Nonnative Plants

One of the biggest natural resource concerns that many parks must deal with is invasive plant species management. At Fort Matanzas, there are multiple plant species that are not native to this environment. Invasive plants are generally excellent at spreading across large areas in a short amount of time. Environments can quickly be overtaken by invasive plants if not managed properly.

Invasive plants at Fort Matanzas include:

· Russian Thistle

· Brazilian Pepper

· Kalanchoe

· Sweet Clover

· Lantana

· Asparagus Fern

· Sword Fern

The plants listed are found within different habitats throughout Fort Matanzas, from the sand dunes to the coastal hammock. Without management, these plants can spread and outcompete native plants for space and resources. They can disrupt the structure of different habitats and reduce the food sources available for wildlife. For example, Russian thistle grows at the edge of sand dunes and can reduce the area for native plants to grow. They do not promote the structure of sand dunes as well as native plants like sea oats, and native wildlife species are not accustomed to eating the prickly Russian thistle.

There are multiple methods of removing invasive plant species. We first try to directly remove the plant by digging it up without using any chemicals. If the plant is too large, like some of the Brazilian peppers that we have come across, tools and targeted herbicide may be used to successfully remove the invasive plant and provide native plants a better opportunity to grow. Invasive plants can thrive in recently disturbed environments like an area impacted by wildfire or sections of dune that have been disturbed by people walking through them. Please help us keep our ecosystem healthy by staying on the trails and following conservation zone signage.