2026 PRWG Abstracts

Conference Keynote: Stepping into the same river twice: how science can build resilience to changes that seem intractable for land management

Joe O’Brien, U.S. Forest Service

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously observed that the only constant is change. However, we are still surprised and confounded by changes that impact both our ability to manage landscapes and shifting objectives for that management. I will briefly discuss how one of the most useful roles for science is to have a deeper understanding of this inevitability and to build resilience by developing a more nuanced approach to the concept itself. Heraclitus also posited that fire was the fundamental force driving the universe, so I will use fire and its role in pine rockland management as a thread weaving how our Prescribed Fire Science Lab merges science with resource management to mitigate the inevitable instabilities that challenge us all.

Pine Rockland colonization within the Hole-in-the-Donut Restoration Area at Everglades National Park

Steve Woodmansee, Pro Native Consulting

The Hole-In-The-Donut Restoration Area in Everglades National Park is a mosaic of mostly wetland plant communities. Formerly fallow farmland dominated by invasive exotic plants such as Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia), the method of restoration consisted of scraping portions to the bare rock and allowing native plants to recruit on their own. Scraping events have taken place between 1989 and 2022. This program is a primer for the 1.5 hour field trip led by Steve and park managers.

Promoting germination of Small’s Milkwort (Polygala smallii, aka Senega arenicola): In situ management approaches for a fire-dependent species

Riki Bonnema, Nick Matsumoto, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

This presentation introduces Small’s Milkwort (Polygala smallii, now Senega arenicola), a fire-dependent species of conservation concern and summarizes ongoing field monitoring. We describe in-situ management techniques used to promote germination and seedling survival in both naturally occurring seed banks and seeds introduced by staff. The presentation highlights the role of prescribed fire and fire-mimicking management practices in supporting recruitment and informing conservation of this species. 

Reimaging restoration: Youth engagement model for protecting pine rockland fragments 

Andrea Mirow, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Pine rocklands in Miami face growing threats from the urban environment: fire suppression, invasive species, and illegal dumping, to name a few. Whilst these issues can be superficially addressed by land managers, there is also a deeper societal lens that demands attention. Few people in Miami know about pine rocklands, let alone have visited them; fewer still understand this habitat’s dire need for fire or the problems posed by invasive plant species. A future with healthy, biodiverse, and protected pine rocklands in Miami is only possible with an engaged and educated community. In the past two years, I have designed a new model for environmental youth engagement. Building on the Fairchild Challenge's infrastructure, this model targets Miami Dade middle and high school teachers to be the vehicles for pine rockland education. After learning about South Florida's endangered lands and the county program protecting them, teachers are offered a fully- funded restoration field trip. Students visit pine rocklands across Miami, guided by conservationists and preserve managers, and aid in ecological restoration. In just two years, over 1,300 students helped with restoration, 24 teachers participated, and 10 pinelands were visited. Feedback has been positive; some teachers have even sought more involvement in the maintenance of local preserves. Our communities deserve to know about and feel connected to public land, and in this case, it starts with our youth. Thanks to the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program and Don Allen Fund for supporting this work.

Detecting Rare Ecological Events with AI Detection on Trapdoor Spider Predation on New Guinea Flatworms at Zoo Miami

Isabella Rios, Tiffany Moore, Zoo Miami

The invasive New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) poses a severe threat to local biodiversity, largely because it has virtually no known natural predators. This study reports a novel ecological breakthrough: the first recorded instance of the recently discovered Pine Rockland trapdoor spider (Ummidia richmondi) preying upon P. manokwari at Zoo Miami. To systematically monitor and log these rare ecological events, a custom-trained YOLO AI object detection model was deployed. Additionally, a local application was developed to run the model, automate documentation, and track encounter counts between the two species. This integration of computer vision and field ecology provides a scalable framework for tracking emerging predator-prey dynamics and managing invasive species.

Safeguarding Rare Pine Rockland Taxa in the FTBG Conservation Seedbank

Nick Matsumoto, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Conservation seed bank currently houses around 10 millions seeds from over 300 taxa; of those nearly 200 taxa are native to globally imperiled pine rockland habitat and 12 of those are some of the rarest federally endangered Miami-Dade and Monroe County pine rockland endemics. The FTBG conservation team can leverage this substantial quantity and diversity of seed for germination testing, seed bulking, restoration, and resource for research both locally and in concert with other botanical gardens. Presented are statistics about seed bank contents and success stories highlighting various seed bank uses.

2026 Pine Rockland Stewardship Updates from PROS Natural Areas Management 

Simone Jimenez, Miami-Dade County, Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, Natural Areas Management Division.

Abstract pending

The architecture of survival: Hurricane-resilient traits in Pinus densa and other southern US pines

Jeffery B Cannon, Chambers J. English, Michaella A. Ivey, Jacob S. Fraser, Benjamin O. Knapp, L. Tanner Warren, Andrew W. Whelan, Nicole E. Zampieri, Carly Ramacher, Brittany Harris, Latonya Williams, Cara Rockwell

Tropical cyclones are major disturbances that shape the structure, composition, and function of coastal forests. Many post-storm hurricane studies emphasize the acute effects of wind such as mortality patterns and recovery. However, the long-term ecological and evolutionary consequences of chronic wind exposure are poorly understood. We hypothesized that canopy traits related to wind resistance vary among four North American pine species distributed along a gradient of hurricane frequency: Pinus echinata, P. palustris, P. densa, and P. caribea. We used terrestrial lidar scanning and quantitative structure modeling to quantify traits related to windfirmness including crown size, trunk taper, vertical area distribution, branch spacing, and center of mass, for over 600 trees from Missouri, USA to Great Abaco, The Bahamas. Multivariate analyses showed there were strong interspecific differences in tree traits after accounting for tree size and stand density. Generally, species from hurricane-prone regions had lower centers of mass, greater taper, and higher proportions of small branches relative to inland species. Tree canopy architecture may reflect adaptive or exaptive responses to chronic severe winds. Our results highlight how repeated severe wind disturbances can shape structural traits influencing forest resilience and provide a foundation for linking windfirmness to evolutionary contexts.

