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Stewardship of the land and natural resources has always
been a way of life on the Lykes Ranch.
An example of proactive stewardship is
the habitat management for red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCW) –
the only endangered species of woodpeckers in North
America. The RCW’s endangered status results primarily from
the birds distinct preference for making its nesting cavity
in a particular type of tree – living mature, native
longleaf pine – combined with the rapid disappearance of the
trees. There are 11 separate stands of native longleaf pine
on the Lykes Ranch totaling 4208 acres. These are the
southern most longleaf pines in Florida.
Lykes
Bros. not only
preserved these pine stands, but has enhanced the habitat
conditions for the RCW population through the use of
mechanical means and prescribed fire to control hardwood
encroachment and fuel loading within the forest under
story. A dense, woody under story limits the RCW’s foraging
habitat. It also makes the stands vulnerable to intense
fast burning wildfires that can destroy RCW cavity trees.
Special emphasis has been placed on the care and protection
of cavity trees and older aged longleaf pines capable of
providing for future cavities. |
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