A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve

June 25, 2002 A Plan for the Use and Management of the

Deep Creek Preserve

June 25, 2002

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Principal Author: Eugene M. Kelly

If a disabled individual wishes to obtain the information contained in this document in another form, please contact Cheryl Hill at 1-800-423-1476, extension 4452; TDD ONLY 1-800-231-6103; FAX (352)754-6877. blank pg Page iii

Executive Summary not considered suitable for hunting due to its relatively small size and proximity to The 1,988-acre Deep Creek Preserve residential development. An entrance to (Preserve) is located in southwest DeSoto accommodate public recreational use will County, approximately 6 miles north of the be developed and will include restrooms, a City of Punta Gorda. It borders the Peace picnic pavilion, and a group campground. River on the east, and adjoins the southern Backcountry campsites will be provided for boundary of DeSoto County on the south. hikers and equestrians. An additional This plan is designed to guide future parking area will be constructed near the management and public use of the northeast corner of the property to serve an Preserve in a manner that will balance existing public boat ramp situated along the resource protection needs with the public’s northern boundary. It will also serve as a right to appropriate use of these lands. secondary access point into the Preserve. The District will coordinate with DeSoto Water management benefits associated County in the management of recreational with the property include flood protection, usage, and with also work with the County, and water quality protection and the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, enhancement. Nearly half of the total land and others as necessary, to make the area lies within the 100-year floodplain as Preserve available for environmental delineated by the Federal Emergency education. Management Agency. The numerous isolated wetland systems on the property, in Major management needs and actions for combination with the extensive floodplain of the Preserve include continuing the Peace River, assist in maintaining and implementation of a prescribed burning enhancing water quality in the river. program, hydrologic restoration of several altered wetland sites, and management and A number of sites within the Preserve have monitoring of resident wildlife to maintain been designated Special Protection Areas. existing biodiversity. Ongoing efforts to These include an occurrence of dry prairie; control several invasive, non-native plant the site of a groundwater monitoring well; species will be maintained. and a series of xeric ridgelines located in the eastern half of the Preserve. Protection The following is a list of specific of these sites will take precedence over all management actions enumerated in the other land management and public use plan. The list is not all-inclusive, as there considerations. Although Special Protection are additional actions or strategies outlined Areas are not normally closed to public in the text of the plan. access, recreational uses will generally be directed to other portions of the property. Water Management Benefits Such management activities as prescribed burning and control of exotic species will be Flood Protection tailored to meet the site-specific needs of all Special Protection Areas. Management Actions:  Continue to coordinate with DeSoto Permitted recreational uses of the Preserve County in assessing flood concerns in will include hiking, horseback riding, the area surrounding the Preserve. primitive camping, group camping, fishing,  Continue to partner with residents of the picnicking and nature study. The property is Deep Creek subdivision by contributing

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funds toward maintenance costs for the Special Protection Areas Deep Creek Canal.  Backfill the ditches that drain several on- Monitoring Well site wetlands to restore normal wetland hydroperiods and eliminate the current Management Actions: anthropogenic increase in stormwater  Site all entrance facilities and other discharge rates to Deep Creek and Deep structural improvements such that they, Creek Gully that are attributable to these and the recreational activities they are hydrologic alterations. designed to accommodate, will be  Evaluate the possible flood protection physically isolated from the monitoring benefits of removing existing, on-site well location in order to minimize the spoil piles along Deep Creek Gully to likelihood of damage or disturbance to restore natural conveyance paths and the existing well and to reserve adequate patterns of sheetflow. space for the future installation of  Close or modify existing roads that additional wells. traverse wetlands or low-lying flatwoods.  Allow the installation of additional  Design the recreational trail network in monitoring wells, consistent with the the Preserve to minimize alteration or requirements of Water Use Permit disturbance of natural conveyance paths Number 2010420.02. and drainage patterns.  Evaluate the potential for localized  Explore options for the purchase of degradation of water quality at the additional property adjoining the monitoring well location before Preserve that would enhance or commencing construction of on-site complement local flood protection restroom facilities and other site initiatives improvements, and consider the use of composting restroom facilities in order to Recharge minimize the potential for such impacts.

Management Actions: Xeric Ridges  Avoid large-scale withdrawals of groundwater at the Preserve in order to Management Actions: prevent environmental impacts to  Use prescribed fire, conducted at wetlands. appropriate return frequencies, to  Preserve natural land cover over the maintain an open canopy and shrubby property to maximize recharge potential condition in the Preserve’s oak scrub and to the surficial aquifer while minimizing scrubby flatwoods. Such fires should be the potential for contamination of surface conducted during the growing season to water and groundwater through drainage the greatest extent possible. from impermeable surfaces.  Survey the oak scrub and scrubby flatwood sites for the presence of scrub- Water Quality Protection jays on at least an annual basis, and and Enhancement immediately prior to conducting any prescribed fires within or adjacent to  Avoid disturbance of native floodplain these sites. In the event of colonization vegetation to preserve the ability of the by scrub-jays, amend the prescribed floodplain to enhance water quality in the burning plan for these sites in a manner Peace River. consistent with perpetuating such colonization.

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 Refrain from allowing extensive appropriate locations for the recreational improvements or site establishment of artificial cavity clusters alterations within, or adjacent to, the so that future conflicts between xeric ridges in order to promote wildlife recreational users and red-cockaded usage, maintain aesthetic appeal, and woodpeckers can be avoided. preserve archaeological and Recreational development taking place anthropological context. This shall not after the establishment of such clusters, preclude installation of a small covered if such establishment occurs, will be picnic shelter/rest stop near the Deep prohibited within close proximity of Creek shoreline adjacent to the oak artificial cavity clusters to limit human scrub segment of the recreational trail intrusion into such areas. network (Figure 6) to accommodate recreational users of the Preserve. Land Use

Dry Prairie Recreation

Management Actions:  Make the Deep Creek Preserve available  Use prescribed fire, conducted at for the compatible, resource-based appropriate return frequencies, to recreational uses enumerated in this maintain the appearance, integrity, and plan. Exclude user-based recreational habitat value of the Preserve’s dry uses as incompatible with the natural prairie. Such fires should be conducted character of the Preserve. during the growing season to the greatest extent possible. Hiking Management Actions: Artificial Cavity Clusters  Following construction of the parking area that will serve as the secondary Management Actions: public access point, develop a spur trail  Use prescribed fire, conducted at and footbridge that will connect the appropriate return frequencies, to secondary public access point with the maintain an open canopy and prevent Preserve’s recreational trail network. excessive accumulation of fuels in the Preserve’s pine flatwoods. Such fires Horseback Riding should be conducted during the growing Management Actions: season to the greatest extent possible.  Manage the designated recreational trail  Protect any pine trees with artificial red- network as a “shared use” system open cockaded woodpecker cavities from to both foot and equestrian use. possible destruction by prescribed fire.  Provide site improvements in the Such protection should be limited to entrance pasture that will make the small-scale, manual removal or trimming group camp site attractive for use by of vegetation immediately surrounding equestrians. the base of such trees that could transmit  Provide site improvements that will make fire to the canopy of the tree or ignite the old cow pen site usable for “ride in” flammable resins secreted around the primitive camping by small groups of artificial cavity. equestrians.  The recreational development and usage  Require that equestrian users of the proposed in this plan will be considered Preserve possess evidence of a negative during analyses used to identify “Coggins” test for each horse in their