Distribution and Habitat Associations of the Endangered Bartram’s Scrub-Hairstreak Butterfly in the Richmond Pine Rocklands of South Florida

Tiffany Moore, Kenny Law, Zoo Miami; Samantha Walsdorf Smallets, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

The pine rockland ecosystem of southern Florida is among the most imperiled habitats in North America and supports numerous endemic species, including the federally endangered Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak butterfly (Strymon acis bartrami). Because this butterfly relies exclusively on pineland croton (Croton linearis) as its larval host plant, understanding the relationship between the species and its habitat is critical for conservation planning.

To evaluate the status of Bartram’s within the Richmond pine rockland tract of Miami-Dade County, plant-level point-count surveys were conducted at Zoo Miami in 2023, followed by transect-based surveys at Zoo Miami and the U.S. Coast Guard Richmond Communications Station from 2024–2025. Surveys documented host plant abundance, Bartram’s life stages, and habitat characteristics across multiple management units with differing fire histories and management regimes.

Analyses examined patterns of Bartram’s occurrence in relation to host plant density and habitat conditions. Results revealed variation in Bartram’s distribution and habitat use among management units and highlighted the importance of host plant availability in shaping population patterns. Differences among sites suggest that additional ecological factors, including habitat management and disturbance history, may influence local population dynamics.

These findings provide new information on the distribution and habitat associations of Bartram’s within the northern portion of its range and offer guidance for future monitoring, habitat restoration, and conservation management efforts in the Richmond pine rocklands.

Do we have a pineland croton problem? Examining whether host plant declines may be driving declines in Bartram’s scrub hairstreak and Florida leafwing. 

James Lange, Erika Bonnema, Jennifer Possley, Lauren Trotta, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Pineland croton (Croton linearis) is a staple of pine rockland (and pineyard) understory as well as larval host plant and critical habitat for two of South Florida’s most endangered butterfly species: Bartram’s scrub hairstreak (Strymon acis bartrami) and Florida leafwing (Anaea troglodyta floridalis). For years, there have been discussions among biologists that wild croton plants seem to be declining in the field. Anecdotal evidence suggests the plants are less abundant, less robust, and increasingly infected with galls. However, there were no data to support the declines and the cause and historical abundance of the galls was unknown. In early 2026, we reached out to partners to begin gathering the evidence needed to inform possible interventions for land managers, butterfly specialists, and conservation biologists. We took a multifaceted approach that included resampling pineland croton plots in Navy Wells EEL preserve, resampling long-term vegetation monitoring transects in several other Miami-Dade preserves, and coordinating with entomology experts to identify the gall-forming insect(s). Results from both sets of field surveys confirm that our concerns are valid, while the gall studies have only opened the door to more mysteries. We will discuss preliminary findings, further research needs, and paths forward.

Establishing a baseline: multi-species wildlife monitoring in Miami-Dade EEL preserves

Noah Frade, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

The Miami-Dade Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program currently manages nearly 100 unique natural areas spanning tens of thousands of acres across the county. To build on decades of successful land conservation and stewardship, the program recently sponsored a new initiative to establish baseline wildlife inventories and long-term monitoring across its managed lands. This presentation summarizes the first year of this Fairchild-led, multi-taxa monitoring program. We used historical biodiversity records to identify data deficient sites, species, and conservation priorities, thus guiding field surveys. Survey methods included stand-alone trail cameras, AHDriFT-inspired bucket arrays, bird surveys, and targeted searches for conservation priority species such as Florida tree snails and Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak.

Managing the Land for Eco-Cultural Benefits and Wildfire Prevention

Margo Robbins, Cultural Fire Management Council

We are facing a climate crisis that is unparallel in history. Government agencies are now turning to Native people to learn how to use fire to restore ecosystems and stem the tide of growing wildfires. This presentation provides an overview of traditional fire practices, fire’s relationship to water and the myriad benefits of the purposeful use of fire. Native people have been burning for thousands of years, keeping the ecosystems healthy and balanced. Fire is one of the essential tools available to us as humans to ensure healthy land, healthy water, healthy people. Fire has a causal relationship with the quality and quantity of water. The purposeful use of fire is beneficial to watersheds, the plants, animals, and people.

