Puschel Preserve to support diverse wildlife
Newly shaped wetlands near the entrance of the Puschel Preserve on Sanibel will be planted as a demonstration marsh habitat with walking-biking trails and a pollinator garden. As an edge habitat, the open canopy will meet with the naturally wooded area back by the Sanibel River, providing two different habitat types for wildlife.
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that the ephemeral wetlands, which have a maximum depth of 2 feet, are evidence that the wet season has finally arrived.
“These temporary wetlands are very important for the breeding of many invertebrate and vertebrate species such as aquatic insects, amphibians and live-bearing fish,” Wildlife and Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz said.
The presence of the species also makes the wetlands important for predators, such as snakes, turtles, wading birds and meso-mammals, including raccoons and otters. Wildlife on Sanibel is adapted to open canopy landscapes. Those habitats support the highest diversity, especially when there is a nearby edge habitat.
EDGE HABITATS
“Edge habitats are where two different habitat types meet,” Lechowicz said. “On Sanibel, the most obvious edge habitat is where the open grassy zone meets the closed canopy forest.”
Wildlife thrives in the zone by being able to quickly move between the two, such as a bobcat hunting for cotton rats in a grassy open canopy field. Then, they quickly retreat into the nearby wooded area for cover as people approach.
The preserve will support both habitat types to enhance wildlife use. The front section along Periwinkle Way will feature a hiking-biking trail and already has some plantings of native vegetation. After the trail is completed, final plantings will be installed.
SANIBEL RIVER WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
“The back section naturally had more tree cover since it is near the Sanibel River,” he said. “It will not be accessible to the public and will support a contiguous wildlife corridor along the river.”
The area is bordered with buttonwood and other species that can tolerate rainwater inundation and will remain that way. The wetlands near the front will be planted with cord grass, sawgrass, arrowhead, pickerel weed and water hyssop. There will not be dense plantings of canopy trees on the north end to ensure that the property does not become a dense forest again, which decreases wildlife diversity.