EEL FIRE MANAGEMENT MANUAL -- Prepared by The Nature Conservancy

Natural Community- Sandhill (Stage 1)

  • Soils:  Mineral (pale-yellow in color and sandy in texture) - need typical sandhill soil type in the county.  Typical soil types include Alphin, Bonifay, Candler, Chiefland, Cocoa, Deland, Eustis, Hurricane, Kershaw, Lake, Lakeland, Orlando, and Troup (Soil Conservation Society of America, 1987).

FUEL MODEL: Fuel Model 2 is best fit for modeling fire behavior of this stage.  Fine fuels such as grasses and pine needle litter dominate the fuel matrix of this model (Anderson, 1982).  These fuels generate quick, low intensity/low severity fires.

TYPICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR:   [Using FBPS: FM 2, FFM 8, LFM 100, MFW 5 - 10] (Refer to page 32)

DESIRED STAGE: This stage is the optimal stage at which sandhill communities are to be maintained.

RESTORATION/MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL

  • Restoration Phase:
  • No restoration required.

  • Maintenance/Management Phase:
  1. Growing season and mixed season series of  prescribed fire at a 1 to 3 year fire interval.
  1. Avoid any soil disturbing activities or treatments.

  • Special Management Concerns:
  • Soil disturbance as avenue for exotics.
  • Degradation of wiregrass complex vegetation from equipment trampling.
  • Avoid hydrologic/topographic alteration such as ditching and fire-plow scars.

EEL SITES WHERE SANDHILL - STAGE 1 OCCURS
  • Malabar Scrub Sanctuary

General Fire Effects & Management Considerations

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