A Quiet Change: Boyd Hill Prairie Restoration

A Quiet Change: Boyd Hill Prairie Restoration

Clearwater, FL – In the heart of the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, a cherished green space in Pinellas County, a significant environmental restoration project is quietly transforming a 7-acre tract that once served as the city nursery site. This initiative aims to replace invasive and exotic plant species with native flora, ultimately restoring a functional ecosystem to the area.

The former nursery site, located in the back of the preserve, has a history of disturbance. In the early 2000s, greenhouses, material stockpiles, rubble, and other non-native materials were removed. Further impact occurred between 2005 and 2007 when the site was used as a base of operations for the dredging of Lake Maggiore, involving sludge ponds and extensive dump truck traffic. These activities left the ecosystem highly disturbed and dominated by invasive and exotic plants such as smutgrass, shrubby false buttonweed, Bermuda grass, and wedelia.

Over the last decade, efforts began to clear overstory invasives and plant longleaf pines. However, the ground cover remained largely unaddressed until recently. The current restoration project was deemed ideal due to the site's disturbed nature, good potential for success, minimal necessary costs, and available water, coinciding with the opening of the back gate to public access.

The restoration is proceeding incrementally, using a checkerboard approach. Areas are systematically cleared of invasives and exotics, then planted with a seed bank of native species designed to reseed across the area. The project began with testing various native plants in small containers and plugs to identify species best suited for the disturbed soil conditions. Now, nearly three years and eight plots later, areas are showing signs of regeneration, with native grasses and herbaceous species naturally reseeding.

Current plantings include wiregrass, lovegrasses, bluestems, lopsided Indiangrass, and partridge pea. Initially, a wiregrass-based prairie was envisioned, but observations have shown better success with lovegrasses, bluestem varieties, and select wildflowers due to the specific soil conditions. Each season, the plots demonstrate progress, with native vegetation slowly gaining ground against the exotics and invasives.

A recent and exciting development for those involved was the discovery of a gopher tortoise crossing a newly constructed land bridge to the south and taking up residence in one of the restored plots. This indicates the project's positive impact on local wildlife.

The restoration work is a collaborative effort between staff and dedicated volunteers from the Clearwater community, who have been instrumental in nearly all aspects of the project. These