Photo by Patrick Heinzen
Saving West Klosterman Preserve
In the midst of a concrete expanse, small sections of forest and scrubland continue to survive in Pinellas County. One of which, a 14-acre plot in Tarpon Springs, may soon be home to a condominium complex. Yet do these small green spaces in a sea of urbanization have value aside from more space for housing? The answer from the concerned neighbors of the WK Preservation Group and Tampa Bay conservationists: a resounding yes.
The West Klosterman Preserve
Nestled next to the larger 76-acre Mariners Point Management Area in Tarpon Springs, this parcel of land contains longleaf pine forest and upland scrub — two habitats rapidly disappearing due to urbanization. Within Pinellas County, these forests and scrublands can be found in small green spaces throughout the peninsula.
Yet regardless of its size, these small green spaces host a surprising abundance of biodiversity, with some of Florida’s iconic and relatively unknown flora and fauna finding a home amongst the sugar sand dunes and old growth oak trees. Among these species found within what locals wish to become the newest addition to the Mariners Point Management Area are the endangered Florida Rosemary bush, which hosts several native butterfly species, and a bustling colony of gopher tortoises.
Photo by Patrick Heinzen
The WK Preservation Group
Directors of WK Preservation Group Kay and Tex Carter see the 14 acres as a defining characteristic of their neighborhood, blending city life with nature. Yet when they found out that the land, originally owned by the Pinellas County School Board, was being sold to developers for a new condominium project, they chose to act. This was the catalyst that inspired the Carters and six others to organize the WK Preservation Group in 2020.
What followed is a movement spanning several years, powered by concerned neighbors and Tampa Bay naturalists who would rather see the 14 acres preserved instead of developed into another housing complex.
“If we don’t go ahead and save this [property] now, once it’s gone, it’s gone,” said Kay Carter.
Through streams of donations and eventually striking a deal with Pinellas County to put up half of the $3 million needed to purchase the land. The group finds themselves at a crossroads: They must raise roughly $879,000 by September 15 to meet the County in their contribution so as to protect the preserve from present and future development.
Small but Crucial
The WK Preservation Group has applied to numerous land protection grants with little progress due to the parcel’s small size. However, according to St. Petersburg biologist and professor at Eckerd College Dr. Jeffery Goessling, the value of these small urban preserves is far beyond what we may expect.
According to Goessling, these smaller remnants of forest and scrubland, if properly protected, can act as a series of oasis in a sea of urban sprawl, linking populations of wildlife that have begun to adapt to live alongside human activity. Even though it may not be as expansive as some national parks, these small green spaces can protect vital habitat and safeguard populations of at-risk wildlife.
“Right now, we’re losing biodiversity at an alarming rate,” said Goessling. “Having small urban preserves that have tortoises in them helps keep populations from being isolated…forming constellations of nature in urban areas.”
Goessling has also studied gopher tortoises throughout the southeastern United States, including St. Petersburg’s Boyd Hill Preserve. To Goessling, the best way of protecting what remains of the threatened species is to protect them where they are currently located, thus avoiding the relatively high mortality rates that come with relocation.
Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), found throughout the 14-acre parcel, create large burrows amongst scrubland and pine forests within the southeastern United States. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision, their burrows also serve as a refuge from intense heat and cold and fire events for more than 350 species, making gopher tortoises a keystone species in Florida’s coastal upland ecosystem.
Photo by Patrick Heinzen
Preserving Biodiversity
According to the WWF and 2022’s Living Planet Report, the world has lost roughly 69% of our global wildlife populations since 1970. Conservationists now urge the public to conserve any green spaces that host a thriving population of threatened or endangered species — such as the proposed WK Preserve.
These areas, according to Goessling, also have a large educational importance, allowing individuals who would not normally come into contact with nature to engage with it directly. This can help foster a care for the natural world, which can form into support for environmentally friendly policies and projects. Overall, allowing people to have a way to find nature, even in the most densely populated county in Florida, can have a large impact on their views towards conservation as a whole.
The WK Preservation Group has already begun giving tours to donors curious about the biodiversity found within this small area and its ecological benefits that go beyond a home for wildlife, such as a filter and buffer between urban sprawl runoff and the larger Klosterman Preserve. The preserve then feeds into the larger Saint Joseph Sound and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The Carters fear that if this development moves forward, more contaminated runoff will enter the waterways, further polluting the already sensitive coastal ecosystem.
Uncertain Future
As the Sept. 15 deadline to raise funds inches closer, the Carters and the rest of the WK Preservation Group team are doing everything they can to continue to garner support from the local community and beyond. Through newsletters, tours, and other outreach programs, they hope to inspire others to donate to the cause of conservation, regardless of how big or small it may be. At the end of the day, the Carters and their colleagues see the importance of green spaces deep in the city.
“There’s relaxation in nature,” said the Carters. “It has a true impact on humans — and so it is important to have these green spaces amongst all the concrete.”