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company while horseback riding on the Picnicking property. Management Actions:  By the end of the 2002 fiscal year, Camping construct a pavilion or other improved Management Actions: structure in the entrance pasture to serve  Establish two primitive camp sites, one of as a facility for group picnicking. which will be available for equestrian  Install picnic shelters at several locations “ride in” use, and another that will be along the Preserve’s recreational trail reserved for “hike in” use. The sites will network, including one near the Deep be closed to vehicular access and site Creek shoreline and one at the improvements will be limited to fire rings, secondary public access point. tent pads, and stalls or a coral at the equestrian site. Birding  Establish a group campground in the Management Actions: improved pasture located at the entrance  Coordinate with local birding groups to to the Preserve. Design the campground develop an interpretive guide to birding to meet the needs of equestrians and on the Preserve. function in conjunction with the picnic  Nominate the Preserve for inclusion in pavilion and restrooms that will also be the Great Florida Birding Trail being constructed at the entrance. established by the FFWCC.  Make the camping areas available to the public through a reservation system. Radio-Controlled Aircraft  Coordinate with DeSoto County in the Management Actions: possible development of an RV-  Terminate the ongoing use of the compatible campground on lands Preserve by radio-controlled model adjacent to the Preserve. hobbyists and establish a site at the RV Griffin Reserve to accommodate such Boating, Canoeing and Kayaking use, provided appropriate controls over Management Actions: the use are implemented.  By the end of the 2003 fiscal year, coordinate with the FFWCC and DeSoto Opportunities for County to develop supplemental parking Environmental Education for the Southwest Peace River Street public boat ramp. Management Actions:  By the end of the 2004 fiscal year,  Coordinate with the Charlotte Harbor construct a stabilized landing or other Environmental Center to develop and structure at the site of the Deep Creek implement an environmental education picnic shelter to accommodate landings curriculum that highlights the water by canoeists and kayakers. management benefits of protecting both the Deep Creek Preserve and the nearby Fishing RV Griffin Reserve. Management Actions:  Coordinate as appropriate with DeSoto  Permit fishing from the riverine shoreline County and outside groups or of the Deep Creek Preserve, and prohibit organizations to permit or conduct fishing in the property’s freshwater marsh interpretive educational tours of the and Deep Creek Gully systems. Preserve.  Incorporate environmental education themes into the informational kiosk

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constructed at the entrance to the fire-generated smoke over sensitive Preserve. areas.

Utilities and Other Habitat Restoration Public Facilities Management Actions: Management Actions:  Backfill the ditches that were excavated  Ensure that any utilities or other public to drain several on-site freshwater facilities permitted to locate on the marshes following an evaluation to Preserve property are consistent with establish appropriate water levels and statutory guidelines established for hydroperiods. permitting such uses of publicly owned  Evaluate the need for supplemental conservation land. plantings of native vegetation in the semi-improved pasture adjoining the Security primitive equestrian campsite.  Evaluate the benefits of recontouring Management Actions: spoil piles that parallel the channel of  Maintain perimeter fencing to control Deep Creek Gully. access and prevent unauthorized activities on the Preserve. Wildlife Management  Restrict public use to daylight hours and limit vehicular access, except as Scrub-Jay authorized through special use permits.  Construct an informational kiosk at the Management Actions: Preserve entrance to inform the public of  Use prescribed fire and/or mechanical permitted uses and disseminate maps methods to maintain: 50-75 percent and other informational literature to cover of scrubby oaks at a height of 2-10 ensure the public’s safe use of the feet (1-3 meters); an open canopy of property. trees with no more than 20 percent total  Provide additional security through canopy cover; and 10-30 percent cover contractual agreements with private or consisting of bare sand. Other optimal public sector parties or through habitat characteristics include: few or no cooperative agreements with DeSoto patches unburned for >20 years; and few County, as necessary, to ensure or no dense forests or dense stands of adequate protection of the Preserve’s trees within or adjacent to the managed natural resources and recreational users. scrub (Fitzpatrick et al., 1991).  Coordinate with the owners and/or Land Management managers of nearby tracts that support scrub-jays to ensure that the local scrub- Prescribed Fire jay metapopulation is managed in an holistic manner, rather than as individual Management Actions: occurrences, paying special attention to  Develop a detailed burn plan for the the need for maintenance of potential Preserve’s fire-dependent natural movement corridors among tracts. communities that includes prescription parameters designed to prevent the escape of fire to adjoining properties and minimize the potential for placement of

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Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Preparation of Mosquito Control Plan Management Actions:  By the end of the 2002 fiscal year, Management Actions: conduct an assessment of the Preserve’s  Officially designate the lands of the Deep flatwoods to evaluate habitat suitability Creek Preserve property as for RCWs and to identify appropriate “environmentally sensitive and locations for the installation of artificial biologically highly productive.” RCW cavities.  Coordinate with DeSoto County in the  If the assessment of habitat suitability for development of an arthropod control plan RCWs indicates that conditions are for the Preserve. suitable, then establish 3-4 clusters of artificial RCW cavities to promote or Preserve Design induce natural colonization by dispersing Considerations RCWs. Such installation shall be complete by the end of the 2003 fiscal Management Actions: year.  Coordinate with DeSoto County, the  Retain and protect clusters of snags in FFWCC, the Peace River/Manasota the Preserve’s flatwoods, install cavity Regional Water Supply Authority, and restrictors and snake excluders at others, as necessary, to maintain a artificial cavity sites, and employ other greenway connection between the Deep methods as necessary to control Creek Preserve and the nearby RV predators and kleptoparasites. Griffin Reserve.  Request an assessment of suitability of  To the extent possible, expand the size the Preserve for translocation or of the Preserve through the fee-simple or reintroduction from the USFWS and the less-than-fee-simple acquisition of RCW Recovery Coordinator. adjoining lands.

Control of Exotic Species Creation of a Recreational Greenway Connection Animals Management Actions: Management Actions:  Coordinate with DeSoto County to  Eradicate or control the growth of promote creation of a recreational invasive, non-native species consistent greenway connecting the Deep Creek with the direction provided in Board Preserve and RV Griffin Reserve. Procedure 61-9.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ...... iii

Table of Contents...... ix

List of Figures...... xi

Introduction ...... 1 Location ...... 1 Planning Process ...... 1 Natural Significance...... 3 Management Philosophy and Emphasis ...... 4 Land Cover ...... 6 Uplands ...... 6 Wetlands ...... 9 Soils...... 9

Water Management Benefits ...... 11 Flood Protection ...... 11 Recharge ...... 16 Water Quality Protection and Enhancement ...... 18

