Landscape Conservation Solutions . . .
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Hall's Tiger Bay Ranch
DeSoto County, Florida
A proposed Range & Wildlife
Management Plan
Prepared by
Greg Hendricks
South Florida Biologist
USDA - NRCS
Tiger Bay Ranch is approximately 5,922 acres located in south central DeSoto County, south of Arcadia, Florida, and east of State Road 31. Tiger Bay Ranch is a working commercial cattle ranch situated among native prairie, wetland, and forest ecosystems characteristic of an undiscovered Florida. Approximately 84 percent of Tiger Bay Ranch consists of native plant communities, providing habitat for wildlife and plant populations that are becoming increasingly rare in south Florida. These native landscapes are irreplaceable and should be recognize for their intrinsic ecological value. The native plant communities that are found here require a natural balance of periodic burning and hydropattern fluctuations for these ecological systems to function in a healthy and productive manner. Low intensity grazing when properly applied will contribute to the health and productivity of the native plant communities found on Tiger Bay Ranch, and will not conflict with habitat requirements needed by the indigenous wildlife populations. Likewise, rangeland and ranch improvements recommended within this plan take into consideration of the wildlife population requirements for food, cover, water, and other habitat needs. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), conducted an intensive natural resource inventory on the property in 1998/99. Tiger Bay Ranch consists of 8 native plant communities and 2 agricultural landscapes, i.e., pastureland and planted pines. From the data collected, interpretations have been made and presented to the landowner to consider when making future land management decisions. This grazing and wildlife management plan incorporates the landowner’s overall management objectives, while recognizing soil, hydrology, native vegetation, forage plants, and habitat type ecological constraints common to the area. See Appendix 1, Conservation Plan Map. Top | Bottom | Home
Top | Bottom | Home Soils establish the foundation from which all conservation planning alternatives and recommendations are based by the USDA-NRCS. Soils are used to better understand the capability of the land to provide certain functions and values, such as pasture and hay productivity, agricultural products, and native plant community potential for restoring or enhancing wildlife habitat. There are 24 individual soil map series identified on Tiger Bay Ranch. See Appendix 2, Soils Map. |
| Soil Map Name | Symbol | Hydric |
Habitat Type(s) |
| Anclote Mucky Fine Sand, Dep. | 2 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Basinger Fine Sand | 3 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Basinger Fine Sand, Dep. | 5 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Bradenton Fine Sand | 6 |
no |
Hydric Hammock |
| Delray Mucky Fine Sand, Dep. | 11 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| EauGallie Fine Sand | 13 |
no |
Mesic Flatwoods |
| Farmton Fine Sand | 14 |
no |
Mesic Flatwoods |
| Felda Fine Sand | 15 |
yes |
Mesic Flatwoods |
| Felda Fine Sand, Dep. | 17 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Floridana Mucky Fine Sand Dep. | 18 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh Sawgrass Marsh |
| Immokalee Fine Sand | 20 |
no |
Mesic Flatwoods Upland Hammock |
| Malabar Fine Sand | 21 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Malabar Fine Sand, High | 22 |
no |
Mesic Flatwoods |
| Malabar Fine Sand, Dep. | 23 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Myakka Fine Sand | 24 |
no |
Mesic Flatwoods |
| Pineda Fine Sand | 26 |
yes |
Hydric Flatwoods Wet Prairie |
| Pineda Fine Sand, Dep. | 28 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Pineda-Pinellas Fine Sand | 29 |
yes |
Hydric Flatwoods Wet Prairie |
| Pomello Fine Sand | 30 |
no |
Interior Florida Scrub |
| Pompano Fine Sand | 31 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Smyrna Fine Sand | 36 |
no |
Mesic -Xeric Flatwoods |
| Terra Ciea Muck, Dep. | 38 |
yes |
Freshwater Marsh |
| Valkaria Fine Sand | 40 |
yes |
Hydric Flatwoods Wet Prairie |
| Wabasso Fine Sand | 41 |
no |
Mesic Flatwoods |
| Zolfo Fine Sand | 42 |
no |
Interior Florida Scrub |
