Vasari Preserve Management Plan
Dear Vasari Homeowner,
One of my goals as General Manager/COO was to get a permit to manage the natural preserve areas that are a large part of the community. When permits were granted for Vasari's development, these areas, which were required by the Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District and Lee County Division of Environmental Services have become overgrown and unsightly, but they need to be managed effectively to provide a habitat for native Florida plants and wildlife. Proper management of these areas will also reduce the risk of fire to nearby homes and condominiums.
Included below is an informational letter that was prepared by our environmental specialist and included as a part of the application submitted to Lee County and the City of Bonita Springs. Please take time to read it, as it describes the type of work that will be done for the areas we have designated.
Sincerely,
Mark C. West CCM
General Manger /COO
Vasari Country Club
Community Preserve Management Plan
Vasari Country Club community is fortunate to contain an expanse of nature preserves throughout the community. These are upland preserves and conservation wetlands scattered throughout the golf course and residential areas. Although these preserves were set aside during the development of Vasari to meet federal, State and local requirements, they also serve to beautify the community and provide habitat for wildlife.
In order to maintain the integrity of the preserves, Vasari Country Club is implementing a Preserve Management Plan, primarily to address the overgrown upland preserve areas. The intent of the plan is to 1) increase biodiversity within the preserves, 2) increase light penetration to the ground, and 3) reduce potential catastrophic fuel levels within the preserves.
BACKGROUND
The upland indigenous preservation areas at Vasari predominantly consist of Pine Flatwoods vegetative communities. These areas are dominated by slash pine in the canopy with dense saw palmetto in the mid-story. Other representative species may include but are not limited to gallberry, live oak and wax myrtle. This habitat type is adapted to burn every 3 to 5 years, which sets back succession, maintains species diversity, and prevents saw palmetto from out-competing other species.
In the preserves at Vasari, the saw palmetto has reached a height of six (6) to eight (8) feet and allows very little light to penetrate to the ground. This extensive competition for sunlight has reduced herbaceous cover and threatens to further degrade the biodiversity of the preserves. To combat this problem, the following management plan is being put into place.
PRESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Indigenous Preserve Management Plan will utilize hand trimming as the primary management tool to improve the ecological integrity of the preserves and reduce fuel loads within the development. The goal of the hand trimming will be to mimic a natural fire regime to the best extent possible. Additional protective measures, such as preserve signs, will help to reduce human impacts to the indigenous preserve areas.
• HAND TRIMMING
Allowing selective trimming of native mid-canopy/groundcover vegetation within the indigenous preserves will assist the land managers in meeting the objectives of this management plan. No trees will be removed during the trimming process. Snags may be removed only if they present an issue of health, safety, and welfare (i.e. in danger of impacting homes and associated structures).
Laborers may use machetes, loppers, and/or chainsaws to trim native vegetation in the mid-canopy/groundcover. Management may include trimming the mid-canopy/groundcover to approximately 3-feet in height. Saw palmetto fronds may be cut back to the trunk to mimic a prescribed fire. Selective trimming of the palmetto trunk to 3' in height may also be done. Species that are not representative of an upland indigenous vegetative community, such as saltbush ( Baccharis spp .), have the potential to shade out appropriate native vegetation and will therefore be removed from the upland indigenous preserve areas. Since the goal of the hand trimming is to emulate a more natural system under a normal fire regime, it should not occur more frequently than every three (3) years.
• HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Native and/or non-native ornamentals, not part of the existing indigenous vegetative community, are not allowed within the preserve area. Please take care to not install ornamental vegetation within the indigenous preserve areas, as they will have to be removed. Avoiding excessive irrigation and fertilization of lawns adjacent to preserve areas, which likely contributes to the increased growth rate of the palmetto, will help reduce the runoff into the preserves. The preserves are the responsibility of the development, and only assigned personnel and/or contractors for Vasari Country Club can conduct work within the preserve areas. However, with your cooperation, the preserves at Vasari can be maintained in a manner to enhance the beauty and ecological benefits of our community.
Notes from Tim Diers:
In the letter from Mark West regarding the permit to prune/cut back the foliage in the upland preserves, there are various things that need to occur before any trimming can begin. To obtain a permit, there are various governmental approvals needed. According to Mark, they have cleared the first hurdle with Lee County; however, there are other approvals necessary. This process can be time consuming and there is no guarantee that a final approval will be granted.