Conceptual Land Use Plan ...... 20 Special Protection Areas...... 20 Monitoring Well ...... 20 Xeric Ridges...... 22 Dry Prairie ...... 23 Artificial Cavity Clusters ...... 24 Land Use ...... 25 Recreation...... 25 Public Access...... 26 Hiking...... 26 Horseback Riding ...... 28 Camping ...... 29 Boating, Canoeing, and Kayaking ...... 30 Fishing...... 31 Picnicking...... 32 Birding...... 32 Radio-Controlled Aircraft ...... 33 Bicycling...... 34 Opportunities for Environmental Education ...... 35 Multiple Use Potential...... 36 Utilities and Other Public Facilities ...... 37 Security ...... 37 Land Management ...... 38 Prescribed Fire ...... 38 Habitat Restoration...... 39

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Wildlife Management ...... 40 Florida Scrub-Jay...... 41 Red-Cockaded Woodpecker ...... 44 Control of Exotic Species...... 45 Plants...... 46 Animals ...... 47 Preparation of a Mosquito Control Plan ...... 48 Preserve Design Considerations...... 49 Creation of a Recreational Greenway Connection ...... 50 Sale of Surplus Lands ...... 50

Administration...... 54 United States Fish and Wildlife Service ...... 54 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ...... 54 Florida Department of Environmental Protection ...... 54 Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority ...... 55 Florida Department of State ...... 55 DeSoto County ...... 55 Charlotte County ...... 56 Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center ...... 56 Other Private Interests...... 56

References...... 57

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List of Figures

Figure Page

1 Location Map for the Deep Creek Preserve ...... 2

2 Biodiversity Hot Spots for the Deep Creek Preserve and Vicinity ...... 5

3 Vegetation Map for the Deep Creek Preserve ...... 8

4 Flood Prone Areas at the Deep Creek Preserve ...... 13

5 Hydrologic Features and Alterations at the Deep Creek Preserve ...... 14

6 Conceptual Land Use Plan for the Deep Creek Preserve ...... 21

7 Conceptual Greenway Network and Potential Surplus Area ...... 52

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Introduction accomplished by concentrating land uses in appropriate areas and preventing Location incompatible or conflicting uses from occurring within a property. To the extent The Deep Creek Preserve (Preserve) is possible, public use is also designed to located in the southwestern corner of satisfy local recreational demands, DeSoto County approximately 15 miles complement recreational use of the southwest of the City of Arcadia and 8 miles surrounding area, and give due northeast of the City of Punta Gorda (Figure consideration to the concerns of 1). It accounts for a total land area of surrounding landowners. approximately 1,988 acres and is bounded generally by County Road 769 (Kings Each property is also evaluated to Highway) on the west, Southwest Peace determine its placement within a River Street on the north, and the Peace classification system. The two factors upon River on the east. The southern boundary which the property classifications are based of the Preserve coincides with the southern are the population density of the area boundary of DeSoto County. surrounding the property and the extent to which the property has been developed or Planning Process altered on the basis of proximity to roads. The classifications have been devised to In accordance with District Procedure 61-3, provide guidance in the formulation of an a standard methodology is employed in the overall management philosophy for each development of land use plans for District- property. The management philosophy is an owned properties (Christianson, 1988). The expression of the level of development that first step of this systematic process is the should be allowed on the property and the identification of special protection areas that types of uses that are appropriate. On the occur within the property. These areas may basis of this evaluation, the Deep Creek include wetlands, floodplains, flood control Preserve property has been designated an facilities, potable water sources, or Urban Fringe Parkland. significant ecological features. Restrictions on the use of the property are imposed to The planning process is initiated by an inter- ensure the protection of these areas. Land disciplinary team of District staff. Affected use constraints resulting from the size and local governments and others with a vested configuration of an area are also considered interest in the property are also invited to during this phase of the process. Public make recommendations directly to the plan uses that are compatible with the basic development team. Representatives of resource protection needs of the property DeSoto County, Charlotte County, and the are then identified. These consist generally Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center of resource-based recreational activities, were provided with an opportunity for direct but can potentially include such uses as participation in development of this plan. cattle grazing and timber production as a Through this process, DeSoto County means of generating revenue to support the expressed an interest in assuming some District’s land management program while management responsibility for future public supporting local economies and rural use of both the Preserve and RV Griffin traditions. The ultimate objective is to Reserve. The District partners regularly with balance resource protection needs with the local governments in the management of public’s use of these lands. This is recreational use and will be open to establishing such a partnership with DeSoto

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County. To the extent possible, the Preserve, supports mesic pine flatwoods in management and recreational use of Deep which the canopy is dominated by longleaf Creek Preserve will also be tailored to pine (Pinus palustris). Historically, pine complement the approach that will be flatwoods was the predominant land cover adopted for county parks in the DeSoto type on the Florida peninsula. It is estimated County Peace River Parks Management that flatwoods accounted for between Plan currently under development. The 200,000 and 250,000 acres of DeSoto District embraces an adaptive approach to County’s “pre-alteration” landscape, or 50 to management that will allow a degree of 60 percent of the county’s 410,000-acre flexibility for pursuing compatibility with total land area. This estimate is derived DeSoto County’s park program. from a map of historic vegetation that was constructed using soils as a predictor of Prior to presenting a plan for approval by pre-alteration vegetation in areas that have the District’s Governing Board and the been subjected to alteration. The current appropriate Basin Board, management coverage of pine flatwoods in DeSoto plans must be reviewed and approved by County, based on 1995 land cover data, is the Land Acquisition and Management Task approximately 20,500 acres. As such, Force. This committee is composed of approximately 90 percent of DeSoto senior District staff assigned various roles in County’s original coverage of pine flatwoods directing the management and use of has been lost, due primarily to agricultural District-held lands. Plans are also presented conversion. The Preserve accounts for only at public workshops conducted near the site 0.5 percent of the total DeSoto County land of the subject property so that affected area, yet protects 6 percent of the County’s members of the public have an opportunity remaining pine flatwoods. Current land to participate in development of the final cover data from the Florida Fish and plan. Workshops for the Preserve plan were Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted in DeSoto County and consisted (FFWCC) indicate that as few as 10,000 of two workshops conducted prior to plan acres of flatwoods remain in DeSoto County development, and a follow-up workshop to (Cox et al., 1994), suggesting that the present the draft plan for pubic information District’s estimate of 20,500 acres may be and comment. Final review and approval of overly generous and placing even greater all plans by the Governing Board is importance on protection of the Preserve’s conducted in a public hearing during which flatwoods. members of the public may provide comments or recommendations about the In addition to protecting a significant future use and management of the percentage of the remaining DeSoto County property. Comments received at public flatwoods, it should be noted that the workshops and at related Basin Board Preserve’s flatwoods occur very near the meetings are also summarized for the southern limit of the natural range for Governing Board’s consideration. longleaf pine. Although longleaf pine is known to occur in the Babcock/Cecil Webb Natural Significance Wildlife Management Area about 5 miles south of the Preserve, it is limited to the As noted in a following discussion of the northernmost portion of the site (Jim Preserve’s naturally occurring vegetation, or Beever, FFWCC, pers.comm.). South “land cover”, the property is dominated by Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) pine flatwoods. Approximately 1,200 acres, replaces longleaf pine in the flatwoods of or 60 percent of the total land area of the south Florida, with Babcock/Cecil Webb