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Scroll down or click on your choice: Freshwater Marsh | Hydric Hammock | Upland Hammock | Hydric Flatwoods | Mesic Flatwoods | Xeric Flatwoods | Interior Florida Scrub | Improved Pasture | Planted Pines This rangeland ecological site or habitat type encompasses areas known as Tiger Bay Slough, the southern portion of Sheep Pen Marsh. as well as several other isolated marshes throughout the property. Freshwater Marsh habitat types are wetlands systems that can best be associated with Freshwater Marshes (641) or Sawgrass Marsh (6411) as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLCCCS). Freshwater Marshes have been ranked S4, defined as a site apparently secure in Florida according to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). The Freshwater Marsh Ecological Site/Habitat type have the longest hydroperiod of all of the sites on the property. Freshwater Marshes typically exhibit hydroperiods of inundation by water from 3-9 months every year. A variety of plant associations can be found within these habitat types resulting from the frequency and intensity of grazing, burning, and inundation. Common plant associations include, maidencane (Panicum hemitomon), arrowheads (Sagitaria spp.), bulrush (Scripus spp.), cutgrass (Leesia hexandra), pickerelweed (Pontederia lanceolata), spikerush (Eleocharis spp.), fire flag (Thalia geniculata), Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) and badderworts (Utricularia spp.) etc. As fire frequencies are diminished, woody species such as willow (Salix caroliniana), red maple (Acer rubrum), red bay (Persea borbonia), cypress (Taxoduim distichum), as well as other hydrophytic trees and shrubs may become dominant. Practices such as following a prescribed grazing plan, applying prescribed burning, and restoring a more natural hydrologic regime within the Freshwater Marsh wetland systems will provide the greatest benefits in the restoration and enhancement of these sites. Prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, and wetland wildlife habitat management will be used to sustain this ecological site. Top
| Bottom | Home This habitat type or ecological site can best be associated with Wetland Hardwood Forest (610) as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS). Hydric Hammocks have been ranked S4, defined as a site apparently secure in Florida according to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). Using the Cowardin System, these wetlands exhibit a palustrine forested broad leaved evergreen with a temporary water regime (PFO3A). Hydric Hammocks can best be characterized as a closed to somewhat open forest canopy dominated by a mixture of the hardwoods. Vegetation common to this habitat type include cabbage palms (Sabal palmetto), laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia) , wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), palmetto (Serenoa repens), hackberry (Celtis laevigata), and dahoon holly (flex cassine). Hydric hammocks typically flood for brief periods seasonally, but the hydroperiod is seldom longer than 60 days. Due to the damp soils and the sparseness of herbaceous ground vegetation, hydric hammocks seldom burn. Those sites with an abundance of sabal palmetto are an exception, where their flammable palm fronds readily carry fire that will favor these fire-resistant palms over hardwood components typically found in the hydric hammock. In situations such as these, fire ecology will provide a feed back loop resulting in sabal palm dominated hammocks often observed along freshwater marshes, prairies and flatwoods. Prescribed grazing and wetland wildlife habitat management will be used to sustain this ecological site. Top
| Bottom | Home This habitat type or ecological site can best be associated with Upland Hardwood Forest (620) as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS). Upland Hammocks have been ranked S3, defined as a site either very rare in Florida (21-100 occurrences or less than 10,000 individuals) or found locally in a restricted range, or vulnerability to extinction due to other factors by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). Upland Hammocks can best be characterized as a closed forest canopy dominated by a mixture of the hardwoods. Vegetation common to this habitat type live oak (Quercus virginiana), laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia), hackberry (Celtis laevigata), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), and saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). Upland hammocks are considered to be in a climax stage of ecological succession with few pines occurring. These sites are rarely if ever inundated by ground water, and seldom burn due to the sparseness of herbaceous ground vegetation. Prescribed grazing and upland wildlife habitat management will be used to sustain this ecological site. Top
