Natural Area Teaching Laboratory

&

Thomas J. Walker Conservation Area

Annual Report 2010-2011

Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanChair, Natural Area Advisory Committee 2011-

NATL-West

NATL-East

Archer Rd

34th S

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Agenda for 2010-11 update• Generous assistance from the provost

– New outreach TA• New endowment• Burns and restarting tracts • Nature trail update

– East trail– QR nature trail

• People counter update• Invasive species report• Additional activities • Fiscal report for FY 2010-11• Preliminary fiscal plan for FY 2011-12

Assistance from the Provost

• In spring of 2011 Doug Levey and Tom Walker held discussions with the Provost, Joe Glover, which resulted in an increase of support for NATL

• The Office of the Provost will– Increase expense funds from $2,100 to $6,000 – Fund a second graduate NATL TA

Second Graduate TA

• Responsible for handling NATL outreaches• Grant writing and research projects• NAAC approved that this position be filled by

Eduardo Silva, a PhD Candidate with the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

New Endowment & Name

• New NATL endowment, funded by Tom Walker • Intended to make the position of NAAC Chair

more attractive to those faculty who are qualified and motivated to maintain and improve NATL

• This endowment will provide $3,000-4,000 annually to the NAAC Chair to be used for UF programs

• In connection with the endowment, NATL’s 33-acre restricted area will be named the “Thomas J. Walker Conservation Area”

Burns, Restarting Tracts, Oaks • No 2011 burn of tract D:

next burn in planning stage

• Planning for yearly restart of tract B (November 2011)

• Planning for 10 year restart of tract A (2012)

• NAP-Decide to what height (if any) low-growing live oak limbs should be trimmed – if trimming is desired, decide how

it should be accomplished

Nature Trail Update• Improvements to NATL’s interpretive signs along

nature trails: addition of new photosigns describing ecosystems, birds, reptiles and insects; continuation of general trail maintenance

• Development of new 3x2 ft. insect trail signs, funded by the Entomology Department’s Ecotourism Program

• Over the summer, NATL hosted two interns from the Ecotourism Program

• Interns worked to maintain nature trails, develop content for interpretive signs and develop curricula to be used by FLMNH docents

Four Florida Ecosystems for You to Explore!Nature Trails of UF’s Natural Area Teaching Laboratory (NATL)

SEEP Trail (wetlands) (3/4 mi.) - Follow signs or start at Natural Area Park

Hammock Trail (1/4 mi.) - Begins where Upland Pine and Old Field Trails end

QR Nature Trail Update

• QR (Quick Response) Nature Trail NATL OpCom members provided content for and created QR-code-based signs for a self-guided nature trail at the Natural Area Park SEEP junction.

• The information contained on the signs can also be found on the NATL website

• http://natl.ifas.ufl.edu/SGNTpage.htm#QR trail

People Counter Update

• July 2010 a Trailmaster was installed at the Cultural Plaza entrance to NATL to log the number of people entering or exiting NATL

• June of 2011 a second unit was funded by Jaret Daniels

• The new unit was installed at the academic entrance to NATL, near the Pavilion

• A third and final unit has been purchased and will be installed at the Natural Area Park Entrance

Control of Invasive Plants• Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) Eight sites were

infested in 2010 and only 2 had live plants as late as August 2011, the possibility of permanently eliminating cogongrass in NATL is evident

• Skunkvine (Paederia foetida) Two living plants were found in NATL during 2010. All sites were periodically inspected for skunk vine during the 2011 growing season

• Coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata) Occurs in at least 22 gridblocks in NATL-w and in six in NATL-e, mature plants in midwinter have been reduced by more than 94% since 2009

Additional activities for 2010-11• Complete first version of NATL Operating Manual• Produce new photo signs to keep nature trails

attractive, informative and current with seasonal changes

• Advertise NATL to departments; record use of NATL• Continue eradication of exotic species• Continue upland pine restoration (burning & planting)• Revise kiosk content and signs (as needed)• Social networking or marketing to deliver news about

NATL

On find us at NATL.UF

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@UFNATL

facebook search for: The Natural Area Teaching Lab

You are invited to:

Share pictures taken in NATLComment on observationsAsk questionsEnjoy pictures of the areaLearn what others have seen

Budget Report & Spending Plan

• Fiscal Plan for FY 2011-12 was unanimously approved by the NAAC

• “[The chair of NAAC] … 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

NATL Fiscal Plan for FY 2011-12Funds available for 2011-12 (excluding stipends for Graduate TAs, CALS Dean and Provost)

Brought forward from 2010-11 $178

Projected income for 2011-12Provost $6000 (an increase of $3,900 from FY 2010-11)NATL endowment $4560 (UF Foundation projection)

Total $10,738

Spending plan for 2010-11

Routine expenses $2,000 Budgeted

Undergraduate TA $3,010 Control of invasives $2,640 3000 wiregrass plugs $900 2000 NT fliers $270 People counter for NAP entrance $300 Controlled burn of upland pine $600 2 minigrants @$500 each $1,000 Sum $10,720

To be carried forward $18

Grand Total $10,738

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