundaries are surrounded mainly by housing developments. The north boundary of the Preserve runs along the Lee/Charlotte County line. The Preserve consists of a mosaic of several native plant communities, including wet and mesic flatwoods, depression marshes, wet prairies, prairie hammocks and a small baygall. Past agricultural practices have disturbed about 7% of the Preserve. |
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| Restoration Activites: | |||
In June 2003 Lee County was approached by the USDA to use Prairie Pines as a test site for The Area Wide Management Evaluation of Melaleuca (TAME Melaleuca) project. This 40 acre site was used as a demonstration site for natural resources managers and private land owners to show the available techniques for melaleuca control, including chemical, mechanical and biological. In April of 2005 and March of 2006 field tours and demonstrations were conducted on site to see the response to the different techniques used on site. In 2004 Florida Department of Environmental Protection granted Lee County $281,000 to remove melaleuca at Prairie Pines Preserve. With matching funds from Conservation 2020 management funds, work was started in the western arm with a mulching machine, Brontosauras. Standing trees were mulched in place. This removal will benefit the native pine trees and ground cover on site. No planting will be necessary because a large seed source is still available on site. Once all trees were removed, new repsrouts and seedlings were treated with herbicide and will be retreated until controlled. Keep a look out at Prairie Pines Preserve for public use facilities to open in 2007 and trails will lead you through this area where the melaleuca have been removed. |
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| Recreation Opportunties: Hiking, Bird Watching, Nature Study/Photography, Equestrine use | |||
| Beyond the basic Hiking, Birding and Nature study/photography that exisit at all C20/20 preserves the Land Stewardship Plan (LSP) identifies this Preserve for Equine activites, on-leash dog walking and bicycle riding (see LSP for more information). | |||
Wildlife Sightings |
Documented Plants |
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Land Stewardship Plan |
Preserve Map |
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Photos: |
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