Earlier this month, federal wildlife officials announced that the once common and now rare bristle fern was going to be included on the endangered species list.
The rootless, delicate fern was once found in dense mats all over the spiny limestone ridge of South Florida, but is now known to grow in only six locations in Sumter and Miami-Dade counties. The total area now covered by the Florida bristle fern is only about 155-square feet, which is about 5% of the area of a regulation tennis court.
Its near demise can be attributed to widespread development and rising sea levels. The fern's natural habitat is where water collects in pockets of limestone. Among endangered species, the fern is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels because it results in a shrinking of its habitat.
The bristle fern’s territory is becoming smaller and so is the plant’s hold on existence. It was found in 10 separate locations when it was first nominated for the list in 2009, but with four locations lost in the last six years, the situation appears to need addressing.
The next step is for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to come up with a plan to save the fern. It could designate critical habitat for the plant, but that only offers it protection on federal land. Saving the bristle fern may require printing Brochures showing the plant and explaining its situation to enlist the public’s help.Get a Free Quote for Brochures
