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The South Alabama Regional Planning Commission presents . . . Orange Beach Maritime Forest Annette Salvatore, Naturalist Gulf State Park Tel: 251-948-7275 Greg Scoville, City Planner City of Orange Beach Tel: 251-981-6979 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SITE NAME: Orange Beach Maritime Forest, Gulf Oak Ridge, Ward Tract SITE CODE: NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION: This 588 acre forest contains a diverse combination of habitats including: maritime forest with a sphagnum/cypress swamp, wetlands, and a large pitcher plant bog. The forest borders the Gulf State Park to the north for two miles. The low lying bog and wetlands portion of the forest (total of 394 acres) is an integral part of a much larger marsh/pine savannah system occurring primarily in the state park. Adverse impacts to this part of the system would certainly effect the rest of the system in the park. DATE SITE SUBMITTED: DATE WHEN INFORMATION LAST UPDATED: September 23, 1998 LOCATION: Alabama; Baldwin County, City of Orange Beach; approximately 30 degrees 16'30"N/ 87degrees 37'30"W BOUNDARIES: RELATIVE SIZE: 394 acres of wetlands, 194 acres of maritime forest AREA OF INFLUENCE: Adjacent State Park lands including marsh/pine savannah system. ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE HABITAT TYPE: Coastal freshwater wetland, maritime live oak forest, longleaf pine-turkey oak sandhill, coastal sand pine scrub, bluejack oak scrub, wet longleaf pine savannah, pitcher plant bog, sphagnum/cypress swamp. RARE/ENDANGERED SPECIES: Endangered: Red Cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) Rare: American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) Northern Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis tabida) Jaguarundi (Felis yaguarundi) Florida Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucas mugitus) Dusky Gopher Frog (Rana areolata sevosa) Bobcat (Lynx rufus) Southern Hognose Snake (Heterodon simus) Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamateus) Eastern Coachwhip Snake (Masticophis flagellum flagellum) ------------------------------- (Peltandra sagittaefolia) Purple Bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea) Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia spp.) Yellow Eyed Grass (Xyris spp.) ---------------------- (Eriocaulon spp.) ---------------------- (Lachnocaulon spp.) ---------------------- (Rhexia spp.) Long-leaved Jointweed (Rhexia spp.) BREEDING/NURSERY AREA: Historical breeding grounds for the endangered Mississippi Sandhill Crane, Winter breeding area for the Northern Sandhill Crane FORAGE AREA: Various local and migratory species use this diverse landscape for foraging purposes. Migrating neotropical birds use this area to forage providing energy for flight to nesting sites, some as far north as the Arctic tundra. Migratory butterflies are dependent on this area for larval food such as pawpaws and pasisonflowers, the latter found only on this site for the entire island. MIGRATORY SPECIES: Neotropical birds such as vireos, warblers, phoebes, indigo buntings, painted buntings, as well as many hummingbirds. Wintering Northern Sandhill Cranes. Migrating butterflies. GEOMORPHIC FEATURES: The low lying portions of the tract are an integral part of a much larger marsh/pine savannah system occurring primarily in the protected Gulf State park. Elevation varies from 5 to 30 feet above sea level with drainage generally to the south into the wetlands on the state park property. ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION: The wetlands areas function as a flood control for this low lying coastal community. The entire tract functions as a buffer for the Gulf State Park. The forest also serves as habitat for migratory species as well as habitat for resident endangered species. UNIQUESNESS OF NATURAL COMMUNITY: This forest contains a diverse aggregation of several very sensitive natural communities containing, or possibly containing, a significant number of rare and endangered plant and animal species. Most important are the large number of old longleaf pines remaining in the still relatively natural longleaf pine-turkey oak sandhill and longleaf pine savannah communities. The live oak forest is the only example of this type, known by the Alabama Natural Heritage program, in the state. It contains several plant species otherwise extirpated on Pleasure Island and at least the southern part of Baldwin County. ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: Unassessed. Potshards and oyster shells are found throughout the forest. It is important that the forest and bluff be assessed for burials or middens. CURRENT AND POTENTIAL USE OF SITE EXISTING OR POTENTIAL EDUCATIONAL USE: The potential educational uses of this area are vast. The pitcher plant bog can be studied by school groups up to graduate level field work from local universities. If acquired this area could have boardwalks and overlooks to help educate the seasonal resident and permanent resident about the unique natural history of this part of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The immense plant diversity would serve as an excellent tool to educate the public of the importance of such unique areas. RECREATIONAL USE: Historically hunting was practiced in this forest. If protected a loop trail 10-15 miles long originating in the State Park through this forest could serve as excellent biking, hiking, and birding grounds. COMMERCIAL USE: None presently. PRIVATE USE: None presently. EXISTING DESIGNATIONS: 20,009 acres protected by the Army Corp of Engineers in connection with the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Wildlife Mitigation Project. MANAGEMENT STATUS: LAND OWNERSHIP: City o Orange Beach, Alabama. Contact: Greg Scoville, City Planner EXISTING DESIGNATIONS: MANAGEMENT STATUS: Left in Natural state except for natural fire suppression. EXISTING MONITORING ACTIVITIES: None at this time. ACQUISITION POTENTIAL: Very high. MANAGEMENT NEEDS: Survival of the longleaf pine-turkey oak, longleaf pine savannah, sand pine scrub community, pitcher plant bog, and to a lesser extent, the freshwater marsh are environments dependent on natural fires. The Red Cockaded woodpecker colonies are dependent on areas managed by fire. Fire suppression is also a major reason, if not the main reason, for the possible abandonment of the area by the Mississippi Sandhill crane. The endangered Gopher Tortoise also requires areas to be kept open by fire. The endangered Eastern Indigo snake and the Dusky Gopher frog are dependent on the burrows of the Gopher Tortoise for survival. Responsible management of the land by the proper knowledgeable and concerned agency, is necessary to ensure preservation of rare communities in the forest and the rare species which depend on them. SITE VIABILITY THREATS TO ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY: Commercial and Residential Development, Fire suppression. MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL: SOURCES OF INFORMATION: M. Bailey, S. Gunn, Alabama Natural Heritage program, Gulf Oak Ridge. Ward Tract Site Survey, June 5, 1990. Town of Orange Beach, Draft of Land Use Development Plan for 588 Acre Tract. February, 1991 J. Morrill, GEMS Orange Beach Maritime Forest Survey Response. Date Unknown. CITE SUPPORTING LITERATURE, MAPS, OR FIELD DATA for above information: (DISL, GSA, EPA, USF&WS, and numerous universities and colleges.) RETURN TO SOUTH ALABAMA GEMS HOME PAGE This information presented by: state and local agencies. Web Design & Hosting by Site One on the Internet. Copyright©, 2001