Biodiversity Program Objectives:

• Foster ongoing ecological/botanical inventories, research and monitoring to ensure long-term ecological integrity and provide for ecosystem restoration.
  

• Develop base-line databases to track short and long-term ecological condition.
  
• Oversee protection and management status on sensitive species and natural communities at 500+ ecologically sensitive occurrences.
  
• Provide technical expertise for natural resources management and military mission to minimize impacts and promote leadership ecological stewardship, as part of the Department of Defense Ecosystem Management Program.

A natural areas inventory of APAFR completed in 1997 identified: 58,700 acres as statewide significant natural areas; 17 rare plant community types; and 13 globally significant plants (known from less than 20 sites globally), including 2 federally-listed plants. Examples of global significant communities include the cutthroat grass communities and associated seepage slopes, the endemic Florida dry prairies, longleaf pine savannas, sandhill on the Bombing Range Ridge and a high quality remnant Kissimmee River floodplain marsh. With over 50 imperiled species and 40% of all the vascular plants known from south-central Florida, APAFR plays a keystone role in protection of regional biodiversity. It is one of the largest protected natural areas in south-central Florida and when considered with nearby conservation areas exceeds over a quarter million acres of conservation lands and as such is truly a national natural treasure.

• A recently implemented ecological monitoring protocol is currently assessing impacts caused by ground-based military missions associated with deployment of the Multiple Launch Rocket System at APAFR
  

• Some of the best remaining examples of fire-maintained, southeastern coastal plain ecosystems (pitcher plant seeps, longleaf pine savannas, cutthroat grass communities, and prairies) are found on military bases in and adjacent to artillery ranges where frequent fires are assured and unexploded ordinance provides protection from development. Frequent ordnance-ignited wildfires in aerial bombing and gunnery ranges on APAFR sustain the natural vegetation of several globally rare plant community types. Through planning and integration of ecosystem management with the military mission APAFR perpetuates these communities within the context of the military mission.
  

• Publication of ecological accounts on Florida dry prairie and cutthroat grass communities for the USFWS Endangered Species Recovery Plan, Volume II , The Ecosystem. These two accounts can be accessed at the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service home page: www.fws.gov.

• Inventory of vascular plants in cooperation with the University of South Florida for the Flora of Florida Project (see www.plantatlas.usf.edu) has uncovered many plant records, range extensions, and several plant species that are new to science. Currently 1,016 vascular plants have been documented with the work being facilitated through volunteer help.
  

• Presentation of vegetation sampling results of cutthroat grass communities at scientific meetings and at a cutthroat grass symposium held at Archbold Biological Station in August 1995. This sampling project yielded sites for plants previously unknown to occur in central Florida.
  

• Two popular articles highlighting botanical work at APAFR have been printed in both the Tampa Tribune (Oct 26, 1996) and Florida Gardening (Apr/May 1998 issue).
  

• Completion of a regional ecological characterization of the globally imperiled Florida dry prairie by partnershiping with two agencies and the National Audubon Society. This study documented exceptional species diversity at APAFR prairies only exceeded in 3 other Western Hemisphere ecological studies.
  

• Monitoring of dry prairie habitat for the federally endangered Florida Grasshopper Sparrow to determine any effects of livestock grazing and ensure long-term ecosystem health of the dry prairie and its associated rare species.
  

• In 1998 a three year project was started to evaluate the effect of pine plantations on the native ground cover vegetation. This study will document and describe differences in ground cover vegetation in pine plantations, evaluate the short-term effects of various timber management practices (i.e. site preparation, shading, etc.), and recommend guidelines for timber management strategies that emphasize ecosystem management.
  

• The "Original Public Land Survey Records and Maps" are being used to reconstruct the prairie/pineland boundary as it existed in the 1850's when the original land surveys were conducted in this part of Florida. By using witness tree diameter data from these surveys to reconstruct values for tree density at the time of these surveys, analysis should provide information on the prairie and pineland component present on the base prior to any major alteration by man.
  
• In 1998 and 1999 permanent vegetation plots were sampled prior to harvesting of native seed, to be used in wiregrass restoration projects off-base. Plots were established for long-term monitoring of the ground cover vegetation to determine the potential effect of harvesting practices on the native ground cover.
  

• In 1999 a dry prairie regional flora study, a prairie/pine savanna study, and a landscape-level dry prairie study were initiated to provide critical information on differences in dry prairie vegetation at various geographic scales.
  

• Staff botanist/ecologist provides technical expertise to other staff as part of the effort to implement ecosystem management.