The goal of the Conservancy's Lake Wales Ridge Program is to maintain stable or increasing populations of rare plants and animals on the Ridge by managing their natural habitats. To determine if we are reaching this goal, we monitor key characteristics of the rare species as well as of the natural communities in which they live.
Monitoring is a long-term process of collecting and analyzing data to detect changes over time.
For each species and natural community we set clear quantifiable objectives to help us determine which methods to use. For example, for relatively abundant rare species we may only conduct population counts every few years. For less abundant rare species, we may track individuals over time to determine longevity and reproduction success. Because habitat condition is key to rare species survival, we also measure bare sand cover and shrub density. There are a number of ways you can help conserve Florida.