We’ll be cutting down intruding sand pines to prevent the trees from taking away precious habitat for endangered Florida Scrub-Jays.

We'll be using hand saws, loppers, and chainsaws (for those qualified)  to cut down sand pines in an ongoing Scrub-jay habitat restoration effort

The objective is to reduce the density of sand pines and return the acreage to oak scrub. Scrub-jays won't use areas with sand pines as predators like Cooper's Hawks use them to hide in.

Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for working in brush. Also please bring your work gloves and a hiker’s water bottle or similar. We’ll have plenty of cold drinking water and all the tools needed.

Meet at the main parking lot for the Carter Creek unit on Riverdale Road.

Directions:

Take State Road 17 south from Avon Park, or north from Sebring, to the intersection with Arbuckle Creek Road. Go east on Arbuckle Creek Road 3 miles. You will pass the Maranatha Settlement. At the corner of Arbuckle Creek Road and Riverdale Road, turn left (north) onto Riverdale.
Riverdale Road has a sharp left and right turn with stop signs near Gate 1. You’ll see the main parking lot at Gate 1, and pull in and park.

FWC Carter Creek is part of the Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area. The most distinctive natural community on the Lake Wales Ridge is scrub, home to one of the rarest collections of plants and animals in the world. Healthy scrub has the appearance of a miniature forest with trees seldom taller than 10 feet and open patches of sand. The WEA contains 20 of 22 federally listed plant species known to occur on the Lake Wales Ridge.