Plans for the St. Teresa Tract
These lands were once as diverse as the wildlife that inhabit them.
Oaks and shrubs grew into scrub habitat high up on ancient sand dunes. Towering pines and soft soils created flatwoods dotted with wetlands where water pooled. Fires periodically swept through, clearing out overgrowth and bringing new life to the landscape.
Once humans moved in, the land was cleared and only timber trees were planted. Today, the trees stand too densely clustered and the altered landscape interrupts water flow. Restoration efforts will begin soon to reconnect the land and water and bring back the natural mosaic.
High and dry, these uplands seem far removed from the marshes and currents of the Ochlockonee river and bay, but forests play an important role in water’s journey. As rain falls on the sandy soil, plants and grasses filter out pollutants and particles. What isn’t absorbed by the plants slowly flows downhill or sinks below the surface, recharging the local water supply. By restoring our uplands, we’re also protecting our waterways.
