|
 
Fire plays an important role in the southwest Florida environment by maintaining the natural composition and distribution of plant and animal communities. Fire provides forage for wildlife by stimulating new growth and seed production in plants, and opening new areas for feeding and travel. A number of endangered and threatened species, such as gopher tortoise and red cockaded woodpecker, prefer habitat that has been enhanced by fire. Without fire, forest habitats can grow too dense and no longer suit the needs of many animals. In southwest Florida, habitats such as pine flatwoods have historically experienced fires ignited by lightning every 5 – 10 years. The need to quickly extinguish or prevent wildfires has steadily increased with population growth in this area. In the absence of a natural fire pattern, fuels such as dry grass, brush, fallen timber and leafy debris can accumulate to extreme levels. 
Benefits of Prescribed Fires Much of Collier County is comprised of plants that are dependent on fire to maintain species composition and diversity. These species are the same ones that are prone to lightning strike wildfires, and the controlled reduction of those fuels will prevent catastrophic wildfire damage. Fire-dependent plants include the South Florida slash pine, gallberry, saw palmetto and scrub oaks. There are a number of reasons to use prescribed fire as a management tool in natural areas. They include:
|
|