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occupying the transitional zone of this which is used as a barometer for measuring transformation in dominant canopy species. human influence in this type of analysis, In efforts to preserve biodiversity, it is easily exceeded the 100,000-person important to protect occurrences of species threshold that distinguishes remote sites and communities at the extreme limits of from urban fringe sites. The human their natural range since such occurrences population of the Punta Gorda Metropolitan are more likely to support genetically Statistical Area alone, which includes the distinct, uniquely adapted individuals. The unincorporated community of Port Preserve ensures that a sizable stand of Charlotte, is estimated to exceed 137,000 longleaf pine occurring at the limits of its (Woods and Poole Economics, 1999). environmental tolerance and/or competitive Other communities located within a 10-mile adaptiveness will be protected in perpetuity. radius of the Preserve include Nocatee, Fort Ogden, and the City of North Port. Figure 2 depicts the occurrence of Kings Highway, Southwest Peace River “biodiversity hot spots” in the Preserve and Street, and the riverine channels of the its surrounding area. Biodiversity hot spots, Peace River and Deep Creek either border as delineated by the FFWCC (Cox et al., the Preserve, traverse it directly, or are 1994), are sites that have been predicted to proximate enough to strongly influence its provide suitable habitat for an overlapping character and level of isolation. The high array of “focal species.” Virtually the entire level of accessibility afforded by this Deep Creek Preserve falls within the two transportation network has promoted highest categories of biodiversity hot spots, residential development on adjoining and reflecting the high wildlife habitat value and nearby lands that includes several large, species richness of this site. Less than 25 medium density subdivisions. Such close percent of DeSoto County’s land area can physical proximity to population centers claim such highly ranked habitat value necessitates special consideration when through this analysis, suggesting that the identifying compatible public uses and importance of the Deep Creek Preserve to implementing certain land management protection of local and regional biodiversity actions. will remain high in the future. The public will enjoy access to virtually the Management Philosophy and entire land area of the Preserve given the Emphasis relatively small size of the property and the presence of an extensive network of trails to The Preserve has been designated an accommodate recreational use. The District urban fringe parkland on the basis of the recognizes the profound influence that moderate population density of the area vehicular access through natural areas can surrounding the Preserve (Bureau of exert on wildlife, and on the wilderness Economic and Business Research, 1999; character and sense of solitude that attracts Woods and Poole Economics, 1999), and recreational users to District-managed the high level of intrusion or disturbance lands. This recognition serves as the basis attributable to nearby roads and waterways for a policy that generally limits vehicular that are open to unrestricted motorized access to the minimum level necessary to traffic. This designation recognizes the accommodate permitted public uses. influence that a moderate, but expanding, Limitations on public vehicular access human population will have on the character through the property, as outlined by the and use of the property. Human population conceptual recreational plan formulated within a 10-mile radius of the Preserve, herein, will allow the Preserve to provide

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“wildland” conditions to recreational users effectively balance public access with the within “urban fringe” surroundings. The resource protection objectives of the District will remain amenable to allowing Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever vehicular access to interior portions of the programs. It also avoids a “one size fits all” Preserve to accommodate special approach in which each separate tract of circumstances or needs. Requests for such conservation land is expected to fulfill a full access will be reviewed on a case-by-case range of public uses. The uses identified for basis. each individual tract can thereby reflect a thoughtful consideration of site-specific The entrance to the District-owned RV natural values and constraints. DeSoto Griffin Reserve lies two miles northward of County, in addition to its expressed interest the Preserve on Kings Highway (Figure 1). in assuming a role in management of RV Griffin Reserve has been subjected to a recreational use at the Preserve, has higher degree of alteration than the encouraged this exploration of Greenway Preserve as a result of more intensive formation and may serve as a valuable historic land uses, including its ongoing role partner in bringing it to fruition. in meeting the public’s water supply needs in this region of the District. Its designation Land Cover as a reserve, rather than a preserve, reflects the site’s level of alteration and the The following discussion provides a brief high intensity of use to satisfy water supply description of the natural vegetation and needs. The close proximity of the Preserve other land cover types occurring at the to the RV Griffin Reserve provides an Deep Creek Preserve. Figure 3 delineates opportunity for the District to satisfy a wider the extent and configuration of each natural range of public uses without compromising community type. conservation mandates. The extremely high natural values of the Preserve can be better Uplands protected by emphasizing low-intensity public usage at the site and directing Mesic pine flatwoods constitute the most higher-intensity uses to the RV Griffin extensive land cover type on the property, Reserve. covering approximately 1,200 acres, or 60 percent of the total land area. Mesic The District is also pursuing the acquisition flatwoods are forested systems of 630 acres immediately east of the characterized by an open canopy of widely Preserve along the eastern shoreline of the spaced pine trees with little or no understory Peace River (Office of Environmental vegetation and a dense groundcover of saw Services, 2000). This site, referred to as the palmetto (Serenoa repens), native grasses Liverpool Park Project, is proposed to (especially wiregrass, Aristida stricta), and provide park facilities and an historical various herbs and shrubs (Florida Natural museum that will also complement the Areas Inventory, 1990). The Preserve’s mixture of public use opportunities flatwoods support a canopy that consists proposed for the Preserve. Its future almost exclusively of longleaf pine (Pinus protection would also mesh with the palustris). The presence of this community District’s goal of creating a linked network of in the Preserve is notable as it occurs near publicly owned conservation lands, or a the southernmost range of longleaf pine “greenway”, that would incorporate all three (Abrahamson and Hartnett, 1991). sites. This holistic approach to planning for public use allows the District to more

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The groundcover in pine flatwoods, in Xeric communities occurring at the contrast to the pine-dominated canopy, can Preserve include oak scrub and scrubby be extremely diverse and reflects the fire flatwoods. The distribution of these history and relative availability of moisture in communities is restricted to areas of well- such areas. In addition to those species drained soils occurring along slight rises named above, the Preserve’s flatwoods adjacent to streams that drain into Deep support: gallberry (Ilex glabra); tarflower Creek (Figure 3). These systems are very (Befaria racemosa); lopsided Indiangrass limited in extent, accounting for a total (Sorghastrum secundum); broomsedge combined land area of approximately 30 (Andropogon sp.); shiny blueberry acres. Both communities are distinguished (Vaccinium myrsinites); fetterbush (Lyonia by the occurrence of several species of lucida); paw paw (Asimina spp.); deer- shrubby oaks: sand live oak (Quercus tongue (Carphephorus odoratissimus); and geminata), myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), paint brush (Carphephorus corymbosus). and Chapman’s oak (Quercus chapmanii). Listed species found in the property’s Scrubby flatwoods also support a canopy of flatwoods include the threatened pine lily pines, while oak scrub generally lacks a (Lilium catesbaei) and the Florida coontie canopy. Otherwise, the two communities (Zamia floridana), which is listed as are very similar in appearance and species commercially exploited. A newly described composition. Scrubby flatwoods often occur endemic species of the genus as a transitional area between mesic Carphephorus (Carphephorus flatwoods and oak scrub (Myers, 1991). The subtropicanus) has been identified on the two community types are closely associated property and it has been suggested this with one another at the Preserve, are species should be designated as threatened largely intermingled, and have been lumped due to the limited extent of its geographic together as “scrubby flatwoods” in the range and to significant loss of habitat vegetation map (Figure 3). within that range (DeLaney et al., 1999). Among the high-profile wildlife species A single stand of dry prairie, totaling dependent on scrub and scrubby flatwoods approximately 100 acres in size, occurs in for habitat are the Florida scrub-jay the southwestern corner of the property (Aphelocoma coerulescens) and gopher (Figure 3). Dry prairie is nearly identical to tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). Although pine flatwoods, and is distinguished from the gopher tortoise is present in the flatwoods by the absence of a pine canopy. Preserve, it appears to occur in numbers The physical site characteristics that lead to below the expected carrying capacity of the natural establishment of a dry prairie property. This may be the result of historic association, rather than to pine flatwoods, harvest of the species. It is currently are poorly understood. It has been debated protected as a species of special concern. in some cases whether the occurrence of The scrub-jay, which is listed as a dry prairie reflects natural variation across threatened species by both the State of the landscape, or just a legacy of historic Florida and the United States Fish and logging which eliminated the pine canopy Wildlife Service, has been sighted once on from sites that previously supported pine the property. There is occupied scrub-jay flatwoods. In either case, the occurrence of habitat to the south of the Preserve and it is dry prairie lends additional heterogeneity to possible that jays may eventually colonize the Preserve landscape. the Preserve’s oak scrub and scrubby flatwoods. Please refer to the Land

