Florida's Fragile Wildlife ― Conservation and Management

"An indispensable handbook for resource managers who care about the fate of Florida’s wildlife."-- Clay Henderson, president emeritus, Florida Audubon Society

"Everyone interested in the conservation of Florida’s unique biota, especially those actively involved with land management planning, should keep a copy of this book within arm’s reach."-- George W. Tanner, University of Florida

Conservation and management of Florida’s vulnerable wildlife and their habitat has been of great concern for decades, and Florida’s Fragile Wildlife is a primer for natural resource managers on how to achieve these goals. Examining more than 20 threatened species from the perspective of land management, the book outlines the benefits of specific conservation initiatives on each species and discusses how those initiatives can be implemented.

Covering a broad spectrum of Florida habitats, Don Wood focuses on selected native species that include the red-cockaded woodpecker, bald eagle, gopher tortoise, Florida scrub-jay, grasshopper sparrow, fox squirrel, southeastern American kestrel, sandhill crane, crested caracara, burrowing owl, wood stork, bats, beach mice, and saltmarsh songbirds. Three criteria were used in selecting species: the degree to which they would benefit from feasible, practical management initiatives; how often government agencies receive requests for technical assistance involving their welfare; and the incidence of their occurrence on public lands in Florida.

Unlike other books currently available, this work concentrates on management strategies. While it provides fundamental biological information, each chapter in effect constitutes a well-organized conservation plan culminating in a “how-to” menu of specific management techniques (including research methodologies). It also provides up-to-date information on the status, life history, and behavior of each species, accompanied by photographs and an appendix that summarizes the array of laws and regulations that apply to the species covered.

Written in an authoritative yet comprehensible style, Florida’s Fragile Wildlife will be an essential reference for all conservation professionals in Florida, as well as for environmentalists and naturalists interested in land stewardship.

Don A. Wood served as endangered species coodinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, 1977-96 and as editorial coordinator for the Division of Wildlife within that agency 1996-2000. He has written extensively on endangered species in Florida and Oklahoma for more than 20 years, focusing especially on the red-cockaded woodpecker.