Fire Management 2006

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Update on Fire Management in Payne’s Creek

In 2006 TIDE continues implementing a fire management plan for Payne’s Creek National Park. To date, Rangers from the Park and community members have received training in fire management

from Mr. Domingo Ruiz of the Forest Department. So far, the crew has demarcated seven burn units with control lines to block off the Pine Savannah from fire.

GPS coordinates were taken to develop maps of the burn units. Three of the units are located in the southernmost section of the Pine Savannah on the east bank of Punta Ycacos Lagoon. The other four are located near fresh water creek and the highway access road.

Rangers also cleaned/cleared the demonstration area that was burned during the fire management training. This area will be made into a camping site as part of an effort to promote ecotourism visits to the Park. Native plants that are now missing from the area will be replanted to improve biodiversity and aesthetics near the camp site. Rangers will plant fruit trees (including cashew) that will also provide a food source for various species of wildlife in the area. For information about camping in Payne’s Creek, contact TIDE Tours – info@tidetours.org. / 501-722-2129.

Yellow Headed Parrot Monitoring:

The endangered yellow-headed parrot makes its home in fallen pine trees in Payne’s Creek’s savannah. They are therefore susceptible to injury, death and extinction from frequent fires. As part of TIDE’s management plan for the park, Rangers continued to monitor nesting sites of yellow headed parrots. All thirteen (13) existing sites survived the 2005 fire season and are presently active - birds were noticed near the sites and some birds were actually at the nests. In addition, two new nesting sites were discovered, one in the southernmost section of the savanna on the east bank of the Lagoon, and another along the edge of wetlands at the northeast of the

Ranger station.

GPS coordinates were taken of these sites to map them. There are now a total of fifteen (15) yellow-headed parrot nesting sites presently being monitored. Some nests already have young hatchlings, as our rangers heard them being fed by adult birds.