Bauer Rd. Sports Complex earns Forest Service award

Bauer Rd. Sports Complex earns Forest Service award

The Southwest Escambia Sports Complex has been recognized as a Stewardship Forest by the Florida Forest Service for recent improvements made by the Escambia County Natural Resources Conservation Division.
The complex is located at 2020 Bauer Rd. The nature trail is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset and can be accessed from several locations within the park. Please see the trail map for details. More info: MyEscambia.com.
The complex is comprised of approximately 112 acres and is part of the Florida Greenways and Trails System. Recent management activities have included planting of endangered White Topped Pitcher Plants, invasive plant removal, installation of educational signage and duck boxes, and forestry mulching.
Future plans for the conservation lands include additional trail amenities and routine prescribed burns to keep the understory open to allow grasses and other small plants, such as wiregrass and pitcher plants, to dominate the landscape.
Plus, the ash keeps the soil fertile and encourages new plant growth in the spring. By reducing fuel loads and keeping the understory clear, land managers reduce the chances of a larger, more dangerous wildfire.
The Forest Stewardship Program is a voluntary program designed to encourage beneficial management practices on private, non-working forest lands.
On occasion, government forest lands may be accepted into the program as demonstration forests used to educate landowners of proper land management practices.