Sometimes The Best Made Plans Actually Work Out

Sanibel, FL (86 degrees, blue skies with puffy clouds)

Rosette Spoonbills

We have tried for years to get a winter volunteer position at J.N. Ding Darling NWR, without any success.  There are five sites available, however, the same group of volunteers return each winter. You cannot blame them!  Sanibel is a very special place and the birding, weather, and shelling is phenomenal.  

Turtle eggs

Baby loggerhead turtles

You might remember that this spring we were getting ready to travel up to Maine and workamp for the spring/summer season with a KOA campground.  Just before we were to leave the manager of the volunteers at Ding Darling offered us a summer volunteer position due to some funding being cut for the refuge. There was a great need especially for maintenance help at the refuge and John really enjoys that type of work  After some consideration and discussion with the campground in Maine we decided to go

ahead and accept it.  We were hoping to get our foot in the door and see if we liked volunteering here.  

We have enjoyed our time tremendously and have learned so much about the birds and sea life from the rangers and volunteers we have worked with each day.  We have also made some great friends. The weather has certainly been a challenge.  August has been especially hot, humid, and buggy. The no-see-ums can be fierce and John has had frequent outbreaks of poison ivy. With three weeks left to our commitment we received a phone call from our manager telling us that one of the volunteer couples  was not returning due to health reason.  Did we want the position?  It did not take us long to give him a resounding "Yes".  

Snowy Egret

Our plan is to take a couple of months off and visit some of our favorite places in Florida.  In November and December we will be working again for Slippermania selling sport memorabilia in Port Charlotte.  Starting in January we will return to Ding Darling until April.  John's duties will remain the same, however, I'll be giving some interpretive talks to visitors about alligators/crocodiles, manatees, plants, and an auto tour of Wildlife Drive. In addition, I'll be answering the phone in the administration office.  In the winter time this is a very busy place. Over 800,000 people visit it each year.  

Killdeer

We are very happy to be returning this winter.  It could not have worked out any better.  If you are in the area, please let us know.  We'd love to show you our back yard.  

Prescribed Burn @ Bailey Tract (J.N. Ding Darling Refuge)

J.N. Ding Darling NWR - Bailey Tract (92 degrees, slight breeze, blue skies)

One of the benefits about volunteering for a Fish and Wildlife Refuge is experiencing events from behind the scenes.  Recently the refuge prepared for a prescribed burn of one of the areas at Ding Darling called the Bailey Tract.  Sixty acres were designated as an area for a prescribed burn on August 8th.  

According to Fish and Wildlife "the purpose of this prescribed burn is to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires.  In addition, it enhances wildlife habitat by reducing the spread of invasive woody vegetation and restoring the natural ecology of the area."

Photo taken by Ding Staff

Firefighter officials from several areas (Big Cypress Preserve, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge & Southern Florida/Caribbean Fire District) joined the team including Sanibel City representatives and the police department.  

Photo taken by Ding staff

A burn of this size requires a lot of advance planning and community outreach.  A meeting for the community was held well in advance.  Homes, hotels, and businesses in the nearby area were personally contacted and flyers were placed in each mailbox.  A reverse 911 call went out to folks the night prior and day of the burn.  Plus a command center was set up close by to provide information. Huge flashing information signs were set up on the main road in front of Bailey Tract advising cars passing by of the burn about a week prior.  It was a well choreographed event well before the fire crews arrived. 

Tall grasses and vegetation

We went out the evening prior to take some "before burn" photographs.  See how high the grasses have grown. Florida is the lightning capital of the U.S.  A strike to this dry grass could be a real problem.  A planned burn is much easier to handle than an unplanned fire.  Having all equipment and well trained staff in place prior is so critical.   

Prior to the burn

Dense vegetation

As we walked the trail a alligator came over to check us. out.  In fact, it came out of the water towards us which was a little too close for our comfort.  We ended up notifying staff the next day.  Obviously someone is feeding this alligator. Coming towards a human is not good alligator behavior.  Remember never to feed the wildlife.  Unfortunately a fed alligator usually ends up a dead alligator.  

Our campsite is located behind the maintenance area for the refuge.  The day before huge equipment started to arrive.  It was interesting to watch all the action. Firefighters have some great toys.

The conditions were perfect the morning of the burn and all started off as planned.  However, around 2 pm the burn was ended due to a sudden wind shift. Forty of the sixty acres were burned. and plans were made to continue the next morning.  A big rain storm at night cancelled the continuation the next morning. The firefighters left with their equipment to help out other areas. Ding's fire ranger left shortly later for a fire in Idaho and is still there.  Be safe Paul.  

Post burn

We were told the area quickly recovers after a fire.  Here you can see where most of the grasses have been burned away to water level.

If you look closely in the picture below one week later small shoots of grass are already starting to grow.  Nature is amazing.

Small shoots of grass already returning.  

We have seen evidence of prescribed burns at other parks during our travels.  It was interesting to see what happens behind the scenes this time.  At one time forest fires were quickly extinguished in National Parks and prescribed burns were not done. The hope is this burning practises will eliminate catastrophic wildfires.