Florida’s Plan: Successes and Challenges

1. Florida’s Plan: Successes and Challenges Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Gopher Tortoise Team Meeting - June 2011 Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center, Mansfield, Georgia

2. Management plan Conservation goal for gopher tortoises is “to restore and maintain secure, viable populations throughout the species’ current range in Florida”

3. Progress towards meeting the measurable conservation objectives • Increase habitat management and restoration (10,000 acres/year) • Accomplished an average of 36,000 acres/year

4. Progress towards meeting the measurable conservation objectives • Increase protected habitat on public and private land (25,000 acres/year; 16,000 acres/year) • 3,574 acres of private land permanently protected • 288 acres of public land permanently protected • Total since plan approval 6,851 acres

5. Progress towards meeting the measurable conservation objectives • Restock gopher tortoises to protected, managed, suitable habitats where densities are low • Public lands restocking guidelines • Decrease gopher tortoise mortality by permitting responsible and humane relocation • 4,133 tortoises permitted for relocation

6. Next steps • Revise the management plan • Scheduled to bring in September 2012 • Continually work to improve the permitting process • Work with the USFWS on coordination through the Section 6 agreement • Work with stakeholders on addressing public lands

7. Questions? Deborah Burr Gopher Tortoise Management Plan Coordinator Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Deborah.Burr@MyFWC.com (850)488-3831 http://MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise