Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area is an area of wilderness conservation lands southeast of Orlando, Florida. It straddles the border of Orange County[1] and Osceola County[2] and is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which has been granted a conservation easement over the property by the two counties.[3] The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's management plan for Split Oak Forest is "is to restore and maintain the habitats critical to the long-term benefit of state and federally listed upland species, particularly the gopher tortoise."[4] A parkway extension project across the southern portion of the forest is proposed to provide vehicular access to an area of new development.
The wilderness area includes prairie and scrub habitat, including sandhill terrain, and is home to gopher tortoises, sandhill cranes, eastern indigo snakes, fox squirrels, butterflies, woodpeckers, kestrels, various songbirds,[5] and some rare plant species. There are trails throughout the Park for visitors.
A Friends of Split Oak Forest group formed to try to protect the area from the intrusion of the road. A conservation land swap is proposed to mitigate impact from the road and this plan has received support from county commissioners and Charles Lee of the Florida Audubon Society. The Orlando Sentinel editorial board supports the road project with planned mitigation.[6]
A proposed Osceola Parkway extension is planned through the southern part of the preserve.[7][8][9] The road project is one of many including extensive new toll roads being proposed through largely undeveloped areas engendering controversy during Governor Ron DeSantis' tenure.
References
edit- ^ "Split Oak Forest". www.orangecountyfl.net. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
- ^ "Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area". www.osceola.org. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
- ^ "Split Oak Forest - Habitat and Management". Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
- ^ "Split Oak Forest - History". Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
- ^ "Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area". Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
- ^ Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board (November 21, 2019). "Split Oak highway compromise is about as good as it'll get — take the deal". Orlando Sentinel (Editorial).
- ^ Powers, Scott (November 18, 2019). "Osceola Parkway preferred route to cut through southern end of Split Oak Forest". Florida Politics. Extensive Enterprises Media.
- ^ Powers, Scott (November 18, 2019). "Osceola Parkway and Split Oak road recommendations to be revealed". Florida Politics. Extensive Enterprises Media.
- ^ Spear, Kevin (October 31, 2019). "Split Oak controversy over expressway route re-emerges with tough choices". Orlando Sentinel.
External links
edit
- Official website
- Friends of Split Oak Forest
- Florida National Scenic Trail
- A Management Plan for Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area 2017 – 2027
28°21′06″N 81°12′07″W / 28.3516°N 81.2019°W
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