Turks and Caicos Islands Pine Rocklands as Globally Significant Tropical Important Plant Areas

B Naqqi Manco, Dodly Prosper, Junel Blaise, Christopher May, Luc Clerveaux, Deja Charles, Lormeka Williams, Stuart Cable, Colin Clubbe, Marcella Corcoran, Sara Barrios, Tom Heller, Juan Viruel, Amy Barker, Tim Wilkinson, Elloise Budd

The Turks and Caicos Islands Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), has completed the Darwin Plus 114 project Tropical Important Plant Areas and Important Plant Species in the Turks and Caicos Islands 2022-2025. This project focused on three achievements: 1) Identification of Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAs) in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI); 2) Completing and updating IUCN Red Data List assessments for endemic and near-endemic species; and, 3) Resolving taxonomy for Turks and Caicos Islands populations of species in the genera Encyclia, Agave, and Euphorbia. Through review of historic geospatial data and herbarium specimens from TCI, and fieldwork carried out under the project, 19 sites qualifying as TIPAs under the three criteria were identified throughout ten islands. This is an extension from the 6 IPAs identified in prior assessments (Hardman el al, 2012), which had a narrower taxonomic focus. Two of the 19 areas are pine ecosystems (Conch Bar Pine Yards, a pine rockland; and Pine Cay Pine Yard, a unique sandy pineland). 172 species were assessed or reassessed for the IUCN Red Listing (of which three are awaiting taxonomic clarification); 54 species assessed are potentially threatened with extinction and require conservation action. The TCI native plant species master list was updated from 490 to 543 species. A TIPAs guide and site interpretation panels were designed. Six sites originally identified as IPAs (Hardman et al, 2012) were expanded by 13, mostly smaller in size. A DECR-RBG Kew TIPAs Steering Group was established, and TIPAs Monitoring and Evaluation Plan was created to include TIPAs in new and existing legislation (Biodiversity Protection Bill, Environmental Management Bill, National Parks Ordinance), to help TCI meet commitments under national priorities outlined in TCI Vision 2040, and international agreements, such as the Caribbean Plant Conservation Strategy (notably target 8) and CBD’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (particularly Target 3 to conserve 30% of terrestrial areas by 2030). TCI is currently using the project outputs to apply in partnership with RBG Kew and the other Caribbean UK Overseas Territories and Bermuda on a new Darwin Strategic project that will interpret the outputs into active management and habitat restoration, including controlled burning and the restoration of a 1.5 hectare former pine rockland within Conch Bar Caves National Park. 

Is the concept of “regeneration debt” applicable to pine rocklands?

Michael Ross, Natalia Herrera-Blitman, Florida International University; Pablo Ruiz, Everglades National Park

The term regeneration debt has recently been applied to forests whose long-term viability and adaptive capacity are threatened by low regeneration density or suboptimal composition. Multiple processes may contribute to regeneration debt, including altered disturbance regimes, overgrazing, and exotic species encroachment. In this presentation, we consider the applicability of the regeneration debt concept to south Florida rocklands, as well its potential causes. In an exploratory analysis, we examine pine seedling and sapling densities in region-wide data that includes a broad range of developmental stages, fire histories, and environmental settings.

A Look Back at Miami-Dade's Original Pine Rockland Forest

Cliff Shaw

While botanical and ecological descriptions of our remaining pine rockland forest fragments are readily available, historical accounts that characterize Miami-Dade’s original pinelands are rare. In an effort to better understand and appreciate the endless tracts of old-growth pine forests before they were destroyed, I have compiled available scientific studies, historic firsthand accounts, and vintage photographs. This collection details the extent, size, age, and appearance of the original pine rockland forests that our pioneers witnessed almost two centuries ago.

Using Remote Sensing to Understand Landscape Drivers of Nest Site Selection by Bahama Parrots

Demonica Brown, Brittany Harris, Cara A. Rockwell, Caroline S Walker, Florida International University

The endangered Bahama Parrot (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis) has been extirpated across its historic range and is now restricted to two islands. On Great Abaco this population includes the only parrots in the western hemisphere known to nest in underground limestone cavities and have adapted to nesting in the fire-dependent pine forest ecosystem (Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis). The landscape characteristics driving their distribution and nest site selection on the island, however, are unclear. Using logistic regression, I examine the effects of topography (elevation, slope, and terrain roughness), vegetation density (NDVI), and fire history (time since fire and fire frequency) on nest site selection using a multi-scale approach. This study utilizes nesting data collected over seven breeding seasons. Nesting surveys in 2025 revealed a significant decline in nesting since 2012. Preliminary results imply elevation and fires play an important role in parrot nest-site selection. Findings will inform habitat and species management practices such as fire regimes, predator control, and additional habitat protection needs.

Reintroducing Fire with Purpose: Science-Backed Conservation in The Abaco National Park

Paige Cartwright, Bahamas National Trust

The Abaco National Park (ANP), located in South Abaco, The Bahamas, consists of 20,500 acres of protected Caribbean pine forest and represents one of the largest intact pine systems in the country. These fire-dependent forests provide critical habitat for endemic and endangered species such as the Bahama Parrot, whose nesting and foraging success rely on a well-managed understory. Prescribed fire is a core management tool used to maintain the structure and function of pine rockland ecosystems while reducing the risk of uncontrolled wildfires. However, extended intervals without fire, combined with changing weather conditions, have contributed to fuel build-up and increased the likelihood of high-intensity wildfires that threaten biodiversity, park infrastructure, and nearby communities. As part of an adaptive management approach being undertaken by the Bahamas National Trust, preparations are underway for a prescribed burn within the ANP. Key objectives include reducing hazardous fuel loads, improving habitat conditions for the Bahama Parrot, and introducing a controlled fire regime under manageable conditions. Burn planning is guided by fire history, fuel assessments, and weather parameters, while also considering safety, staffing capacity, and access constraints. 

