Go Green

FIU Nature Preserve 

The FIU Nature Preserve was established in 1978 on the western portion of the Modesto Maidique Campus of Florida International University (FIU). Today, the Preserve functions as an 11-acre educational and recreational university facility. Biodiversity is very apparent among the three distinct Florida Everglades ecosystems found within. It also contains a fully functional organic vegetable garden which serves our local student community.

The majority of the Preserve is tropical hardwood hammock; a unique variety of tropical and temperate hardwood species that can be found nowhere else in the United States outside of southern Florida. Hardwood hammocks are lush green, densely forested habitats with large wide-spreading shade trees making up the canopy and a plethora of small to medium sized shrubs filling the understory. The central portion of the Preserve is considered pine rockland habitat, which is a globally imperiled ecosystem endemic to southern Florida and the Bahamas. A typical pine rockland would have a canopy of Florida Slash Pine, with an open herbaceous understory and limestone outcroppings throughout. There is also an artificial pond on the northern edge of the Preserve, which creates a suitable fresh water environment to harbor many of our important wetland species like Bald Cypress, Coastal Plain Willows, and Pond Apples.

With ecological education being the primary component of the nature preserve, it is no wonder why so many faculty each semester choose to teach their courses here. Students from such disciplines as: environmental studies, biology, botany, anthropology, entomology, ecology, science education, and art; all get to experience this on-campus living laboratory in their own unique way. Others can experience the beauty and solitude by running on the half-mile fitness track that goes along the perimeter of the Preserve. Many FIU student organizations rent out this space for events and activities as well. With Dr. Joel Heinen, in the Department of Earth and Environment, overseeing the administrative functions and the Nature Preserve Manager, Ryan Vogel, handling its daily operations, the Preserve serves this university well.

Dr. Joel Heinen: Joel.Heinen@fiu.edu or (305)348-3732

Ryan Vogel, Nature Preserve Manager: Ryan.Vogel@fiu.edu or (917)364-5930

Click on a link below to learn more about the FIU Nature Preserve.

• Overview
• Education
• Biodiversity
  
  • Floral Inventory
  • Bird Inventory
  • Butterfly Inventory
• History
• Timeline
• Volunteer Days/Tours
• Map and Trail Guide and more pictures - COMING SOON!

Overview

"Respect for the Environment" is a fundamental value of Florida International University. The FIU Nature Preserve was established in 1978, on a remnant of a tree island from the early Everglades wetland that predated the campus. Drainage, particularly with the construction of the Tamiami Canal, lowered the water levels and permitted the development of land in the area. The campus became a municipal airport, and the development of the FIU campus proceeded after the airport shut down in 1966. Faculty, staff and students added to the mix of secondary and exotic trees in the area by planting hardwood hammock trees at the present southern edge of the Preserve. With the additions of native plants, the Preserve became a more attractive place for wildlife, not only birds and butterflies, but vertebrate animals as well.

With time, and volunteer workdays, the extent of the plantings in the Preserve spread to its present size. The Preserve gradually became a place of passive recreation by members of the university community, as well as an important site for instruction and even a resource for research. A chickee was built in the Preserve in 1984, but burned down over a decade later. A nature trail was established as well.

A joint committee was established to look after the Preserve in 1985 and it functioned for about six years. The Faculty Senate then established a standing committee, The Environmental Preserve Committee, to look after it. That committee proposed running a planning Charrette in 2003, at the 25th anniversary of the Preserve. Various design and artistic competitions were held in conjunction with the Charrette and 25th anniversary picnic. In 2010 a new Charrette was developed by an Landscape Architecture class.

Today, the Preserve Manager maintains the Preserve. He works on removing exotic invasive plants, planting native plants, and clearing and marking trails. He also gives tours of the preserve to classes or any groups that want to come out and hosts many volunteer work days. The Environmental Preserve Committee is working with other FIU groups to maintain the preservation of the Preserve and enhance the feature around and with in it.

