CNN iReport

One of the most rapidly disappearing habitats in Florida, the Florida Coastal Strand, undergoes a prescribed fire to maintain it's position with in the GTMNERR. With State Road A1A and houses built through the Coastal Strand, opportunities (perfect weather conditions) to burn are rare. Today was a rare day. With shrinking budgets, multiple agencies (Florida Dept. of Forestry, Dept. of Environ. Protection and Dept. of Parks) come together to support each others efforts to maintain the remaining natural areas.

The burn and mop-up went extremely well. Signs of recovery immediately followed with the appearance of a Florida Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) in an area I was mopping up. Most likely, the snake took refuge in a Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrow, a keystone species, providing shelter for some 200+ other species... especially during fire events.

Prescribed fire in Coastal Strands is a necessary event to prevent both wildfires impacting nearby homes and preventing the loss of this habitat type to succession (Maritime Hammock). Succession, though natural in many areas, wouldn't occur in this Coastal Strand due to salt pruning and fire. With a state highway and immediate adjacent homes bordering the area, the natural process is blocked....enter prescribed burn.