| Bottom | Home This habitat type or ecological site can best be associated with Hydric Pine Forest (625) depending upon the amount of forest canopy closure as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS). Hydric Pine Flatwoods has been ranked S4, defined as a site apparently secure in Florida according to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). Using the Cowardin System, these wetlands exhibit palustrine forested needle leaved evergreen with a temporary water regime (PFO4E). Hydric Flatwoods can best be characterized as a site with sparse forest canopy. 10-20 percent in natural conditions, of south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa). Hydric Flatwoods differs from Mesic and Xeric Flatwoods by the absence of an understory dominance of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). If fire has been restricted, greater densities of pine forest can become established along with a shrub layer composed of such species as wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), gailberry (flex glabra), and red bay. Under healthy ecological conditions, Hydric Flatwood’s ground cover is typically dominated by native grasses such as chalky bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus var. glaucopis), south Florida bluestem (Schizachyrium rhizomatum), gulf paspalum (Paspalum monostachyum), sandcord grass (Spartina bakeri), bluejoint panicum (Panicum tenerum), and sedge and rush genera that include Fimbrystylis, Rhynchospora, Scripus, Scieria, and Juncus species. Hydric Flatwoods, in natural conditions persist as a subtropical or tropical savanna. Hydric flatwoods become saturated to inundated by the middle of the wet season, late July - early August. This hydrologic pattern corresponds to peak flowering periods for the understory species that makeup this habitat type. Under natural conditions hydric flatwoods will be inundated in most years for at least 60 days during the wet season. During the dry season, soil moisture becomes depleted in the upper soil layers and a water table layer similar to that of a mesic pine flatwoods prevails throughout this period. The Hydric Flatwoods are a fire-climax, hydroperiod-mediated plant community. In pre Columbian times, periodic wildfire is believed to have occurred every 3-7 years. Prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, brush management, and wetland wildlife habitat management will be used to sustain this ecological site. Top
| Bottom | Home This habitat type or ecological site can best be associated with Pine Flatwoods (411) as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS). Mesic Flatwoods has been ranked S4, defined as a site apparently secure in Florida according to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAJ). Mesic Flatwoods are typified as having non-hydric soils, thus these habitat types are considered upland plant communities. Mesic Flatwoods can best be characterized as a site with sparse - medium dense forest canopy, 10 - 50 percent in natural conditions. South Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) is the dominant tree species. Mesic Flatwoods generally have a prominent shrub layer of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), gailberry (Ilex glabra), and wax myrtle. The structural development and dominance of this shrub layer within Mesic Flatwoods can be contributed to the frequency and season of burning. Less frequent and/or winter (dormant season) burning tends to promote shrubs, while spring, or "lightening season" burning and rest-rotation grazing tends to promote native grasses and other herbaceous vegetation. Under healthy ecological conditions, Mesic Flatwood’s ground cover is typically dominated by native grasses such as creeping bluestem (Schizachyrium stoloniferum), lopsided indiangrass (Sorgastrum secundum), beaked panicums (Panicum spp.), eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides), and native legumes such as those represented by the genera of (Cassia, Crotalaria, Galactia, Rhynchosia and Tephrosia spp.), with lesser amounts of wiregrass (Aristida beryrichiana). Hydrological variation typical of the Mesic Flatwoods ranges from 6 - 12 inches below the soil surface during the wet season to 3 - 6 feet below the soil surface during the dry season. Mesic Flatwoods, like all flatwood habitat types is a fire climax, hydroperiod mediated community. In pre-Columbian times, periodic wildfire is believed to have occurred every 3-7 years. Prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, brush management, and upland wiIdlife habitat management will be used to sustain this ecological site. Top
| Bottom | Home This habitat type or ecological site can best be associated with the Longleaf Pine- Xeric Oak (412) site as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS). Xeric Flatwoods has been ranked S3 defined as a site either very rare in Florida (21-100 occurrences or less than 10,000 individuals) or found locally in a restricted range, or vulnerability to extinction due to other factors by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). Xeric Flatwoods are typified as having non-hydric soils, thus these habitat types are considered upland plant communities. Xeric Flatwoods can best be characterized as a site with sparse - medium dense forest canopy, 10 - 50 percent in natural conditions. