Prairie Pines Preserve

The Preserve consists of a mosaic of several native plant communities, including wet and mesic flatwoods, depression marshes, wet prairies, and prairie hammocks, marshes and a small area of abandoned pasture. Due to the lack of fire, many of these communities were infested with dense stands of melaleuca and other listed invasive exotic plants. Pines had also invaded hammock areas and formed dense stands due to lack of natural fires. In 2010 pine tree thinning was conducted on the site, along with the beginning of melaleuca removal. Over 90% of the melaleuca was removed from the site for free and contractors have been hired to treat regrowth and other invasive exotics over the next several months.