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Management section of this plan for wetland community is freshwater tidal additional discussion of scrub-jays. swamp, which covers 330 acres, or 16 percent of the total land area (Figure 3). Approximately 108 acres (5 percent of total Freshwater tidal swamp occurs on land area) of hardwood hammock occur on floodplains near the mouths of rivers just the property. These hammocks are inland from mangrove forests or salt hardwood-dominated forests with canopies marshes (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, of live oak (Quercus virginiana), laurel oak 1990). Characteristic plant species include: (Q. laurifolia), cabbage palm (Sabal cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), bald palmetto), sweetgum (Liquidambar cypress (Taxodium distichum); water tupelo styraciflua), and pignut hickory (Carya (Nyssa aquatica); swamp bay (Persea glabra). Listed species occurring in the palustris); wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera); coco property’s hammocks include the plum (Chrysobalanus icaco); dahoon holly commercially exploited butterfly orchid (Ilex cassine); saltbush; asters; and leather (Encyclia tampensis). Understory and fern (Achrostichum danaeifolium) (Florida groundcover vegetation in the hammocks is Natural Areas Inventory, 1990). In addition generally sparse but includes a variety of to these, red maple (Acer rubrum), laurel native ferns, including cinnamon fern oak (Quercus laurifolia), and pond apple (Osmunda cinnamomea), Florida shield fern (Annona glabra) have been observed in the (Dryopteris ludoviciana), and long strap fern property’s tidal swamp. Listed species (Campyloneuron phyllitidis). The long strap occurring on these areas include the fern has been designated an endangered endangered Florida royal palm (Roystonea species (FFWCC, 1997) by the Florida elata). As the description suggests, small Department of Agriculture and Consumer areas of mangrove forest and salt marsh Services (FDACS). Other noteworthy occur along the Peace River and Deep species occupying some of the hammocks Creek and together account for 120 acres, include the epiphytic shoestring fern or about 6 percent, of the total Preserve (Vittaria lineata) and golden polypody land area. (Polypodium aureum). The Preserve’s uplands are dotted with Pastureland is present on the Preserve, but numerous freshwater marshes, some of it is very limited in total extent. This which discharge through intermittent “improved” pasture occurs in one block that streams into Deep Creek during periods of accounts for a total area of 40 acres, or high water. This community covers 170 approximately 2 percent of the property. acres, or 8 percent of the total land area, Based on an inspection of historic aerial and includes areas of wet prairie commonly photography, this area supported pine associated with the higher, outer fringes of flatwoods before its conversion to pasture. the marshes. The herbaceous vegetation The pasture area is dominated by a carpet that dominates these communities includes of bahiagrass (Paspalum sp.), with an open a diversity of grasses, sedges, and other canopy of scattered live oak. plants that are adapted to saturated soils and regular submersion. Wetlands Soils Wetland communities in the Preserve cover a total land area of approximately 620 The wetlands along Deep Creek and the acres, or slightly more than 30 percent of Peace River are dominated by the Durbin- the total land area. The predominant Wulfert soil association. These soils are

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 10 mucks that are nearly level, very poorly conducive to more xeric vegetation. These drained and frequently flooded. Within areas of the property support oak scrub and DeSoto County, they are found exclusively scrubby flatwoods. along the tidally influenced part of the Peace River and are thus subject to daily Depressional areas scattered throughout flooding by high tides which saturate the soil the uplands are characterized by a variety with water to a depth of a few inches. Such of soil types. These soils are generally areas are dominated by salt-tolerant deep, nearly level, very poorly drained, and vegetation characteristic of tidal marsh support freshwater marshes and ponds. environments. On the Preserve, these sites These sites can be identified by open support the presence of tidal swamp, expanses of grasses, sedges, rushes and saltwater marsh, and mangrove forest. other herbaceous plants in areas where the soil is generally saturated or covered with Farmton fine sand comprises the majority of water for periods of six months or more upland soils on the property. This soil is annually. Characteristic soils include Pineda deep, nearly level and poorly drained. Pine fine sand, Floridana mucky fine sand, flatwoods characterized by an open canopy Delray mucky fine sand and Basinger fine of widely scattered pines, little or no sand. These soils share characteristics understory, and a dense groundcover of similar to those of Felda fine sand. herbs, shrubs and grasses predominate on However, Pineda soils occupy slightly these soils. Other soils on the property that higher positions in the landscape than support pine flatwoods are Wabasso, Floridana, Delray, Felda and Basinger soils, EauGallie, Myakka, and Immokalee fine resulting in inundation for an average of two sands. These soils, like Farmton fine sand, months annually. are deep, nearly level and poorly drained. They are often underlain by an organic The above discussion is based on soil hardpan or clayey subsoil which greatly surveys conducted by the Natural reduces the downward percolation of water. Resources Conservation Service (formerly Water frequently collects on these known as the Soil Conservation Service). subsurface layers during the rainy season, Field verification was not conducted during resulting in brief inundation of large areas of preparation of this plan, and other soil flatwoods. series may also be present on the property.