Secondly, if the permit is approved, the board of directors and homeowners of Vasari will have to approve a plan to pay for the work. If you have any additional questions, please contact Mark West, G.M. of Vasari C.C
One of my goals as General Manager/COO was to get a permit to manage the natural preserve areas that are a large part of the community. When permits were granted for Vasari's development, these areas, which were required by the Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District and Lee County Division of Environmental Services have become overgrown and unsightly, but they need to be managed effectively to provide a habitat for native Florida plants and wildlife. Proper management of these areas will also reduce the risk of fire to nearby homes and condominiums.
Included below is an informational letter that was prepared by our environmental specialist and included as a part of the application submitted to Lee County and the City of Bonita Springs. Please take time to read it, as it describes the type of work that will be done for the areas we have designated.
Sincerely,
Mark C. West CCM
General Manger /COO
Vasari Country Club
Community Preserve Management Plan
Vasari Country Club community is fortunate to contain an expanse of nature preserves throughout the community. These are upland preserves and conservation wetlands scattered throughout the golf course and residential areas. Although these preserves were set aside during the development of Vasari to meet federal, State and local requirements, they also serve to beautify the community and provide habitat for wildlife.
In order to maintain the integrity of the preserves, Vasari Country Club is implementing a Preserve Management Plan, primarily to address the overgrown upland preserve areas. The intent of the plan is to 1) increase biodiversity within the preserves, 2) increase light penetration to the ground, and 3) reduce potential catastrophic fuel levels within the preserves.
BACKGROUND
The upland indigenous preservation areas at Vasari predominantly consist of Pine Flatwoods vegetative communities. These areas are dominated by slash pine in the canopy with dense saw palmetto in the mid-story. Other representative species may include but are not limited to gallberry, live oak and wax myrtle. This habitat type is adapted to burn every 3 to 5 years, which sets back succession, maintains species diversity, and prevents saw palmetto from out-competing other species.
In the preserves at Vasari, the saw palmetto has reached a height of six (6) to eight (8) feet and allows very little light to penetrate to the ground. This extensive competition for sunlight has reduced herbaceous cover and threatens to further degrade the biodiversity of the preserves. To combat this problem, the following management plan is being put into place.
PRESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Indigenous Preserve Management Plan will utilize hand trimming as the primary management tool to improve the ecological integrity of the preserves and reduce fuel loads within the development. The goal of the hand trimming will be to mimic a natural fire regime to the best extent possible. Additional protective measures, such as preserve signs, will help to reduce human impacts to the indigenous preserve areas.
• HAND TRIMMING
Allowing selective trimming of native mid-canopy/groundcover vegetation within the indigenous preserves will assist the land managers in meeting the objectives of this management plan. No trees will be removed during the trimming process. Snags may be removed only if they present an issue of health, safety, and welfare (i.e. in danger of impacting homes and associated structures).
Laborers may use machetes, loppers, and/or chainsaws to trim native vegetation in the mid-canopy/groundcover. Management may include trimming the mid-canopy/groundcover to approximately 3-feet in height. Saw palmetto fronds may be cut back to the trunk to mimic a prescribed fire. Selective trimming of the palmetto trunk to 3' in height may also be done. Species that are not representative of an upland indigenous vegetative community, such as saltbush ( Baccharis spp .), have the potential to shade out appropriate native vegetation and will therefore be removed from the upland indigenous preserve areas. Since the goal of the hand trimming is to emulate a more natural system under a normal fire regime, it should not occur more frequently than every three (3) years.
• HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Native and/or non-native ornamentals, not part of the existing indigenous vegetative community, are not allowed within the preserve area. Please take care to not install ornamental vegetation within the indigenous preserve areas, as they will have to be removed. Avoiding excessive irrigation and fertilization of lawns adjacent to preserve areas, which likely contributes to the increased growth rate of the palmetto, will help reduce the runoff into the preserves. The preserves are the responsibility of the development, and only assigned personnel and/or contractors for Vasari Country Club can conduct work within the preserve areas. However, with your cooperation, the preserves at Vasari can be maintained in a manner to enhance the beauty and ecological benefits of our community.
Notes from Tim Diers:
In the letter from Mark West regarding the permit to prune/cut back the foliage in the upland preserves, there are various things that need to occur before any trimming can begin. To obtain a permit, there are various governmental approvals needed. According to Mark, they have cleared the first hurdle with Lee County; however, there are other approvals necessary. This process can be time consuming and there is no guarantee that a final approval will be granted.
Secondly, if the permit is approved, the board of directors and homeowners of Vasari will have to approve a plan to pay for the work. If you have any additional questions, please contact Mark West, G.M. of Vasari C.C
posted by Bob Norwood at
11:45 AM
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