South Florida dry prairie and herbaceous wetlands are recognized as fire maintained communities. Aerial photography was used to show how the woody vegetation in Myakka River State Park (Sarasota County, Florida) changed over approximately thirty years of fire exclusion (1939-1968). Rapid increases occurred in Quercus virginiana and Serenoa repens uplands and in forested and shrubby wetland associations. Corresponding decreases occurred in dry prairies and herbaceous wetlands. Present management goals are to maintain and restore fire-dependent plant communities. Drought-condition burns early in the growing season appear to be more effective in reducing woody species cover than traditional dormant-season bums or wet growing-season burns.