These presentations will be recorded and a link will be posted here after the conference for viewing

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. 

Reimagining 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.

Miami-Dade County Parks’ Natural Areas Management (NAM) Unit plays an important part in integrating conservation into the management of natural areas within a large urban park system. Since its inception in the early 1990s, NAM has evolved to provide ecological expertise, management guidance, and boots-on-the-ground stewardship across a diverse network of natural areas. The team works to collaborate with site managers, researchers, and local, state, and federal partners to translate ecological information into practical management actions. Responsibilities include invasive species management, rare species conservation, prescribed fire, ecological monitoring, habitat restoration, and implementation of grant-funded conservation projects. The impact of these efforts can be quantified by measuring reductions in invasive species cover, health of established rare plant populations, acreages managed by our crews, and completion of grant-funded conservation goals. Together, these measures demonstrate how science, collaboration, and adaptive management can be integrated into the day-to-day operation of a countywide network of protected natural areas

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.