1. Conduct population dynamics research in fragmented landscapes on existing populations in the Eastern Florida Flatwoods Ecoregion to obtain data to understand the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation; study how bobcats make use of and move through developed landscapes; document their use of travel corridors; identify corridors and core reserves that are essential to their long term persistence; and assess nutritional plane and biomedical and genetic health. Research is taking place in Brevard, Osceola, Orange, Volusia, and Indian River Counties and throughout the ecoregion.

2. Develop a habitat conservation plan (HCP) that incorporates a network of corridors and core reserves that insure long term persistence in the ecoregion. The HCP focuses on Brevard, Volusia, Indian River, Orange, and Osceola Counties, but will include all the ecoregion's counties. The plan will: identify lands important to viability that need protection; identify corridors that are essential to regional and local movement and gene flow; provide guidelines for landscape and habitat management; provide strategies to conserve and wisely manage the critical lands; provide priorities for the acquisition of lands; etc. The plan will be based on the empirical research data obtained from the research in priority 1.

3. Direct and campaign the implementation of the HCP.

When Coryi Foundation, Inc. releases and implements the Habitat Conservation Plan in priority 3 above, it would like the organizations in the conservation community to consider including in their respective land acquisition/protection efforts, some of the lands that the plan identifies as critical to viability. Coryi Foundation, Inc. will work vigorously on acquiring and protecting these lands and will ask interested groups for their help in the land protection process.

Research: Bobcat Population Dynamics in Fragmented Landscapes
The Potential Threats to Bobcat Population Viability in Brevard County
Bobcats, Corridors, and the Eastern Florida Flatwoods Ecoregion
A Habitat Conservation Plan for the Bobcat in the Eastern Florida Flatwoods Ecoregion
What is a metapopulation?

Tim Mallow, Project Director/Principal Investigator, e-mail: tmallow@cfl.rr.com

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