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), tarfiower (Befaria racemosa), rusty lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea), and some of the more xeric scrubby oaks, (Quercus spp.) are common to this site. Under healthy ecological conditions, Xeric Flatwood’s ground cover is typically dominated by native grasses and herbaceous plants such as lopsided indiangrass (Sorgastrum secundum), piney woods dropseed (Sporobolusjunceus), beaked panicums (Panicum spp.), blazing star (Liatris tenuifolia), grassleaf goldaster (Heterotheca graminifolia), and native legumes such as those represented by the genera of (Cassia, Crotalaria, Desmodium, and Baptista spp.). Hydrological variation typical of the Xeric Flatwoods ranges from 12 - 30 inches below the soil surface during the wet season and to 4 - 8 feet below the soil surface during the dry season. Xeric Flatwoods, like all flatwood habitat types is a fire climax, hvdroperiod mediated community. In pre-Columbian times, periodic wildfire is believed to have occurred every 3-7 years. Prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, brush management, and upland wildlife habitat management will be used to sustain this ecological site. Top
| Bottom | Home This habitat type or ecological site can best be associated with the Xeric Oak (421) classification as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS). Florida scrub has been ranked S2, defined as a site imperil in Florida because of rarity (6-20 occurrences or less than 3000 individuals) or because of vulnerability to extinction due to natural or man-made factors according to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). This upland xeric (dry) site can be easily recognized by the dominance of evergreen shrubs and frequent patches of bare, white sand. The dominant vegetation includes a compilation of woody species such as myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), scrub oak (Quercus inopina), sand live oak (Quercus geminata), silk bay (Persea humilis), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), and rusty lyoma (Lyonia ferruginea). Ground cover is typically sparse due to its extremely dry surface condition, and is restricted to only the most drought tolerant species such as ground lichens (Cladina spp.), gopher apple (Licania michauxii), prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), beak rush (Rhynchospora megalocarpa), and Curtiss’ milkweed (Asclepias curtissi). Xeric uplands for which Interior Florida Scrub is a representative, have declined approximately 60% of their natural distribution as a result of urban development, agriculture, habitat fragmentation, altered fire regimes, and other societal infrastructural development. Scrub habitat remaining is vitally important to landscape diversity and for the 27 federally listed threatened and endangered species dependent upon these habitats in south Florida. Interior Florida scrub has an intermediate fire frequency, i.e., every 10 - 80 years. It is imperative that a proper fire regime be established to maintain the integrity of this habitat type. As a guide for management of interior Florida scrub habitats, it is recommended that you establish management parameters that will create a mix of vegetative structure within the scrub that would provide the best attributes for the federally listed Florida scrub jay (Aphelocama c. coerulescens), a species totally dependent upon the scrub habitat. According to Cox (1987), preferred scrub jay habitat consists of scrub with oaks 3 - 10 feet tall covering 50 - 75 percent of the area, open patches of bare sand covering 10 - 30 percent of the area, and no more than 20 percent canopy cover by trees > than 18 feet tall. When more than 50 % of the scrub area can be characterized by woody vegetation> 20 feet tall, and areas of bare sand begin covering < 10 percent of the ground, the scrub site should be treated with a growing season prescribed head fire. The objective of this head fire is to burn some areas intensely, others moderately and some areas may actually escape burning with this type of rapid deployment of fire through the plant community. Prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, brush management, restoration and management of declining habitat, and upland wildlife habitat management will be used to sustain this ecological site. Top
| Bottom | Home This habitat type or land cover can best be associated with Improved Pasture (211) to Unimproved Pasture (212) as described in the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS). These former mesic and hydric flatwood sites are restricted to areas mapped as Immokalee, EuaGallie, Farmton, and Myakka Fine Sands. Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) is the primary pasture species found within these sites. However, a considerable amount of smutgrass and other pastureland weedy species were observed. Prescribed grazing, pasture and hay land planting, pest management and nutrient management will be used to maintain the forage species. Top
| Bottom | Home Planted slash pines have been established on Smyrna fine sand at the eastern portion of Tiger Bay Ranch. Prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, brush management, pest management, nutrient management and upland wildlife habitat management will be used to maintain the timber. Top
