GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two federal agencies have made it easier for Florida landowners to plan prescribed fires, which will enhance recovery and conservation efforts for dozens of imperiled species and also reduce the likelihood of wildfires.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently issued a biological opinion to the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that streamlines the conservation planning process for private landowners that apply prescribed fire under guidance from NRCS. The document covers land in Florida under NRCS easement and land eligible to receive NRCS financial or technical assistance.
Many of these areas represent some of America’s most endangered ecosystems–such as Florida scrub, longleaf pine sandhill and pine rocklands. Many rare and federally-listed plants and animals occur in these communities. The lack of fire in recent decades has left these habitats overgrown and undesirable for many species. The prescribed fires are designed to reduce fire fuel loads, manage invasive species, and promote and enhance management of various habitats.
“Prescribed fire is one of the top recovery actions for many rare and endangered species,” said Larry Williams, the USFWS’s Florida State Supervisor for Ecological Services. “This allows our partners at NRCS to expedite the ability of their clients to get fire on the ground when and where it’s needed and provide long-term benefits for dozens of imperiled species such as scrub-jays and red-cockaded woodpeckers.”
The USFWS evaluated 57 proposed, listed and candidate species which are likely to be adversely affected by proposed activities. Covered species include 41 plants, four birds (Florida scrub-jay, red-cockaded woodpecker, Florida grasshopper sparrow and Audubon’s crested caracara), two skinks (sand skink and blue-tailed mole skink), the eastern indigo snake, the Florida bonneted bat, two butterflies (Bartram’s hairstreak and Florida leafwing) and the Highlands tiger beetle.
NRCS provides technical and financial assistance through the Farm Bill to implement conservation plans based on conservation practice standards (CPS). NRCS and the USFWS developed requirements that when incorporated with the CPSs, will guide the implementation of each conservation plan developed for NRCS clients.
“As a result of this collaborative effort, NRCS will be better able to work with private landowners across Florida to manage wildlife habitats. Private landowners, as great stewards of Florida’s landscape, in turn will continue to provide substantial conservation benefits for the covered species,” said Michael Bush, Florida NRCS’ State Biologist.
USFWS and NRCS officials stress that this document doesn’t eliminate the need to acquire proper authorization to conduct prescribed fires in the State of Florida. Open burning is authorized by Florida Forest Service (FFS). Those wishing to conduct prescribed fires should contact their FFS County Forester or NRCS Service Center for more information.