Natural Area Teaching LaboratoryAnnual Report 2007-2008

Doug Levey Chair, 2007-09

NATL-West

NATL-East

Archer Rd

34th S

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Academic Use Only

Public Area

What we Proposed to LVL Committee for 2008

Complete nature trails & signage Finish fencing (CITF funds)Advertise trials to public (work with Cultural Plaza group)Update and implement Upland Pine Restoration planComplete re-starting of 10-year old plot rotationEstablish a surveyed grid system in NATL-east; take

vegetation photos from grid points for permanent record.

Recruit volunteers to help eradicate invasive species & pick up trash (especially along new fence lines)

Recruit classes to do management/restoration experiments in NATL

Use GPS to map trailsUse GPS to map locations of invasive species

What we Proposed to LVL Committee for 2008

~ALL DONE!Complete nature trails & signage Finish fencing (CITF funds)Advertise trials to public (work with Cultural Plaza group)Update and implement Upland Pine Restoration planComplete re-starting of 10-year old plot rotationEstablish a surveyed grid system in NATL-east; take

vegetation photos from grid points for permanent record.Recruit volunteers to help eradicate invasive species &

pick up trash (especially along new fence lines)Recruit classes to do management/restoration

experiments in NATLUse GPS to map trails Use GPS to map locations of invasive species (50m grid

system works fine for this)

Self-Guided Nature Trails

SEEP Trail

“This photo was taken in August 2008.

What has changed since then? “

CITF – Upland Trails

Brochure for nature trails

Fencing for NATLCorral fencing

Field fencing

6’ Chain-link fencing

Even newsidewalks…

Several Volunteer Events• Pulling invasive species (Ardisia)

• Planting native plants

• Picking up trash

Alpha Phi Omega

GIS maps are available on web Layers include trails, grid points,

vegetation

Development of NATL-East

NATL-West

NATL-East

Archer Rd

34th S

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Other activities in 2008 NATL operating manual created TA manual created Longleaf Pine Restoration plan adopted 2000 plugs of wiregrass planted Earth Day event Two burns completed (spring and

summer) New chair lined up (Jack Putz) Graduate TA’ship line secured (4 TAs in 4

semesters) Support from Provost’s office secured

Thanks to lots of folks, including:

Proposed Activities for 2009 Finish developing NATL-east

Build new walkway (200 ft across wooded marsh) Produce content for kiosk

Finish basic trail guides for all trails Host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for trails Advertise NATL to departments; record use

of NATL Continue eradication of exotic species Continue pine restoration (burning &

planting) Revise kiosk content and signs (as needed)

Budget Report and Spending Plan“[The chair of NATL] … will annually

submit a spending plan to the Lakes, Vegetation and Landscaping Committee (LVLC) for its approval, and the Chair of NAAC will submit an annual report about the uses of endowment funds to LVLC.” See handout

Also available on the web at: http://natl.ifas.ufl.edu/NAACmin9sep08.pdf