This effort reflects collaboration among local stakeholders, conservation partners, and regional fire practitioners, ensuring that management is grounded in both science and practical experience; Pre- and post-burn monitoring will inform effectiveness and guide future actions. This presentation will highlight how science-backed fire management will be applied in a small island park setting to support long-term conservation and wildfire mitigation goals.

Influence of Hurricane Dorian on Caribbean pine damage, mortality, and advanced regeneration

Latonya Williams a,b, Jefferey B. Cannonc, Britany Harris d,f, Joseph J. O’Briene, Michael S. Ross a,f, Michael R. Gallagher g,e Louise Loudermilk e, Cara A. Rockwell a,f

a Department Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL USA b The Forestry Unit, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Nassau, The Bahamas c The Jones Center at Ichauway, Newton, GA, USA dGIS Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA e USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Athens, GA, USA f Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA g USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, New Lisbon, NJ, USA

Disturbances are critical for supporting forest ecosystem function and health. Nonetheless, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are altering disturbance regimes, challenging the ability of researchers and practitioners to predict forest response and recovery. Hurricane Dorian (2019), a Category 5 storm, resulted in significant loss and structural damage to Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea var. bahamenis) forests on the Abaco Islands (The Bahamas). To assess post-hurricane recovery, we examined the effects of windspeed, tree size, basal area, and stand density on adult/sub-adult mortality of P. caribaea var. bahamensis. Likewise, we investigated the effects of windspeed, groundcover, basal area, and stand density on advanced regeneration. We installed circular 39 plots (0.03 ha), in pine stands on public lands located along Hurricane Dorian’s wind gradient. A logistic regression showed that wind speeds determined the mortality of adult and subadult trees (≥10cm dbh). Sapling (≥1m height, < 10cm dbh) abundance was positively correlated with wind speed. Results from the study suggest that even though mature pine stands are vulnerable to hurricane winds, the sapling size class may benefit from these disturbances, an observation that has been noted in other pine-dominated forests.  As such, managers should prioritize these disturbed areas for long-term monitoring and potential silvicultural interventions, thus ensuring the success of new cohorts of pine trees.

Plant flammability predicts landscape-scale fire intensity across Long Pine Key, Everglades National Park

Owen Schneider, Ben Baiser, Raelene Crandall, University of Florida

Fire helps maintain the botanical diversity of Long Pine Key, where a subtle elevation and hydrology gradient structures the transition from marl prairie to pine rockland and, with it, the composition and flammability of the fuel bed. Whether the flammability of individual species scales up to predict how these communities burn, however, has remained untested. We combined a historical record of plant composition and prescribed-fire intensity across Long Pine Key with contemporary shoot-level flammability measurements, functional traits, and plot-level environmental variables (time since fire, elevation, and water depth on day of burn). Using an ensemble random forest framework, we compared a full model against separate models built from community-weighted flammability traits, functional traits, and environmental variables. Community-weighted flammability traits predicted fire intensity as well as the full model, but time since last fire was the single strongest predictor overall, underscoring how the interval between prescribed burns shapes fire behavior in this system. Understanding how the flammability of individual species interacts with fire-return interval offers a practical, trait-based framework for guiding management in urban pine rocklands, where prescribed fire is difficult to apply consistently and invasive species dominate fragment edges. By linking species-level flammability to landscape fire intensity, this work points toward tools for anticipating how altered burn regimes and shifting community composition may reshape fire behavior in one of south Florida's most imperiled ecosystems.

Altered Fire Regimes Influence Plant-Pollinator Networks in a Subtropical Pine Forest

Brittany Harris, Suzanne Koptur, Florida International University

Pine rockland is one of the most imperiled fire-dependent ecosystems in the world, and maintaining its biodiversity depends on consistent prescribed fire management. While species richness is the most common metric used to evaluate fire management outcomes, it may not capture the full ecological cost of fire exclusion. We examined how time since the last fire and historical fire frequency influenced flowering-plant diversity, pollinator diversity, and plant-pollinator network structure across a 40-year fire-history chronosequence on Big Pine Key, Florida. Time since fire was the strongest predictor of network structure: network modularity, specialization, and interaction diversity all declined continuously with increasing time since fire, while pollinators converged on fewer shared floral resources in long-unburned sites. Pollinator species richness, however, was decoupled from fire history, illustrating that species lists alone can underestimate the ecological costs of fire suppression. Reintroducing fire to long-suppressed units produced measurable gains in network complexity even after decades of exclusion. Our results suggest that recurrent short-interval prescribed fire is needed to sustain both floral resource diversity and the complexity of plant-pollinator interaction networks in pine rockland. Managing for a spatial mosaic of burn ages, rather than burning all units simultaneously, may also help stabilize regional pollinator communities by supporting resource shifting across the landscape

Achieving High Integrity Reference Conditions - Fire and Adaptive Management at US Coast Guard Richmond

Liz Dutra, Lauren Trotta, George Gann, The Institute for Regional Conservation

South Florida's pine rocklands are among the most imperiled ecosystems in the world, requiring ecological restoration to recover their exceptional biodiversity and ecological functions. With support from the National Geographic Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, since 2021 The Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) has been applying standards-based restoration to implement pine rockland restoration at US Coast Guard Richmond. Restoration strategies included invasive species removal, aggressive saw palmetto reduction, focused native hardwood reduction, pine thinning, and the reintroduction of periodic fire. These restoration activities aim to help meet agreed upon targets, goals, and objectives for pine rockland, including recovering populations of threatened insects and plants (Gann et al. 2023). During the project, portions of the site experienced a wildfire, providing an opportunity to achieve restoration outcomes that were initially unplanned. A prescribed fire was also conducted on an additional part of the site. This presentation highlights key lessons learned from this project, where portions of the site are beginning to align with key ecosystem attributes of the reference model. Although the wildfire was highly beneficial, adaptive management was required to respond to ecological responses to fire. We will discuss how long-term monitoring tied to measurable indicators is essential for adaptive management, examining restoration outcomes across multiple years, and share practical recommendations for restoring pine rocklands in an era of increasing environmental change.

