Habitat Destruction! Rally the Troops...

[Brian Barnes]

Hello Friends,

It was very recently brought to my attention by a fellow ICPS Member in Port Charolotte, Fl., that a crucial area in the Florida Panhandle is being compromised...

Areas in Bay and Walton counties are being destroyed due to road widening projects. I'm researching this current alarm in fine detail and will supply more specifics and photos very soon. The project does involve draining of several fine CP habitats containing;

D. filiformis var tracyi,
S. purpurea rosea
S. flava
S. psittacina
and resulting hybrids between the above mentioned Sarracenia.

Some of these stands contain clumps of Sarracenia that are 1.5 feet in diameter, which are old well-established plants growing in prestine, untouched bogs.

Bill Boothe, a native plant enthusiast and photographer in Bristol, Fl. is rallying some volunteers to plan for a massive CP exodus. I myself will be heading there two weeks from today (May 1, 2009) which is sooner than I had planned, to assess the damage and pull some strings to rescue these remarkable plants.

I've contacted TNC and The Fl. Native Plant Society as well due to the need for immediate action. Anyone wishing to volunteer any efforts in the Fl. Panhandle in two weeks, please contact me via email to go over specifics.

Thank you!

Brian Barnes,
ICPS Director of Conservation
President of FCPS.

[PlantAKiss]

NASC was proud to partner with Brian Barnes, ICPS Head of Conservation, to take immediate action to rescue plants that were facing the bulldozer. Mark Todd assisted Brian out in the field as they worked like crazy to save what they could. They managed to rescue quite a few with some going into NASC's Growing Program. Location data and surveys were taken. Thank you for the opportunity and we hope to be able to partner even more in the future.

[philgreen]

Glad to hear of the rescue. Any pic's ??