Florida International University
OP-T2-20: Wildlife Habitat

The FIU Nature Preserve is a 14-acre preserve located on the Modesto Maidique Campus. The preserve is a certified wildlife habitat with the National Wildlife Federation, a certified butterfly garden with the North American Butterfly Association, and a certified important bird area with the Audubon Society. This means that FIU’s conscientious planning, landscaping, and gardening in this area has been successful in protecting and providing significant and quality wildlife habitat – food, water, shelter, and areas to raise young. Three diverse ecosystems provide significant habitat for our 13 endangered plant species and 17 threatened plant species. In addition to this wildlife habitat there is also an organic fruit and vegetable garden. http://gogreen.fiu.edu/topics/the-nature-preserve/index.html

FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus is home to a native garden project began in the Spring of 2009. This project has grown and established three large gardens on BBC that aim to attract butterflies and other wildlife using Florida native plants. These gardens are great success and support many butterfly and moth species. The most sited butterfly species on campus include Monarchs and Sulphurs. The newest edition is the Atala butterfly. The Atala almost was extinct because of the removal of its food source, the coontie. The Atala is labeled as a “Species of Greatest Conservation Need”. http://seas.fiu.edu/outreach/florida-friendly-landscaping/

Also on BBC, and led by the School of Environment, Arts & Society, is the Mangrove Restoration project which began in September 2009. Mangroves are vitally important to South Florida. Their roots serve as a source of food, shelter, and as a nursery ground for countless species of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, birds, and reptiles, including the threatened American crocodile. http://seas.fiu.edu/outreach/mangrove-restoration/

For more information on these great projects, you can read archived articles on FIU News, or follow the links below.

Nature Preserve Article: http://news.fiu.edu/2009/05/natures-last-stand/3658

Atala Butterfly Article: http://news.fiu.edu/2012/03/endangered-butterfly-takes-up-residence-on-bbc/37789.

Mangrove Restoration Articles:

http://news.fiu.edu/2011/04/make-way-for-mangroves-a-proposed-12-acres-to-be-restored-at-bbc/23452

http://news.fiu.edu/2011/11/fiu-plants-half-an-acre-of-mangroves-along-biscayne-bay/33197

http://news.fiu.edu/2012/04/fiu-miami-heat-help-restore-the-mangroves/39054