An area of Felda fine sand is located in the west-central portion of the property. This soil is deep, nearly level, poorly drained and is associated with sloughs and hydric hammocks. The most significant stand of hydric hammock occurring on the Preserve coincides with this site. These soils contain considerable organic material that, although generally saturated, are rarely inundated for periods exceeding 60 days annually. Pomello fine sand is found on low ridges occurring in the flatwoods bordering Deep Creek. Although this soil is deep and nearly level, it is moderately well drained and produces droughty soil conditions

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 11

Water Management acquisition of the Reserve has provided the land base necessary to achieve the desired Benefits expansion of the water supply system, allowing management of the Deep Creek The acquisition of lands important to the Preserve to focus on other vital water management of water resources is a key management functions. District function. Benefits of this practice are wide-ranging and include: the protection The significant proportion of the Preserve and development of public water supply that lies within the 100-year floodplain sources; maintenance of the natural flood allows these natural lands to serve as a protection afforded by floodplains and buffer against flooding. The Preserve’s wetlands; preservation or enhancement of unaltered riverine floodplain and water quality; protection of water depressional wetlands attenuate the conveyances; and the preservation of discharge of water to and from the river functional natural systems. The following during periods of flood. The natural discussion describes the hydrology of Deep character of the property also makes it Creek Preserve, its role in regional water possible to maintain good water quality in management, and the water management the water that discharges to the Peace benefits resulting from its protection. River from the Preserve, and to enhance water quality in the Peace River as it Generally, little or no groundwater recharge traverses the property. The importance of takes place in the Peace River watershed. this function may increase as the level of Therefore, public water supply must be development and intensity of land use obtained from surface water sources increase in the watershed. Current and (Aucott, 1988). The majority of the region’s future agricultural development, phosphate potable water supply is obtained from the mining, and urbanization will likely Peace River, one of the most productive contribute pollution to the river as sources of fresh water in the State of stormwater runoff, ultimately affecting all Florida. Water supply facilities on the river, downstream areas, including the Charlotte which include an off-stream reservoir, Harbor estuary. These critical water treatment plant and Aquifer Storage and management benefits associated with the Recovery (ASR) system, are managed by property are discussed in greater detail the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water below. Supply Authority (Authority). Projected increases in the population of the Charlotte Flood Protection Harbor area necessitate the identification and development of additional water supply Flood protection has historically depended sources to satisfy future demands. After upon a structural approach to protect lives considering the full range of environmental and property in flood-prone areas. and economic constraints, expansion of the Unfortunately, such protection has often existing Peace River water supply system been achieved at the expense of natural was selected as the best option to meet lands. It has also proven to be very future needs. Known as the “Peace River expensive. The need to provide flood Option,” this water supply development protection through alternative means that program utilizes District lands within the reduce impacts to natural areas is now nearby RV Griffin Reserve for expansion of recognized. A natural, non-structural the existing system’s treatment, distribution approach to flood protection has come to be and storage capacity. The District’s appreciated as a more environmentally

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 12 benign, cost effective method in areas The Preserve’s multitude of isolated where such an approach is feasible. The marshes are also able to store significant District has long been active in identifying amounts of water. A number of these are and preserving natural floodplains and other connected to Deep Creek, and thus the lands that can serve as storage areas for Peace River, via intermittent streams which storm-generated flood waters. The benefits discharge overflow during the rainy season of this approach include: reduced cost and times of flood. Several of the larger borne by the public in the construction and marshes in the west-central and maintenance of flood control structures; southeastern portions of the property were increased public safety achieved by ditched by a previous landowner to enhance eliminating breach or failure concerns the drainage of surrounding native inherent in those structures; and the rangeland, i.e., pine flatwoods, to preservation of natural lands that would accommodate cattle grazing. Drainage from otherwise be lost or altered through the these marshes enters both Deep Creek implementation of structural flood control Gully (west-central marshes) and Deep measures. Creek itself (southeastern marshes). Deep Creek Gully enters the property from the With nearly half of the property’s 1,988 west and flows generally northeast to Deep acres lying in the 100-year floodplain, or Creek, where it discharges as sheet flow to otherwise recognized as flood prone (Figure the riverine floodplain. These alterations to 4), the Preserve provides considerable the natural drainage patterns of the natural flood protection benefits. Floodplain Preserve (Figure 5) have increased the areas are generally distinguished by gently quantity and rate of discharge of sloping topography and support a variety of floodwaters leaving the property. natural communities and surface water Restoration of the Preserve’s historic depressions that store floodwaters and drainage patterns through the backfilling of attenuate their release. Wetlands physically these old drainage ditches will increase the store floodwaters, reduce the peak property’s contribution to local flood elevation of floodwaters in nearby upland protection. areas, and moderate or attenuate the release of floodwater (SWFWMD, 1987). Of Pine flatwoods, which account for the the natural communities present at the majority of the Preserve’s total land area, Preserve, the extensive floodplain wetlands also contribute to the property’s flood may make the most significant contribution protection value. Although not identified as to flood protection. The Peace River flood prone in Figure 5, the hydrology of system, with its extensive network of these upland areas is strongly influenced by tributaries, floodplain wetlands, and flat topography, sandy soils, and seasonal headwater lakes, has historically stored and precipitation. These characteristics combine conveyed large volumes of floodwater. This to produce a landform which produces little capacity was recently illustrated during the stormwater runoff. Downward percolation is heavy “El Niño” rains which fell during the retarded by poorly drained soils and, where winter of 1997-98 when, at Arcadia, the present, an underlying clay hardpan. These Peace River crested at an elevation of 18.1 factors contribute to the presence of feet National Geodetic Vertical Datum standing water over much of the site’s (NGVD) and reached a peak discharge of flatwoods for various amounts of time 18,500 cubic feet per second. during the rainy season (Myers and Ewel, 1990). During times of flood, the amount of water that can be stored in these flatwoods

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 13

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A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 15 is considerable and reduces the volumes reports have identified several problem that would otherwise drain as runoff to areas within these developments and the adjacent waterbodies or stormwater study is employing computer modeling to systems. Backfilling of the drainage ditches assess the danger of flooding in these and discussed previously will restore the natural other areas. When complete, the master ability of pine flatwoods surrounding the plan will provide recommendations and an Preserve’s few altered wetlands to retain associated implementation schedule to help additional amounts of water during the rainy DeSoto County provide improved flood season. protection to local residents. Results of the study may also clarify or enhance the Natural flood protection in the Peace River Preserve’s role in providing local flood watershed has been compromised in recent protection. years as a result of increased development in the river floodplain. Foreseeing the Another residential subdivision with a problems that will arise from this history of drainage problems borders the development, counties are working to retard Preserve on the south. The Deep Creek or control floodplain development subdivision is located in Charlotte County (SWFWMD, 1994). Effective flood and is not, as such, included in the ongoing protection measures along the Peace River development of a stormwater master plan and its major tributaries include the for the area around the Preserve. The Deep conservation of floodplain areas (i.e., Creek Canal (Figure 5), which is a primary prevention of development or other drainage feature for the Deep Creek encroachment into the floodplain) and subdivision, straddles the county line and is implementation of regulatory criteria that therefore sandwiched between the address storm-generated runoff from subdivision and the Preserve. The District developed areas. To a large degree, these holds title to the northern half of the canal measures are implemented through the channel and approximately 8 percent, or District’s land acquisition program and 150 acres, of the 1,948-acre sub-basin surface water rules that require mitigation served by the canal lie within the Deep for floodplain encroachment (lost storage) Creek Preserve. Maintenance of the canal and attenuation of peak discharges from is a major concern to Deep Creek residents proposed areas of development and the District recently contributed a (SWFWMD, 1994). proportionate share to the cost of refurbishing the canal. There will be an The District has entered into a cooperative ongoing need for such maintenance and the agreement with DeSoto County (County) to District will continue to contribute its share develop a stormwater management master to the cost of canal maintenance. The plan for the Deep Creek Gully watershed. District will also be amenable to allowing The ongoing study, conducted by an direct access to the northern, on-site canal independent contractor in coordination with bank in order to accommodate future canal the District and the County, includes the maintenance activities. Spring Lake mobile home park located immediately west of the property and an It is noteworthy that there is relatively little additional residential community located stormwater discharge draining from the along the northern property boundary. Lake Preserve to the Deep Creek Canal. This is Suzy Estates, a residential development related primarily to the absence of located south of the Spring Lake mobile impermeable surfaces on the Preserve; the home park, is also included. Preliminary abundance of natural, on-site stormwater

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 16 storage capacity provided by the property’s  Explore options for the purchase of wetland systems; and topographic gradients additional property adjoining the that allow stormwater generated on the portion of the sub-basin located within the Preserve that would enhance or property to be retained almost entirely on- complement local flood protection site. initiatives.

