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Fifty years ago, the Central Florida region boasted a population of 400,000. Today the population has increased to an impressive 3.2 million. If our current growth trend continues and the projections are correct, our children and grandchildren will see the region’s population boom to nearly 7.2 million people by the year 2050.
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April 5, 2005
Lyonia Preserve
by Dean Hybl
 The Naturally Central Florida workgroup got a first-hand view of what preservation can do to increase the natural abundance of an area following their regular meeting on April 4, 2005. After meeting at the Deltona Regional Library, the group literally walked out the door, down a hill and into nature’s back yard. (Randy Sleister, Volusia County Land Manager)
Located right in the heart of the largest city in Volusia County, Deltona, the Lyonia Preserve offers visitors a chance to see and learn about one of Florida’s original and unique landscapes. The 400-acre preserve has many trails and opportunities to get up-close and personal with nature.
A major goal of the Lyonia Preserve was to restore the scrub plant community to the conditions similar to those that existed here before human intervention, providing suitable habitat for scrub dependant animals. In a natural scrub ecosystem, fire maintains the ecosystem and prevents any one plant from dominating. Prior to restoration, sand pines and oaks dominated this area and thus, there was a lack of diversity. By utilizing a variety of methods, the re-growth of the sand pines and oak were minimized and this restoration area is being managed for scrub plants and scrub dependant animals.
One successful example of the steps being taken by the preserve is the story of the Florida Scrub-Jay. Once an abundant local resident, the Florida Scrub-Jay has been listed on the threatened species list since 1975 and by the time preservation of the reserve began in 1995, none of the birds could be found on this piece of land and only a handful remained in the area. Within weeks of restoration, the first scrub jay was spotted and today visitors to the preserve are regularly able to see the birds as more than a hundred call the preserve home.
(Above...Linda Chapin meets two resident Scrub-Jays)
 The preserve also contains a wide variety of plants and flowers that are best suited to the scrub environment, including Flag pawpaw, Garberia, Scrub holly, Rusty lyonia, Prickly-pear cactus, Silkbay, Sand pine, Chapman's oak, Sand live oak, Myrtle oak, Saw palmetto and Shiny blueberry.
( Above..Rusty Lyonia from which the Preserve derived its name.)
| | With the Deltona Regional Library, which was built in 1997, also located on the property, education is an important mission of the preserve. School groups and summer camps frequent the library and preserve as they discover preserving nature is an important part of our culture and heritage.
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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