Battling exotic and invasive plants on 14,000 acres at Lake Kissimmee and Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek state parks in Central Florida requires constant attention. The Lake Wales Ridge and surrounding areas provide vital habitat for endemic species such as the scrub blazing star and pygmy fringe-tree.

It’s the state’s only endemic bird, which means the Florida scrub-jay is found nowhere else, and its need for a specific habitat is one reason why scrub-jay numbers are declining. The only bird species that requires a sandy, scrubby habitat to survive is the Florida scrub-jay.