Recharge Management Actions:

 Groundwater recharge is defined as the Continue to coordinate with DeSoto passive, downward transport or percolation County in assessing flood concerns of surface water to underlying water-bearing in the area surrounding the aquifers. Recharge rates to the Floridan Preserve. aquifer are highly variable and site-specific and are categorized into areas of generally  Continue to partner with residents no recharge; very low recharge (less than of the Deep Creek subdivision by two inches per year); very low to moderate contributing funds toward recharge (two to ten inches per year); and maintenance costs for the Deep high recharge (greater than ten inches per Creek Canal. year) (SWFWMD, 1987). These rates are determined by a combination of factors that  Backfill the ditches that drain include: soil type; the thickness and several on-site wetlands to restore hydraulic conductivity of the material normal wetland hydroperiods and overlying the aquifer; confining bed eliminate the current anthropogenic thickness and continuity; the elevation of increase in stormwater discharge the potentiometric surface in the region; and rates to Deep Creek and Deep Creek transmissivity values (a measure of the Gully that are attributable to these ability of the aquifer to transmit water away hydrologic alterations. from an area) (Aucott, 1988). Highly permeable soils are capable of conducting  Evaluate the possible flood the greatest volumes of recharge; however, protection benefits of removing a high potentiometric surface will create existing, on-site spoil piles along hydraulic pressure that impedes infiltration Deep Creek Gully to restore natural through the soil layer. In contrast, hydraulic pressure will not impede recharge in areas conveyance paths and patterns of where the potentiometric surface is below sheetflow. the water table. Recharge rates are also affected by runoff, evaporation, and  Close or modify existing roads that evapotranspiration which reduce the net traverse wetlands or low-lying amount of water available for recharge. flatwoods. While evaporation and runoff occur to some degree in all areas, evapotranspiration  Design the recreational trail accounts for the greatest losses of network in the Preserve to minimize precipitation in Florida (Aucott, 1988). The alteration or disturbance of natural term evapotranspiration is derived from the conveyance paths and drainage words ‘evaporation’ and ‘transpiration’ and patterns. describes the amount of precipitation that is lost as evaporation from land and water

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 17 surfaces as well as that metabolized by 1988). Depth to the water table averages 5- vegetation. 10 feet below land surface throughout much of the area (USGS, 1979). However, along The Preserve is located in southwest the Peace River, the water table is often DeSoto County which lies completely within exposed along the riverbank or is at or just the Southern West-Central-Florida Ground- below land surface within the swampy Water Basin (Basin). The Basin floodplain and adjacent lowlands and often encompasses approximately 7,300 square results in discharge of water from the miles and is bounded on the east by the surficial aquifer to these areas (USGS, Green Swamp/Central Florida Ridge 1998). potentiometric high of the Floridan aquifer system, on the north by the axis of the Due to the confined nature of the Pasco and Green Swamp potentiometric intermediate and Upper Floridan aquifers, highs, on the south by a groundwater divide little or no recharge is thought to occur in aligned in a northeast-southwest direction the region of the property (SWFWMD, bisecting Glades and Lee Counties, and on 1988). Recharge to the surficial aquifer the west by the Gulf of Mexico (SWFWMD, occurs primarily via rainfall with recharge 1988). rates varying from zero when the water table is at or above land surface to greater Within the region of the Preserve, and than twenty inches in upland areas throughout the majority of DeSoto County, (SWFWMD, 1988). Additional recharge to the groundwater system is comprised of a the surficial aquifer can emanate from discontinuous surficial or “water-table” underlying aquifers. The confined nature of aquifer, an intermediate aquifer, and the the underlying aquifers results in a build-up Floridan aquifer system. The Floridan, of significant artesian pressure, or which is divided into Upper and Lower “hydraulic head”, resulting in limited upward layers, is approximately 1,800 feet in total conveyance of water to the overlying thickness. The intermediate system surficial layer, adding to that received by overlying the Floridan varies from less than rainfall (SWFWMD, 1988). 300 feet in thickness in northwestern portions of the County to greater than 600 Due to the limited recharge and poor quality feet in the southeast. The surficial aquifer of deep aquifers in the region, surface varies in depth from less than 25 feet to water is the primary source for municipal greater than 100 feet, and is thickest in public supplies. In particular, withdrawals northeastern areas of the county from the Peace River occur just north of the (SWFWMD, 1988). Preserve and supply water to domestic users in Port Charlotte, the City of North These aquifers are generally separated by Port, and unincorporated areas of DeSoto, impermeable clay “confining” layers which Charlotte, and Sarasota Counties act to impede movement of water between (SWFWMD, 1994). While not important for them. In the area of the Preserve, both the public water supply purposes, recharge of intermediate and Floridan aquifers are the surficial aquifer is important to the considered to be tightly confined in this maintenance of surface water levels in on- manner. The surficial aquifer in the region is site wetland systems, and to preserving on- unconfined, extends from the land surface site contributions to the flow of the Peace to the top of the upper confining bed of the River. intermediate aquifer, and averages 25 feet in thickness in DeSoto County (SWFWMD,