Avian Richness in Green Spaces and the Richmond Tract

Alyssa Nunez de Villavicencio, Steffanie Munguia, Zoo Miami

Using passive acoustic monitoring, we recorded and analyzed avian species that reside in different parts of Zoo Miami's green spaces and in sections of the Richmond Tract Pine Rockland preserve. By gathering this information during the fall migratory months, we examined how habitat fragmentation may affect species richness in birds and determined if there are differences in bird richness when comparing the data collected from the AudioMoths placed inside Zoo Miami to those placed in the Richmond Tract. The data was processed through Chirpity and the remaining outliers were verified with Merlin Bird I.D. While interpreting the data in R, we conducted several tests such as Morans I, Mantel, and NMDS. We found the distances between AudioMoth locations were not statistically significant. However, once the PERMANOVA test was conducted and we considered site type, latitude and longitude, we found that all the factors combined are statistically significant with a p value of 0.04. These indicators may explain differences in community composition within the different sites; green spaces located within Zoo Miami and the Richmond Tract. Considering there is a significant research gap in bird monitoring in South Florida, there is a need to further analyze the difference of avian richness throughout different pieces of fragmented habitat in a longer and more extensive range throughout South Florida to understand what we can do to further promote their population numbers.

Bridging the Gap: The Inaugural Southern Fire Exchange Pine Rockland Fire Science Workshop

Christian Fernandez, Sarah A. Cain, Raelene M. Crandall, David R. Godwin, Kevin M. Robertson, Southern Fire Exchange

Delays in applying fire science can leave fire practitioners feeling disconnected from emerging research, tools, and management approaches. The Southern Fire Exchange (SFE), a regional fire science communication program serving 13 southeastern states, works to close this gap by helping practitioners apply science to the management of fire-dependent ecosystems, including pine rocklands. Pine rocklands, unique to southeastern Florida and a few Caribbean islands, are one of the most critically endangered ecosystems worldwide. Remaining fragments are threatened by development, severe fragmentation, and decades of fire exclusion, which have led to fuel accumulation and difficult prescribed fire conditions. These challenges are especially pronounced in highly populated Miami-Dade County, where many pine rockland remnants occur within the wildland-urban interface. To address these challenges, SFE hosted the inaugural Pine Rockland Fire Science Workshop. Over three days, participants learned about the latest science related to duff, fuel accumulation, and the reintroduction of prescribed fire in long-unburned pine rocklands with consideration for surrounding communities. Presentations were reinforced through field tours, small-group activities, and panel discussions. Participant comments and evaluation data showed that the workshop met its learning objectives while also generating new ideas, strengthening professional connections, and rebuilding relationships among fire practitioners working in this challenging ecosystem.

Using Art For Conservation

Kim Heise

I’ve been painting Florida native plants and animals with the intention to help conserve local habitats for about 10 years now. For the first few years I painted primarily Pine Rocklands plants and animals. My goal is to paint these species in a beautiful way in order to help people connect with and love them. I've used my art in workshops, shows, presentations, educational materials, and collaborations. I don’t have universal advice for how to make art useful for Pine Rocklands or other conservation, but I’ve identified a few things that seem to work for me and would be happy to be part of an open and evolving discussion. Topics could include: when scientific accuracy matters and when it doesn't, my past collaborations and what seemed to work, making social media posts, what types of art or art applications seem to have a good impact, art workshops and other events, weaving art into things you wouldn't expect, when AI is useful and when it's not, ways to work with artists and what to expect, and more! 

Assessing Mycorrhizal Identity Influence on Fabaceae Species Growth

Oscar Valverde Barrantes, Carissa Keen, Jada Tha, Alexa Merino, Florida International University

Root architecture can vary greatly between species, including differences in length, root diameter, and even color, even among species within the same family. In this study, we worked with two species the family Fabaceae (the legume family) that exhibits considerable diversity in root systems. In our study we hypothesized that legumes predisposed to rely more on microbial symbioses will display thicker root diameters and lower branching intensity, since the size of the cortical tissue in roots is usually associated with habitat quality for symbionts. Therefore, we expected that species with thicker roots should have a stronger growth response to the presence of symbiotic microbes. Conversely, species with thinner roots will allocate more resources belowground on root exploration via increasing root length. Alternatively, we expect that species may have a preferential affiliation to symbiotic fungi with contrasting foraging strategies. In this case, we expected that species in the genus Glomus, that tend to form hyphae inside root tissues, will be more beneficial to species with a thin root system that would be more vulnerable to infections. In contrast, species with thick root systems will benefit more for fungus in the genus Gigasposra, which tend to produce more hyphae outside roots and maximize nutrient capture. 

