Located west of County Road 393 and between Poverty Creek Road and the Shoal River in the Dorcas area, the approximately 408-acre Shoal River Preserve contains mixed pine and hardwood forest. The preserve, which will provide hiking, paddling and bird watching opportunities, is expected to open to the public this spring.
The controlled burns at the preserve will be conducted by the county’s Land Resources Division of Destin-Fort Walton Beach in coordination with the Florida Forest Service, Okaloosa County Public Safety and area fire departments that include the North Okaloosa, Crestview and Dorcas fire departments.
The overall prescribed burn operation will cover about 400 acres, or nearly all the preserve property. The operation is weather-dependent and residents in the area should expect minimal smoke impacts.
“These burns are a necessary part of creating a healthy wildlife habitat and an important part of creating an ideal space that will soon be open for the enjoyment of residents and visitors,” County Commission Chairman Trey Goodwin said today in a news release. “Okaloosa County is fortunate to have a robust tourism industry that has funded the purchase of this land and others in north Okaloosa County to leave a lasting positive impact for the public.”
The prescribed burns will clear out overgrowth, thereby reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires and the subsequent devastation to communities. The prescribed fires also will provide openings in the vegetation that many species need, improve nutrient availability, and promote fresh plant growth, county officials said.
