You are here

Invasive Australian Pines To Be Removed From Everglades National Park

Share

Aerial view of the saline glades, which are sawgrass marsh interspersed with clumps of short mangrove trees. Wispy Australian Pine tress tower over the other vegetation/NPS

Work soon will begin to remove invasive Australian pine trees along the shoreline of Florida Bay in Everglades National Park.

Thanks to funding from Publix, an employee-owned grocery chain, the National Park Service has awarded a contract to Environmental Quality, Inc., also known as EQI, to remove the trees. This project focuses on improving the saline glades region of the park by controlling Australian pine trees, one of the most invasive plant species in Everglades National Park. The trees reduce available habitat for native plants and animals and alter freshwater flow into Florida Bay. 

“The saline glades are one of the rare treasures protected in Everglades National Park and an important piece of the greater ecosystem,” said Everglades Superintendent Pedro Ramos. “This partnership project is an example of the good work we can accomplish in parks when donors work with our non-profit partners to help restore and preserve our federal lands for the benefit of all.”   

This three-year project is expected to begin in January and will include using a variety of tools to eliminate Australian pine trees. The contract with EQI will complete phase one of the three-phase project. Although treatment to control Australian pine in other areas of the park has been successful, the first year of this project will help guide the process in future years.  

Once covering approximately 1,300 acres, the majority of the remaining Australian pine trees in the park are found in the remote and difficult-to-access saline glades in the southeastern part of the park. The saline glades region is easily seen from US-1 on the 18-mile stretch from the Florida mainland to the Florida Keys and is home to iconic plants and animals like dwarf red mangroves, roseate spoonbills, and American crocodiles. This transitional ecosystem lies between the freshwater, sawgrass-dominated marshes of the Everglades and the mangrove forests that line Florida’s southern coast. Freshwater flowing through the saline glades into Florida Bay is critical to keep the estuary healthy. 

Like the rest of the Everglades, the saline glades are very low in nutrients, which constrains the growth of red mangroves and other native plants. Unlike red mangroves, Australian pines trees are nitrogen-fixing, meaning they can utilize atmospheric nitrogen and are not growth-inhibited by low levels of this important soil nutrient. As a result, these highly invasive trees often tower over and shade out local flora. 

Besides physically outcompeting native species, the roots and shed needles of the Australian pine tree chemically impede the growth of nearby plants. The trees’ dominance reduces available habitat for wildlife in the saline glades. In addition, these larger trees likely absorb a much greater amount of freshwater compared to native plants. Over time, the presence of the invasive trees could affect the flow of freshwater into Florida Bay, which, could curtail Everglades restoration efforts focused on the bay. 

This project is a prime example of what collaborations between private, non-profit, and public institutions can make possible. Publix donated funding for the project to the National Park Foundation, which, then provided a grant to Everglades National Park. Additional funding for the project is also being provided by the National Park Service’s Florida and Caribbean Invasive Plant Management Team. 

Support National Parks Traveler

National Parks Traveler is a small, editorially independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization. The Traveler is not part of the federal government nor a corporate subsidiary. Your support helps ensure the Traveler's news and feature coverage of national parks and protected areas endures. 

EIN: 26-2378789

A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Box 980452, Park City, Utah 84098. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas.

Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below:

  • Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER, (REGISTRATION NO. CH 51659), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 800-435-7352 OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE WWW.FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
  • Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above.
  • Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534).
  • North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 or 919-807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.
  • Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
  • Virginia: Financial statements are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
  • Washington: National Parks Traveler is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law and additional information is available by calling 800-332-4483 or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities, or on file at Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.