Rare Plants of South Florida 20 year Review: A Pine Rockland Perspective

Lauren Trotta, George Gann, The Institute for Regional Conservation

The Rare Plants of South Florida, published in 2002 by the Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC), has served as the definitive baseline for ranking imperilment of rare species in South Florida. In the period since this work was first published, standards for ranking species imperilment have been developed and implemented at a global, national, and state scale by NatureServe. To align the IRC ranking with modern NatureServe Standards and document any changes to the ranks of South Florida’s most imperiled species, a collaborative team of regional experts conducted a 20 year review.

As one of South Florida’s most iconic and critically imperiled habitats, pine rocklands were assessed to host 74 presumed extirpated (eight SFX), potentially extirpated (one SFH) or critically imperiled (65 SF1) plant species. During our review process 31 species from the pine rockland flora that were previously unranked or ranked as imperiled or vulnerable were reranked to critically imperiled. Many of these species, such as Rockland Morningglory (Ipomoea tenuissima) and the Deltoid Spurge complex (Euphorbia deltoidea), are found in many preservation areas across the Miami Rockridge due to habitat fragmentation, but have a very narrow extent of occurrence. The past 20 years has also marked the rediscovery of six species belonging to the pine rockland flora in South Florida and the notable absence of 19 species historically documented in pine rocklands that can still be found elsewhere in South Florida. 

Bridging Policy, Science, and Adaptive Management: The EEL Program and Fairchild’s Collaborative Vision for the Tropical Park Pineland Preserve

Janet Gil, Miami-Dade County, Environmentally Endangered Lands Program; Jennifer Possley,  Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Part 1: The EEL Program’s Management Framework and Regional Role.  As pine rockland ecosystems face increasing pressure from climate change, habitat fragmentation, and surrounding urban development, science-backed management plans serve as the bedrock of long-term conservation. Miami-Dade County’s Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program plays a crucial role in acquiring, preserving, and restoring these globally critically imperiled habitats. This portion of the presentation outlines the overarching framework of EEL management plans, highlighting how adaptive strategies, public-private partnerships, and programmatic oversight maintain ecosystem resiliency across Miami-Dade’s network of pine rockland preserves. Finally, the EEL Program's role in translating management goals into field-level execution and measurable success.

Part 2: Fairchild’s Contractor Role & Updating the Natural Area Protection Plan.  Building on this management framework, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden serves as a primary scientific partner and contractor in developing these management plans and guiding them through the stakeholder process. This section highlights Fairchild’s historic role in crafting the original Natural Area Protection Plan (NAPP) for the Tropical Park Pineland Preserve and details current efforts to update and modernize the plan. Attendees will gain insight into how these updates are incorporated into the management plan to support science-backed decision-making in an ever-changing landscape. 

Effects of Seed Age on Germination of Pine Rockland Understory Plants: Croton linearis and Angadenia berteroi 

Andrew Kearns, AP Statistics students, Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy

Students studied effects of seed age on germination of Croton linearis and Angadenia berteroi in AP Statistics classes at Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy in 2024. The purpose was to determine the effects of age on seed viability to guide seed banking procedures for these threatened pine rockland species. The first experiment compared germination of Croton linearis seeds freshly harvested in 2024 and seeds that had been banked for one year; students examined both germination proportions and mean days to germination. Five different groups of students conducted these experiments yet maintained controls including water, LED grow light, and ambient temperature in the school’s botany lab. Each group of placed the two ages of seeds in separate 50-cell trays, observing and recording first signs of germination. Results indicated there was not a statistically significant difference in germination proportion nor germination speed for these two different age seeds of Croton linearis.

The second experiment compared seeds of Angadenia berteroi that were harvested in 2024 and seeds banked for four years; students examined both germination proportions (categorical data) and mean days to germination (numerical data). Again, five different groups of students used the same procedures as with Croton linearis. Results indicated there was not a statistically significant difference in germination proportion nor germination speed for these two different age seeds of Angadenia

Using Fire Festivals to Build Community Support for Prescribed Fire

Raelene Crandall, Jennifer E. Fawcett, Sarah A. Cain, Christian R. Fernandez, David R. Godwin, Southern Fire Exchange

Prescribed fire is essential for maintaining fire-adapted ecosystems, reducing hazardous fuels, protecting biodiversity, and supporting safer communities. However, public concern about smoke, safety, and escaped fires can limit its use. Fire festivals offer a practical and engaging way to build understanding and support through community-based education and outreach. Across the nation, these rapidly expanding events bring together families, fire practitioners, land managers, scientists, educators, agency partners, elected officials, landowners, and community members in a welcoming, interactive setting. The featured event at any fire festival is a narrated, live prescribed fire conducted safely in view of attendees. Equipment displays, children’s activities, guided walks, landowner resources, and informal conversations create space for people to ask questions and learn directly from trusted messengers. Just as importantly, fire festivals succeed because they are celebrations, not just educational programs, that bring people together through food, music, shared experiences, and the memorable sight of fire used safely and intentionally. This presentation will discuss the benefits, opportunities, and considerations for hosting fire festivals, with attention to cost, partner coordination, site selection, safety planning, permitting, outreach, staffing, messaging, accessibility, and evaluation. Fire festivals require careful planning around weather, liability, emergency response, burn permits, public expectations, and long-term sustainability. When successfully executed, fire festivals are more than outreach events. They are opportunities to build trust, reduce fear, strengthen partnerships, reach new audiences, and help communities celebrate prescribed fire.