| Bottom | Home Scroll down or click on your choice: Upland Wildlife Habitat Management | Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management | Restoration and Management of Declining Habitat | Early Successional Habitat Development/Management | Brush Management | Prescribed Burning | Firebreak | Prescribed Grazing | Pest Management | Fence | Nutrient Management | Pond | Structure for Water Control | Table of Conservation Practices Conservation practices, treatments and management activities briefly described below outline what, where and why the these actions will be taken. See Appendix 5 for an overview of the purpose and the extent to which the area will be treated for each conservation practice. Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Uplands that have been degraded due to a lack of fire, improper season of fire, and unrestricted grazing following fire will be enhanced by prescribed burning and rest-rotation grazing. Uplands within this tract provide ideal reffigia for a variety of wildlife during the wet season of the year. Through good grazing management, greater upland food, cover and shelter will be provided for wildlife. Maintenance of Mesic & Xeric Flatwoods and Interior Florida Scrub will be accomplished by burning every 3-7 and 15-80 years respectively. Key Sites Applied: Mesic & Xeric Flatwoods, Upland Hammocks and Interior Florida Scrub Top | Bottom | Home Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644) This practice integrates all of the wetland habitats within Tiger Bay Ranch into a holistic approach of improving habitat for wildlife. Conservation practice application, treatments and maintenance associated with wetland plant communities will contribute to meeting additional food, cover and shelter criteria for this practice. Maintaining adequate fire frequencies and hydrologic regimes are needed to sustain freshwater marshes and hydric flatwoods (wet prairies) in good ecological condition for both wildlife and livestock forage production needs. Key Sites Applied: Freshwater Marsh, Sawgrass Marsh, Hydric Flatwoods, and Hydric Hammocks. Top | Bottom | Home Restoration and Management of Declining Habitat (643) Interior Florida Scrub has been identified as an ecological community in peril. Their importance to the over-all biodiversity and ecological function and value to Tiger Bay Ranch can not be stressed enough. Conservation practices and management that will assist in the sustainability of this habitat type are essential in meeting the conservation objectives of this site. Minimize livestock access by locating mineral and other supplemental feeding sources away from these fragile sites. Although burn frequencies are typically long, when they do occur it is essential that livestock have restricted access for a minimum of 120 days following the burn. Avoid any additional roads, trails, or firebreaks within or adjacent to Interior Florida Scrub and Xeric Flatwood sites. Key Site Applied: Interior Florida Scrub and Xeric Flatwood Top | Bottom | Home Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647) Succession is the replacement of one kind of plant community by another kind, and is generally thought of in ecological terms as a progressive/systematic natural change in vegetation and animal life which may culminate into a "steady state" referred to as "Climax". In Florida, we have several plant communities such as freshwater marshes, flatwoods, and prairies which are naturally kept in a less than "Climax" condition. In the flatwoods, we often refer to this as a "fire sub-climax" due to the natural periodic burning which prevents these sites from maturing into climax hardwood hammocks. Since settlement, controlling the ecological factors that maintained these sites in an early successional stage, e.g., fire, hydrology, or a combination of both, have been altered to allow for climax or near climax conditions to become established. The goal of this practice is to ensure early successional habitat is identified and maintained in good ecological health for the wildlife populations that depend on these sites. From a livestock perspective, greater quantity and quality of forages will be produced from early successional habitats or range sites. Key Sites Applied: Freshwater Marshes, Hydric Flatwoods, Mesic Flatwoods, and Xeric Flatwoods. Top | Bottom | Home Brush management is a common practice used to retard the encroachment of woody species by either mechanical, chemical or biological methods. We recommend the use of a tandem roller chopper to mechanically treat saw palmetto and gailberry that have become dominant in the mesic flatwoods and prairies. Some freshwater marshes and hydric flatwoods have established thick stands of wax myrtle and slash pine due to improper changes in the surface hydrology of the site. Once structures or other methods have been applied to reestablish the natural hydropatterns that once existed, chopping and push blading woody species will