Naples Botanical Garden uses fire as a means for plant growth

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Fire is not always a “bad” thing.

The Botanical Garden of Naples on Tuesday put to the test with the fourth prescribed fire of the property this year.

The Garden began a prescribed fire regime in early 2023 after several years of preparation.

“We burned a little less than 4 acres of lodgepole pine habitat,” said Eric Foht, the Garden’s Director of Natural Resources.

He added that there was no history of fire on this parcel for at least the last 40 years. This means that a tremendous volume of natural debris, such as pine needles, have accumulated. That fuel load creates a fire risk – keep in mind that the Garden is sandwiched between residential developments.

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– Naples Botanical Prescribed Burn 12_19_23-7.jpg

Eric Foht, Director of Natural Resources of the Botanical Garden of Naples.

Juan Eder

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Florida’s habitats depend on fire. There are plants that do not flower or seed until they have been touched by a flame, for example. Fire also regulates biodiversity. The accumulation of debris and the heavy growth of plants, such as saw palmetto, make it impossible for grass and wildflowers to grow. The Naples Botanical Garden depends on prescribed fire to help these types of plants.

Juan Eder

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– Naples Botanical Prescribed Burn 12_19_23-2.jpg

Florida’s habitats depend on fire. There are plants that do not flower or seed until they have been touched by a flame, for example. Fire also regulates biodiversity. The accumulation of debris and the heavy growth of plants, such as saw palmetto, make it impossible for grass and wildflowers to grow. The Naples Botanical Garden depends on prescribed fire to help these types of plants.

Juan Eder

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– Naples Botanical Prescribed Burn 12_19_23-4.jpg

Thaddeus Penfield, a certified burn manager, takes pictures of the prescribed burns Tuesday. The Garden contracts with him for the prescribed burns.

Juan Eder

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– Naples Botanical Prescribed Burn 12_19_23-3.jpg

A prescribed fire expert set fire to the Naples Botanical Garden on Tuesday. Florida’s habitats depend on fire. There are plants that do not flower or seed until they have been touched by a flame, for example. Fire also regulates biodiversity. The accumulation of debris and the heavy growth of plants, such as saw palmetto, make it impossible for grass and wildflowers to grow. The Naples Botanical Garden depends on prescribed fire to help these types of plants.

Juan Eder

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– Naples Botanical Prescribed Burn 12_19_23-5.jpg

Florida’s habitats depend on fire. There are plants that do not flower or seed until they have been touched by a flame, for example. Fire also regulates biodiversity. The accumulation of debris and the heavy growth of plants, such as saw palmetto, make it impossible for grass and wildflowers to grow. The Naples Botanical Garden depends on prescribed fire to help these types of plants.

Juan Eder

7 of 7
– Naples Botanical Prescribed Burn 12_19_23-1.jpg

Florida’s habitats depend on fire. There are plants that do not flower or seed until they have been touched by a flame, for example. Fire also regulates biodiversity. The accumulation of debris and the heavy growth of plants, such as saw palmetto, make it impossible for grass and wildflowers to grow. The Naples Botanical Garden depends on prescribed fire to help these types of plants.

Juan Eder

“It was just what we wanted – we burned a lot of the material that was a fire risk, and the wet conditions made it as calm as it could be for a forest area this overgrown,” said Foht.

Florida’s habitats depend on fire. There are plants that do not flower or seed until they have been touched by a flame, for example. Fire also regulates biodiversity. The accumulation of debris and the heavy growth of plants, such as saw palmetto, make it impossible for grass and wildflowers to grow.

“Without fire at the Garden, we lose our species, we lose our diversity, we lose Florida,” said Thaddeus Penfield, a certified burn manager the Garden contracts to manage the fires. “The Garden has six distinct habitats on site, including pine forests and coastal scrub. Prescribed fires help keep these ecosystems healthy and functioning the way nature intended.”

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