Ochlockonee River State Park uses prescribed fire to help return the park's habitats to a more natural species-rich condition. The park uses prescribed fire in the winter to reduce fuel loading, and during the spring "growing season" to improve habitat for many rare or uncommon plant and animal species.

The picture to the right is an area that had not been burned often enough, resulting in a profusion of hardwoods and brush. Returning fire to this area during the summer 'growing season' has restored wildflowers, red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) habitat, and scenic vistas.

Compare the above photo with the tangled, overgrown vegetation shown to the left. This area, directly across the park drive from the photo above, has had very little fire for the last ten to twenty years.

The photo to the right shows the ultimate in good fire management - a beautiful, open vista dominated by longleaf pine and wiregrass - a plant community which once covered most of Florida but now represents less than 1% of the forest cover. This zone has been on a regular burn rotation for many years.

Gopher tortoises, fox squirrels, and other fire-dependant species are also found in these areas. The most notable beneficiaries of this particular prescribed fire will be the RCWs. These birds, once common statewide, have declined as the mature pine forests in which they lived gave way to housing developments and shopping centers. Ochlockonee River State Park is one of only two state parks with RCWs. Prescribed fire encourages growth of the hardy, fire-tolerant longleaf pines which provide nesting sties, and also reduces underbrush, giving the birds the open space they need for foraging.