Department of Environmental Protection Division of State Lands

Department of Environmental Protection Division of State Lands Bureau of Invasive Plant Management Upland Invasive Exotic Plant Management

Upland Invasive Exotic Plants on Florida Public Lands Ø 13 million acres of public conservation lands v 125 invasive species found on public lands v 15% estimated infested v legislative mandate to keep invasive plants at lowest feasible level – “maintenance” (369. 252, FS) v many impossible to eradicate

Regional Working Groups • PLACE- BASED MANAGEMENT • Cooperation • Collaboration • Communication • 11 regions • 540 participants 27 federal 87 state 71 local 44 NGO

Invasive Upland Plant Regional Working Groups DEP PROJECT FUNDING CRITERIA • Publicly owned conservation lands only • Cost-share/matching funds available ($28 million in cost share to date) • Target species with high invasiveness • Current control technologies available • Benefit listed (T&E) species • Perpetual site management

Invasive Upland Plant Regional Contractors • DEP has established service contracts with regional invasive plant control contractors (11), as well as 16 Local Gov’t contracts to further expand workforce. • The contractors are supervised by the land manager and paid directly by DEP • All ground crew supervisors to be FDACS certified in Natural Areas category • Yields a labor force of 300+

Invasive Upland Plant Regional Contractors Region VII Keys

LYGODIUM STRIKE TEAM 10 ACRES OR LESS ON PCL’S Mr. Andrew Leslie Bureau coordinator (850)245 -2822 or by e-mail at: Drew. Leslie@dep. state. fl. us

CLIMBING FERNS (Lygodium species) ØEstimated 250, 000 AC pre-04 hurricanes ØAirborne spores spread statewide Ø 1998 -2005 11, 615 AC controlled (5% of total) ØBIPM started ‘Strike Team’ 2004

What unmanaged Lygodium is doing to Everglades tree islands

HERBICIDE BANK • • Management Unit Name Delivery Address Description of Project Site List herbicide/adjuvants and quantities you need • Complete DPR to document how & when material was utilized. • $750, 000 & 170+ land management units served!!!!

Invasive Upland Plant Management Strategies Melaleuca Program 206. 1(a) Florida Statute “… the department shall allocate at least $1 million … to the eradication of melaleuca

MELALEUCA Ø 1993 – 50% of melaleuca on public lands Ø 2007 – 15% of melaleuca on public lands ØLake O – 20, 000 acres infestation 1997 WCA ‘S – 690, 000 total acres Big Cypress NP- 80, 000 acres Everglades NP, Pennsucco, Estero Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Fakahatchee…. Over 1 MILLION acres under Maintenance

PROJECT EX-LOX • Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge (120, 000 ac) • 90, 000 acres Melaleuca- largest contiguous stand remaining in the northern hemisphere • Extensive Lygodium infestation • Aerial Melaleuca completed; lygodium underway. • Ground crew ops will resume upon water levels restored.

BRAZILIAN PEPPER Ø 1 Million + acres on public ØConservation lands 2005 ØDense thickets exclude wildlife, alter fire regimes Ø 1998 – 2007 277, 611 AC controlled (22. 5% of total)

BIPM Funding Everglades CISMA Area 1997 -2007 $14. 1 M 28 Projects 207, 000 acres (48% of SE & SW Funding) 2006 -2007 $5. 2 M 4 Projects 45, 319 acres

Public/Private Partnerships • USFWS- Partners for Wildlife- funding for adjacent private lands: 78 agreements • N. P. S. - Florida/ Caribbean Exotics Team • T. A. M. E. Melaleuca • USDA- biocontrol dissemination • NRCS- Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) • ISWG- Private/Public Funding Matrix