Conference Closer: Degradation and recovery: how to save a collapsing ecosystem

George Gann, The Institute for Regional Conservation

Numerous global, national, and local agreements, laws, rules, and initiatives assert that preventing the collapse of native ecosystems and the mass loss of biodiversity from local to global scales is imperative. This recognizes the intrinsic value and rights of nature and that the survival and wellbeing of humanity depend on it. However, this requires us to fully acknowledge and embrace the reality of the situation. And it is grim. Responding to this, Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework aims to bring 30% of the world’s degraded ecosystems under effective restoration by 2030, defining effective restoration as standards-based restoration underpinned by agreed principles that results in appropriately balanced sustainable net gain that benefits and enhances biodiversity, ecosystem integrity and human well-being.
 
The ideas of conservation alone (i.e., putting a fence around it) and managing nature (i.e., maintaining the status quo) no longer work. Like many native ecosystems around the world, the pine rockland ecosystem is collapsing along with its constituent species. Ongoing land conversion, fire exclusion, invasive species, and numerous other degradation drivers continue to pummel pine rocklands toward death by a thousand cuts. This, despite the concerted actions of many. Why is this and how can this situation be reversed? This talk places pine rocklands into the context of emerging global consensus on the actions needed to halt and reverse ecological degradation leading to ecosystem recovery for people and nature. Key topics include shifting baselines, legal reform, nature as infrastructure, and appropriate restoration finance, training, and monitoring

Panel Discussion: Protection, Conservation, and the Future of Pine Rocklands: A Prescribed-Fireside Conversation

Lauren Jonaitis, Tropical Audubon Society; Elise Bennett, Center for Biological Diversity 

Pine rocklands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world, yet they continue to face mounting pressures from development, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, altered fire regimes, climate change, and shifting regulatory and management frameworks. This session will provide attendees with an overview of recent federal, state, and local developments influencing pine rockland conservation.

The session will feature a moderated fireside conversation with conservation practitioners and decision-makers exploring the future of South Florida's pine rocklands. Panelists will discuss emerging challenges, opportunities for protection and restoration, the role of science in guiding land management and policy decisions, and strategies for building long-term ecosystem resilience. The conversation will also highlight the ecological, economic, and community benefits of investing in the conservation and restoration of one of the world's most imperiled ecosystems. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the current conservation landscape for pine rocklands; the practical implications of recent federal, state, and local actions; and the opportunities for researchers, practitioners, and advocates to contribute to ecosystem protection and recovery. The session is designed to foster meaningful dialogue and provide actionable takeaways that can help strengthen science-based conservation and management of pine rocklands across South Florida and beyond.

A Decade of Monitoring the Miami Tiger Beetle: Conservation Insights and Future Directions

Jonathan Mays, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

After remaining undetected for nearly a century, the Miami tiger beetle (Cicindelidia floridana) was rediscovered in the Richmond Pine Rocklands of South Miami in 2007 and was subsequently listed as federally endangered in 2016. Beginning in 2015, a collaborative partnership among county, state, federal, and private organizations was established to inventory remaining habitat, monitor extant populations, and evaluate management strategies to conserve both the Miami tiger beetle and its fire-dependent pine rockland ecosystem. We present findings from a decade of surveys and monitoring, including assessments of habitat characteristics, detectability, phenology, and population trends. These long-term data provide valuable insights into the species'; ecology and inform adaptive management of one of Florida&#39;s most endangered ecosystems. Continued multi-agency collaboration and science-based management will be critical to ensure the persistence of both the Miami tiger beetle and its critically imperiled pine rockland habitat in an increasingly urban landscape.

Prescribed burn effects on a pine rockland fragment leaf litter depth, canopy coverage and species frequency

Cristina Whelan, Soleil Gonzalez, Mila Nobregas, Johnny Navarro, Biotech@Richmond Heights school.

During the 2023–2024 school year, Biotech@Richmond Heights high school students characterized the pine rockland adjacent to the Biotech Zoo campus by measuring canopy cover, leaf litter depth, and plant species frequency. The site had not experienced a prescribed burn in more than 30 years before being burned on November 18, 2025. Land managers also mechanically removed cabbage palm crowns to reduce their abundance within the management unit. Students compared changes in plant species composition, canopy cover, and leaf litter depth before and after the burn. Twelve 50-m transects were established in 2023–2024 at 10-m intervals, with sampling conducted every 5 m along each transect. In January 2026, students resampled to evaluate post-burn conditions. Following the burn, leaf litter depth and canopy cover decreased. Plant community composition shifted, with reductions in cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), and pine, along with increases in grasses and bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Students will continue monitoring the site in collaboration with Natural Areas Management to assess restoration efforts and improve the health of this pine rockland parcel. This project provides students with authentic research experiences and opportunities to participate in habitat management alongside professional land managers. These experiences can foster appreciation for Florida’s natural areas, support conservation efforts, and inspire future careers in science and natural resource management.

