STAY TUNED FOR NEW DATE
Annual Meeting Topic: Gopher Tortoises in Hammock Park (with live tortoises!)
This year’s Annual Meeting will focus on the gopher tortoise—one of Florida’s most important upland wildlife species—and what its presence means for Hammock Park. Guest speaker George Heinrich (Heinrich Ecological Services) will talk attendees through findings from the park’s past tortoise survey and explain how habitat conditions and human activity influence whether a small tortoise colony can persist.
In the park’s management plan, approximately 14 gopher tortoise burrows (including juvenile burrows) were documented, with the greatest concentration in a small area of open sandy soils within scrubby flatwoods. The same plan estimates the onsite population is very small (likely fewer than 10 individuals), occupying limited habitat.
George will translate this into clear, practical takeaways: what healthy tortoise habitat looks like, what management actions help most (including reducing canopy closure, reducing dense shrubs/vines, and increasing herbaceous forage), and how trail use, signage, and thoughtful visitor behavior can protect burrows and foraging areas.
He’ll also share the broader conservation context—how experts define a minimum viable population and why small colonies like ours can still play an important role in education, community stewardship, and long-term habitat restoration goals.