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Education

Since its establishment in 1978, the Preserve has become an important resource for education in various disciplines. Many disciplines including Biological Science, Environmental Studies, Visual Arts and Science Education that have utilized the Preserve in various ways. In addition to formal FIU courses, at times the Preserve has been a venue for the education of teachers, primarily in workshops organized by faculty in Environmental Studies and Science Education, in botany and plant identification.

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Biodiversity

The biological diversity of the Preserve is the result of its earlier history as part of the Everglades along with its establishment of a natural area with the planting of native species by students, faculty and staff.  The initial establishment of vegetation has attracted animals, and they have brought seeds that have added even more species to the Preserve. Below are the inventories of plants, birds, and butterflies.

Floral Inventory  |  Bird Inventory   |  Butterfly Inventory

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History

Pre-FIU: Historically, Modesto Maidique Campus was part of the Everglades drainage. The campus is located on the eastern side of this drainage, in an area historically of short hydroperiod marshes, wet for perhaps 6 months of the year. Since the establishment of the modern Everglades system, some 6500 years ago, this area became a marsh dominated by sawgrass (still present in the Preserve) and interspersed with tree islands at slightly higher elevations. The earliest photograph available to us, of the Tamiami Airport in 1966, shows the patchy vegetation across the canal that parallels the present Florida Turnpike. This almost certainly resulted from the tree islands after the marshes were drained during the 1920's, with the construction of the borrow canal associated with the construction of the Tamiami Trail. The vegetation on this map within the airport area, congruent with the present Preserve, is most likely associated with an earlier tree island. Brad Bennett (from student projects in his Restoration Ecology Course) has shown the presence of organic muck soils in the northern part of the Preserve, associated with such vegetation.

This area of vegetation is present in the photograph of our second building, Deuxieme Maison (DM) in 1974, four years before the establishment of the Preserve. The site of the Preserve contained vegetation because of this early history, and the chance that it was not in the way of any of the taxiways and runways of the airport.

Present FIU: In 1977, Professor Jack Parker and two students in his Environmental Science class proposed the development of an environmental preserve on campus. The initial project focused on the establishment of a native hardwood hammock on the south end of the preserve.

In October 1977 Former FIU Executive Vice President Joseph Olander announced that the University had set aside seven acres just east of the soccer and baseball fields for this "Environmental Preserve and Education Area". He stated that "this will serve as official notice that President Crosby has approved the wildlife, flora, and fauna restoration area" As stated by Professor Jack Parker, the initial plan was for the preserve to be "a multipurpose area which can be used for ecological research and study by various disciplines, and for relaxation by students, staff and faculty". In addition to the hardwood hammock and gardening area, the future preserve would include a "cypress swamp/aquatic area, a pine/palmetto/grassland area, a picnic area, a nature path and a jogging trail".

The dedication of the preserve was carried out May 3, 1978 as a component of Dade County's celebration of "Sun Day", an Earth Day-type national celebration of the coming of a solar energy revolution. Dade County Commissioner Harvey Ruvin and Dade County School Board Chairman Phyllis Miller presented proclamations recognizing "Sun Day". Just before sunset, FIU Executive Vice President Joseph Olander formally dedicated the preserve by declaring that " I utilize the authority vested in me by President Harold Crosby and the Florida Board of Regents to dedicate officially the Florida International University Environmental Preserve and Education Area and commemorate it to the use of FIU students, faculty and staff, as well as the citizens we serve".

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Timeline

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Volunteer Work Days

The Nature Preserve Manager hosts many volunteer work days and tours through the preserve. Below is a list of the work days for Summer 2012, they can also be found on the GoGreen Calendar. If you are interested in attending a work day or setting up a tour please send an email to Nature Preserve Manager, Ryan Vogel.

Work Day Schedule

Ryan Vogel, Nature Preserve Manager: Ryan.Vogel@fiu.edu or (917)364-5930

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