FALL 2014 What Is TALL TIMBERS? We Are Stewards of Wildlife and Wildlands
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Tall Timbers eJournalFALL 2014 What is TALL TIMBERS? We are Stewards of Wildlife and Wildlands Join us! The history of Tall Timbers Research Station & Land Conservancy begins with Henry L. Beadel. In his will, Beadel left his hunting plantation and resources to create “a fire type nature preserve … to conduct research on the effects of fire on quail, turkey and other wildlife, as well as on vegetation of value as cover and food for wildlife, and experiments on burning for said objectives.” In1958, Tall Timbers Research Station was established and Beadel’s legacy began.The goal of our research is to better understand the ecology of our ecosystems and apply that understanding toward better land stewardship. Our stewardship ethic supports productive and sustainable use of land, including hunting and forestry, in a manner that maintains ecosystem health and native wildlife populations. Established in 1990, the nationally accredited Tall Timbers Land Conservancy has become one of the largest regional land trusts in the country, conserving over 130,000 acres of land from Tallahassee, Florida to Albany, Georgia. Our conservation easements protect working lands that provide critical upland wildlife habitat and intact wetland ecosystems, vital to the health and wellbeing of the region. The Land Conservancy also works closely with communities on “smart growth” planning and advocacy, and is engaged in coordinating a Greater Red Hills Awareness Initiative to enhance local awareness and understanding of the importance of the Red Hills region and increase support for its long-term conservation. Become a member today and join us a Stewards of Wildlife and Wildlands. talltimbers.org/join-ttrs eJournal VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | FALL 2014 FEATURES 28 Painting with Fire BY JIM COX Flame-fanned passion is evident in the artwork of Philip Juras. 30 Greater Red Hills Awareness Initiative BY GEORGIA ACKERMAN What it is? Why are we doing it? What do we hope to achieve? 34 Along the Red Hills Canopy Roads BY KEVIN MCGORTY Since 1927, travelers have ventured the red clay canopy roads to reach Bradley’s County Store. 38 Red Cockaded Woodpeckers - The Road to Recovery BY JIM COX An endangered specious is recovering using innovative tools. On the Cover: Wade Tract 7, oil painting by Philip Juras EDITOR'S LETTER Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Tall Timbers eJournal. This digital magazine format will allow staff, associates and guest contributors to write longer, more in-depth features on a vari- ety of topics that we hope will be of interest you. There will be articles on our research and conservation work, and in the section called Flora & Fauna, a specific animal and plant that can be found in the greater Red Hills eJournal region will be featured. Because this is a digital publication, hyperlinks to websites that provide additional information, EDITOR Rose Rodriguez can be clicked on; text that is “red clay” colored indicates a hyperlink. And, click on the page number in the contents —————— pages and you will go to the article on that page. Issues can CONTRIBUTORS also include video. Georgia Ackerman In every issue, the Archives Corner will highlight an entry Jim Cox from Henry Beadel’s diaries. For those who don’t know, Henry Neil Fleckenstein Beadel was the owner of Tall Timbers Plantation, the benefac- tor who left his property and fortune to establish Tall Timbers Kevin McGorty Research Station. Beadel was a diarist since he was a teenager; Bill Palmer he also drew and painted and was an avid photographer. The Kevin Robertson Archives is fortunate to have his diaries and photographs, which provide a wealth of information about Beadel’s private Kim Sash life, but also reference land management and hunting activi- Clay Sisson ties on the plantation. Theron Terhune President/CEO of Tall Timbers, Dr. Bill Palmer, will have Shane Wellendorf the Last Word. Closing every issue, Dr. Palmer will share his thoughts on the work Tall Timbers is doing or on issues that Juanita Whiddon affect the region. ——————— Finally, I would like to thank our contributors. Staff came EXECUTIVE EDITOR through with engaging articles during the busy field season, Bill Palmer accompanying them with great photos and graphics that help tell the story. And, I would like to thank the guest photogra- phers who graciously contributed some amazing photography COPYRIGHT ©2014 BY TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH INC. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may for several of the articles: Pierson Hill, Bob Ireland, Philip be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or Juras, Barry Mansell and Tara Tanaka. mechanical means, including information storage I hope you enjoy the eJournal. Email me a note with your and retrieval systems, without the publisher's written permission. thoughts, or better yet, send me a letter to the editor; I will include it in our next issue. eJournal is published biannually by Tall Timbers Research Rose Rodriguez Station & Land Conservancy, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, [email protected] Tallahassee, FL 32312-0918. SUPPORT OUR WORK Join Tall Timbers at talltimbers.org/membership. DEPARTMENTS Conservation Research & Land Management 7 Analysis Economics of Quail Hunting BY NEIL FLECKENSTEIN Flora & Fauna 14 16 Albany Quail Project South Carolina Quail Project Best Management Practices Where Did They Go? BY CLAY SISSON BY THERON TERHUNE Bobwhite evasion 8 20 Carnivorous Plants of North Cooper's Hawk In Every Issue Florida The Devil You Know 4 BY SHANE WELLENDORF BY KIM SASH Editor's Letter 12 Southeastern Pocket Gopher Shedding Light on the Reclusive "Sandy-mounder" BY JIM COX 26 6 Hardwood Resprouting Archives Corner BY KEVIN ROBERTSON 43 What we (and others) know today. The Last Word ARCHIVES CORNER The diaries of Henry Beadel are some of the most March 31, 1894 interesting documents in Tall Timbers’ archives Gerald and I got a two-seated surrey and driver and collection. Beadel started his diaries at age fourteen drove to Wakulla Springs, about 18 miles. Started when his grandmother gave him a journal; he kept at 8 o’clock. In passing an old field with dead trees, saw a small sparrow hawk clinging to the side of a his diaries until he was in his eighties. In an at- burnt pine stub about 20 feet up. Shinned up to the tempt to share with our readers a look into the life hole and saw the other hawk inside the hole. Tried of Tall Timbers’ benefactor, we will regularly pub- to tear the hole open, so as to see the bottom, but lish excerpts from Henry Beadel’s personal diaries wood was too hard to cut with knife. Bird was a and some copies of his sketches. The following is a strong olive color on back with large dark markings. partial account of a trip to Wakulla Springs when Bill black with, I think, yellow at base. Slid down Beadel was 19 years old. Note: all spelling, capital- making three enormous holes in each stocking…. ization, and grammar are those of Henry Beadel Drove to the Spring, passing Parish, the boatman’s and have not been edited. house, telling him to bring the oars down….Gerald —Juanita Whiddon, Archivist and I bailed out the boat. Parish soon came and took us out on the famous Spring. It looks like any round, woodland pool. It is about 200 yards across and the Wakulla River flows out at one side. The Spring is 180 feet deep, and when the water is clear one can see down the whole distance distinctly. The water had been stirred up by the heavy rains, and we could only see down 80 feet. We soon started down the river, not following the main stream, but striking off among the most beautiful little winding waterways that could be imagined….An alligator flopped off a log, making the water fly as we came round a bend. The bright, clear swiftly running water kept the long water grasses and bonnets in constant motion, and altogether it was the most beautiful, fairy place I have ever seen. Went back to Spring, had another bite and drive home. My canvas coat dropped out and drove back four miles before we found it. Got home a little after 9 o’clock. Above: Photo of Henry Beadel taken in 1894, the year of this diary entry. The background photo is of the Wakulla River, and was taken by Beadel on March 31, 1894, the day he visited Wakulla Springs. 6 Tall Timbers | www.talltimbers.org ANALYSIS The economics of quail hunting in the Albany plantation belt Tall Timbers recently completed analysis of the economic their surveys and more are arriving every day. We hope impact of Red Hills hunting properties demonstrated the that any property owners who have not yet completed tremendous impact that Red Hills working lands have on the landowner survey will do so as soon as possible! Ob- local economies. These forested landscapes, which protect taining a high survey response rate will be the most im- our drinking water, provide clean air and wildlife habitat, portant factor in determining the success of this project. also infuse local economies with more than $147 million At the conclusion of this project, Tall Timbers will in economic impact annually and over 1,400 jobs. create a publication that will be a centerpiece of our ef- Tall Timbers is now in the midst of a similar effort in forts to educate and inform the public and our local and the Greater Albany plantation belt. Our Greater Albany state leaders about the critical importance of quail hunt- Quail Lands Economic Impact Analysis project begin ing lands to the economic vitality of local and regional in January with detailed surveys mailed out to 75 quail economies in the Albany area.