improve wildlife habitat functions and native forage production. Leaving motts or small areas of untreated brush provide escape cover and other benefits for a variety of wildlife species. Chopped areas must be rested from livestock grazing for a minimum of 90 days following treatment. A 90 day deferment period must be provided sometime within the growing season, May - November of the year that the treatment is applied to obtained the greatest benefit. Key Sites Applied: Freshwater Marshes, Hydric Flatwoods, and Mesic Flatwoods. Top | Bottom | Home This practice is essential to achieving the long-term management objectives and ecological health throughout Tiger Bay Ranch. The effects of prescribed burning will contribute to the early successional habitat development and management practice, as well as to the upland and wetland wildlife habitat management practices outlined above. Prescribed burning as noted above, is a natural ecological component to each of the native plant communities found on the ranch. Fire acts as the ultimate natural "manipulation tool" governing the kinds and amounts of vegetation that can be expected to be produced. Thus, food, cover, shelter, and reproductive habitat for wildlife, and range forage for livestock all depend upon the timely and well executed application of prescribed burning. The hydric and mesic flatwoods, and the interior Florida scrub are also require periodic burning to create desired habitat conditions. When conditions allow, burn these sites between February and May every 3-7 years on the flatwood sites and 10-80 years on the interior Florida scrub sites, or as needed. It is imperative that burned areas be rested from livestock grazing for a minimum of 90 days following treatment. Key Sites Applied: Freshwater Marshes, Hydric Flatwoods, Mesic Flatwoods, Interior Florida Scrub, and Planted Pines. Top | Bottom | Home Firebreaks are essential for applying prescribed burning in a safe manner. Constructed firebreaks should be tied into existing natural and cultural barriers, such as streams, lakes, ponds, public road, drainage canals, and utility right-of-ways. Firebreaks may be disked, plowed, graded, or "black lines" in such a manner that fuels are eliminated to prevent fire from escaping the intended area. Firebreaks must be a minimum of 10 feet wide and should be used anywhere protection and control is needed. Key Sites Applied: All Sites. Top | Bottom | Home This practice outlines proper livestock grazing intensity, duration, and season of use in accordance to NRCS specifications. Bahiagrass pastures should not be grazed closer than a 2 inch stubble height. Desirable native forages such as maidencane, cutgrass, creeping bluestem, chalky bluestem, blue maidencane, and indiangrass should be grazed to a level not to exceed 50 % use by weight of their annual production. Applying the proper grazing intensity, duration and season of use is extremely important to provide the most nutritious forage possible to your livestock, while maintaining the vigor and annual production of the most preferred range plants and pasture grasses. An estimate of the total annual production of all forage resources on Tiger Bay Ranch are described in Appendix 3, Forage Resource Inventory as 7904 animal unit months, or 659 total animal units. Encroachment of brush on the mesic flatwoods, hydric flatwoods, and freshwater marshes are currently reducing the annual production of forage plants throughout the ranch. Providing better rest-rotation grazing methods, followed by proper application of prescribed burning and brush management will increase the present carrying capacity and enhance wildlife habitat values throughout the ranch. The Annual Grazing Schedule, Appendix 4, describes a recommended herd grouping and pasture and rangeland allocation, to adequately utilized the forage resources based upon the forage resource inventory and current fencing lay-out on Tiger Bay Ranch. Three cow-calf herds are proposed, where two herds are maintained on pastureland throughout the summer growing season, and are wintered on rangeland, and a third cow-calf herd is rotated between rangeland fields 2 and 3 throughout the year. Fields 4, 8 and 9 are reserved for the bulls during the non-breeding season, or approximately 8-9 months of the year. See Appendix 4 for the Annual Grazing Schedule recommended for Tiger Bay Ranch. Key Sites Applied: All Sites. Top | Bottom | Home This practice will be applied anywhere chemical treatments are initiated to control pest such as insects, e.g., mole crickets or weeds, e.g., smutgrass. It is extremely important to control the spread of any non-native invasive (noxious) weeds species such as melaleuca, Brazilian pepper, tropical soda apple, or cogongrass. Small colonies of cogongrass were observed in the northwest area of rangeland field 1. Cogongrass is an invasive species from southeast Asia that is considered to be one of the 10 most noxious weeds of the world. The recommended herbicide for