Adaptive Management of Pine Rocklands at SOCSOUTH: Long-Term Populations Trends in two Federally Endangered Plant Species

Liz Dutra, Joel Otero, George Gann, The Institute for Regional Conservation

As some of the most critically endangered habitats on the planet, South Florida’s pine rocklands demand aggressive management and ecological restoration to sustain their exceptional biodiversity and vital ecosystem services. Through support from the US Department of Defense, The Institute for Regional Conservation has applied standards-based restoration to implement landscape-scale restoration at the Special Operations Command South Headquarters at the Homestead Air Force Base. Since 2012, IRC has been implementing restoration strategies that include invasive species removal, restoring weedy ruderal areas, direct seeding, reestablishment of native understory species, augmentation planting of pines, native hardwood reduction, reintroduction of periodic fire and intensive monitoring of ecosystem structure and species. Populations of the federally endangered Sand Flax (Linum arenicola) and Small’s Milkpea (Galactia smallii) have been monitored for over a decade, remaining stable throughout restoration and expanding into areas where they were previously undocumented. Our long-term monitoring data suggests that these species are highly variable across time even within the same plots. Following two prescribed fires in early 2026 we have observed improved conditions for detectability of these two species and have observed differences in population changes post fire. This poster highlights changes in ecosystem composition, restoration techniques, and long- term population trends, demonstrating how adaptive management and the reintroduction of periodic fire can accelerate recovery in one of South Florida’s most imperiled ecosystems.

Rare Plants of South Florida 20 year Review: A Pine Rockland Perspective (note: this is also a lightning talk)

Lauren Trotta, George Gann, The Institute for Regional Conservation

The Rare Plants of South Florida, published in 2002 by the Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC), has served as the definitive baseline for ranking imperilment of rare species in South Florida. In the period since this work was first published, standards for ranking species imperilment have been developed and implemented at a global, national, and state scale by NatureServe. To align the IRC ranking with modern NatureServe Standards and document any changes to the ranks of South Florida’s most imperiled species, a collaborative team of regional experts conducted a 20 year review.

As one of South Florida’s most iconic and critically imperiled habitats, pine rocklands were assessed to host 74 presumed extirpated (eight SFX), potentially extirpated (one SFH) or critically imperiled (65 SF1) plant species. During our review process 31 species from the pine rockland flora that were previously unranked or ranked as imperiled or vulnerable were reranked to critically imperiled. Many of these species, such as Rockland Morningglory (Ipomoea tenuissima) and the Deltoid Spurge complex (Euphorbia deltoidea), are found in many preservation areas across the Miami Rockridge due to habitat fragmentation, but have a very narrow extent of occurrence. The past 20 years has also marked the rediscovery of six species belonging to the pine rockland flora in South Florida and the notable absence of 19 species historically documented in pine rocklands that can still be found elsewhere in South Florida. 

Effect of hydrologic restoration and fire on Pine Rockland understory plant diversity

Natalia Herrera-Blitman, Brittany Harris, Michael Sukop, Michael Ross, Florida International University; Pablo L. Ruiz, Everglades National Park.

Pine Rocklands are a critically imperiled habitat type, native to the Miami Rock Ridge, in South Florida; Long Pine Key, Everglades National Park (ENP), holds the largest protected and connected tract of Pine Rockland forest in South Florida. Hydrologic restoration projects such as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), aim to re-establish the hydrologic connectivity of the Everglades, thereby bringing more water south of Tamiami Trail, to the southern Everglades. However, it is not well understood how rising water levels may have an impact on habitats such as Pine Rocklands, which rely on dry conditions and fire to maintain an open canopy and understory diversity which is unique to this habitat. We sampled vegetation at about 24 sites across 7 fire blocks, with a random-stratified design, to understand how variation in groundwater depth, and time since fire, influence understory plant composition on Long Pine Key’s Pine Rocklands. Sites were stratified based on Everglades’ National Park designated understory classification of Pine Rockland understory, which delineates the prevailing cover under four types: shrub, graminoid, mixed (the previous three types combined), and palm.

A review of Fairchild’s pine rockland field-seeding efforts. 

Kyra Wells, Nick Matsumoto, Noah Frade, Lydia Cuni, Lisa Kruger, Jennifer Possley, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Over the past fifteen years, Fairchild’s conservation team has tried field-sowing seeds of dozens of grass and herb species into pine rocklands, to “expand the footprint,” into disturbed areas adjacent to intact pine rockland. For most of these efforts, we had the luxury of abundant seeds, but lacked staff time to monitor and quantify results in a statistically meaningful way.  Here, we take a look back at these projects to see what patterns emerge, including which species show the greatest potential for seed restoration. We also consider lessons learned and recommendations for the future.   

Response patterns of trees during the first decade of the Deering Estate flow-way (Cutler Slough Rehydration Project)

Katherine Castrillon1,2 Michael Ross1,2, Jay Sah1, Cara Rockwell1

1 Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 2Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida

Impacts of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan’s Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands' Deering Estate Flow-way (DEF) on trees within the Deering Estate Natural Area (DENA) was explored to assess shifts in vegetation communities in response to changing hydrological conditions. Six vegetation types across two stable states—post-drainage and DEF re-hydrated land—were studied using non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination trajectory analysis, analysis of variance, and species distribution models. To examine tree dynamics, data was collected along three transects in DENA in 2016 and 2021, capturing tree location, species, status (live or dead), and diameter-at-breast height converted to basal area. Hydrology was also assessed with 15 HOBO water-level loggers from 2019 to 2023. Findings revealed a shift towards flood-tolerant species at lower elevations, significant changes in vegetation assemblages, and potential expansion of Roystonea regia and its associates. These findings highlight the DEF’s influence on creating more hydric communities and the need for adaptive management to improve ecological outcomes from the ongoing DEF water management practices.