cogongrass is Round-up. Follow all label directions accordingly for use of this chemical. For effective control of cogongrass consider the following steps for successful treatment: 1) burn the site needing treatment in spring or early summer, 2) after 30 days of re-growth disk or chop the treatment area, 3) allow cogongrass to regrow for 3-4 months or until about October or November, 4) apply Round-up at 3-4 quarts per acre. A follow-up treatment of herbicide may be required the next year. See the planning map for the area needing cogongrass eradication. Maintain a record of treatments applied, such as date, time, herbicide type, form, and application rate. Key Sites Applied: Any site where insecticides, herbicides or fungicides are applied. Top | Bottom | Home Interior cross fencing is critical to ensuring that livestock grazing is applied in accordance to the Annual Grazing Schedule and Livestock Forage Inventory. No additional fence is recommended at this time, however, strategically placing additional fence may provide for better livestock handling as well as assist in efforts to improve rangeland conditions. All livestock fences installed must be of new materials and meet or exceed the following construction criteria:
Key Site Applied: Any site where fence is constructed. Top | Bottom | Home Plant nutrients should be applied periodically according to soil tests and/or production needs on pasture land. Bahiagrass is an exotic forage grass that has not evolved with the native soil conditions found in south Florida. Natural pH and fertility are both too low to allow for optimum production of bahiagrass forages. Current research indicates that annual soil testing for bahiagrass pastures in central and south Florida in not required. WAS, recommends under their low-nitrogen option, to apply 50 pounds of N per acre annually. Every 3-4 years, apply P and K in accordance to soil tests. Maintain soil pH at 5.5 for best nutrient use efficiency by the bahiagrass forage. Apply soil amendments in the spring or early summer. Key Site Applied: Any pastureland, fields 4-15. Top | Bottom | Home Having a stable source of good quality water is important to the health of the livestock, as well as to the restoration of the wetland habitats. No stock ponds are recommended at this time. Key Site Applied: Any site where a stock pond is to be constructed. Top | Bottom | Home An excessive amount of shallow surface water ditches have been dug throughout that ranch. Presently these ditches have no control mechanisms to regulate their release of surface waters. This is understandable due the large expanse of wetlands on Tiger bay Ranch and that when the ranch is under water, the first priority is to get the water off as soon as possible. However, under the current strategy dramatic negative impact to wetland plant communities has resulted, especially in transitional wetlands along marsh margins and hydric flatwoods. Slash pine and wax myrtle have become established in areas where little or no woody vegetation should be present if proper hydrologic condition existed. This change in plant community structure diminishes wildlife values, reduces forage production, reduces visibility, and mobility. NRCS recommends pursuing a management strategy to install structures for water control such as converts with flash board risers in appropriate locations allowing management to maintain optimum hydrologic conditions on the ranch. NRCS would like to discuss further with Tiger Bay Ranch on this issue, and if desired to provide engineering assistance to properly design and locate these structures. Key Site Applied: Any site where structures for water control are needed. Top | Bottom | Home There are currently 68 federally listed threatened and endangered species within the south Florida ecosystem, of which, DeSoto County is included. Of the species listed, 33 are animals and 35 are plants. Listed species and their habitats are protected pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Although no listed species were observed during the NRCS resource inventory process, the following species have the potential to be using Tiger Bay Ranch as their home. For this, the landowner should feel fortunate that the habitats under their stewardship is capable of providing the necessary requirements to meet the needs of these valued natural resources.
As a final note, there are three primary management activities that must be done to ensure that Tiger Bay Ranch is capable of enhancing and then sustaining their greatest asset, ecological integrity. These three things are dynamic, that is they change from day to day, month to month, where no year is exactly the same as the year before. These primary management activities are, 1) grazing management, 2) fire management, and 3) hydrology management. All three activities must achieve the same amount of attention as the other, for each is dependent upon the other. Top | Bottom | Home |
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