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 18

removes many contaminants from the water Management Actions: column, preventing them from entering  adjacent water bodies or the aquifer Avoid large-scale withdrawals of (SWFWMD, 1987). The loss of surrounding groundwater at the Preserve in uplands can significantly alter the water order to prevent environmental quality enhancement function of wetlands. impacts to wetlands. Uplands filter, catch and retain dissolved and suspended matter carried by surface  Preserve natural land cover over runoff from surrounding landscapes. When the property to maximize recharge uplands are developed, sedimentation can potential to the surficial aquifer become a significant water quality concern while minimizing the potential for in nearby wetland systems. Without the contamination of surface water and benefit of this first stage of filtration and groundwater through drainage from catchment, sediments carried by overland impermeable surfaces. flow can eventually fill wetlands, causing a transition to upland habitat (Taylor, et al, Water Quality Protection 2000). Where on-site alterations to these and Enhancement systems exist, the District undertakes active habitat restoration to re-establish natural The protection or enhancement of water mechanisms of water quality protection. quality is a critical aspect of the land management planning process. Although Cattle grazing was the predominant land contamination of surface water and use on the Preserve prior to acquisition. groundwater is sometimes caused by Though only limited (approximately 40 natural agents, it is usually associated with acres) improved pasture exists, nearly the human activities. As the demands placed entire land area was utilized as “native upon water supply sources have intensified, range.” No current evidence cites this issues of contamination and the treatment history of cattle grazing as a factor that necessitated by it have likewise intensified. contributed pollutants to runoff entering The ability of natural systems, particularly Deep Creek or the Peace River; however, wetlands, to improve water quality have those present in such runoff can include become important considerations in water high nutrient and coliform bacteria levels quality related issues. Wetlands are defined associated with animal wastes. Ditched as transitional habitats located between wetlands in the western portion of the terrestrial and aquatic systems where the property drain to Deep Creek Gully and water table is at or near land surface for at possibly functioned as “point sources” for least a portion of the year (Cowardin and such pollutants to reach Deep Creek and others, 1979). As water passes through a the Peace River. Nearly half of the entire wetland, its velocity is reduced causing the length of Deep Creek Gully is located on sedimentation of suspended particles which the property, underscoring the need to may include an array of toxic compounds, restore those on-site wetlands and portions nutrients or other pollutants. These can of the creek that have been affected by then be consolidated into bottom sediments ditching. The ditches draining these or taken up through the metabolic wetlands will be backfilled by the District to processes of plants, animals and microbes restore natural hydroperiods and to close which bind these compounds into living conveyance paths to the creek. Additional tissue. This natural process effectively restoration may entail the removal or recontouring of spoil piles along

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 19 channelized sections of Deep Creek Gully discharged to the Peace River or its and would include the removal of exotic headwaters (SWFWMD, 1994). In addition, species and subsequent re-planting with the river has been subjected to pollution by native vegetation. spills from existing mining areas in Polk County and from runoff containing Runoff from the property has little or no agricultural pesticides and fertilizers. As a effect on water quality in the Deep Creek result, water quality in the Peace River Canal, which is located along the southern ranges from fair to poor. This combination property boundary (Figure 5). The canal of point and non-point pollution sources has overlaps a portion of the DeSoto and contributed to the Peace River only partially Charlotte County lines and physically meeting its State Class III designation for separates the natural lands of the property recreation and propagation and from the residential community of Deep maintenance of healthy, well-balanced fish Creek to the south. The canal accepts and wildlife populations (Fla. Dept. of runoff from the area and conveys it east to Natural Resources, 1989). The natural plant the floodplain wetlands of Deep Creek and communities associated with the Peace the Peace River. Prior to development of River floodplain assimilate some of the the Deep Creek community, runoff from pollutants generated by the land uses numerous isolated wetlands rarely reached described above, thereby enhancing water the river and had little effect on water quality in the channel of the Peace River quality. Today, water once retained by and in the downstream Charlotte Harbor these wetlands enters the community’s estuary. stormwater system and eventually drains to either the river or the canal as runoff. The Management Actions: ill-defined terminus of the canal transmits stormwater runoff in a diffuse pattern  Avoid disturbance of native across the river floodplain, where natural vegetation and other associated organisms floodplain vegetation to preserve uptake a portion of pollutants. Pollutants not the ability of the floodplain to processed or bound in bottom sediment enhance water quality in the Peace eventually reach the river and potentially River. degrade water quality. The protection of the Preserve lands precludes any future increase in contaminated runoff entering the river that would accrue from development of the site.

The most significant contribution of the property to water quality enhancement lies in its large area of unaltered floodplain vegetation. The Peace River drains a watershed that is approximately 2,350 square miles in size and that has been largely converted to agricultural, extractive (e.g., phosphate mining), and other potentially polluting land uses. Effluent from numerous wastewater treatment, phosphate, and citrus packing plants is

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 20

Conceptual Land Use Plan Monitoring Well

Special Protection Areas The District-owned RV Griffin Reserve (Figure 1) has been developed with facilities Certain areas within the Preserve will to store and distribute water that has been warrant special protection efforts in order to withdrawn from the Peace River for public more effectively preserve water supply purposes. These facilities are owned management functions and/or other and operated by the Peace River/Manasota outstanding natural values. Any areas that Regional Water Supply Authority are extremely sensitive to disturbance; that (Authority). The District has issued a water harbor unique or regionally significant use permit (Water Use Permit Number natural features; or that play a critical role in 2010420.02) that authorizes expansion of maintenance of the water management the site’s water storage facilities, including values attributed to the property, will merit the development of additional Aquifer designation as a Special Protection Area. Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells. A Typically, Special Protection Areas must be condition of the permit requires the discrete features that can be readily Authority to implement a groundwater defined. Although public access to such monitoring program that will eventually sites is not normally prohibited, protective consist of 23 monitoring wells distributed measures will take precedence over most among 10 different monitoring stations other land use and management (Peace River/Manasota Regional Water considerations. Supply Authority, 1998).

Special Protection Areas designated for the The close proximity of the Deep Creek Preserve include: a groundwater monitoring Preserve to one of the sites recommended well that was constructed in the northwest for a monitoring station allowed the property corner of the property by the Peace to be used for that purpose. One of three River/Manasota Regional Water Supply monitoring wells proposed for the site has Authority (PR/MRWSA); the xeric ridge been developed in the northwest corner of lines that support oak scrub and scrubby the Preserve immediately adjacent to the flatwoods vegetation; the stand of dry property line and the Southwest Peace prairie vegetation that occurs in the River Street right-of-way (Figure 6). The southwest corner of the Preserve; and the well was drilled to a depth of 640 feet below future clusters of artificial cavities that are land surface and will be used to monitor proposed for installation in living longleaf water levels in the Suwannee formation of pines to promote colonization by red- the Floridan aquifer. (Peace cockaded woodpeckers. Additional River/Manasota Regional Water Supply information on these sites or features is Authority, 2000). Additional wells to monitor provided below. Additional Special water levels in both the Intermediate aquifer Protection Areas may be designated in the and the Tampa formation of the Floridan will future on the basis of colonization or regular eventually be constructed at the site. Solar use by an imperiled species, or in panels allow water levels to be recorded recognition of other significant resource continuously in the existing well, and water values or concerns. samples are withdrawn at monthly intervals for use in water quality analyses.

Linkage of the existing and future monitoring wells with the public water

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 21

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A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 22 supply responsibilities of the District and about 30 acres, which is divided among PR/MRWSA serves as a compelling basis several individual stands, the oak scrub and for the installation of such facilities on scrubby flatwoods vegetation that has District-held lands. The water management colonized these sites is the only xeric value of the existing monitoring well has vegetation occurring on the property. The resulted in its designation as a Special two community types are closely associated Protection Area. As additional monitoring with one another at the Preserve, are wells are installed, they will also be afforded largely intermingled, and have been lumped Special Protection Area status. together as “scrubby flatwoods” in the vegetation map (Figure 4). Both communities are distinguished by the Management Actions: occurrence of several species of shrubby oaks: sand live oak (Quercus geminata),  Site all entrance facilities and other myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia), and structural improvements such that Chapman’s oak (Quercus chapmanii). they, and the recreational activities Scrubby flatwoods also support a canopy of they are designed to accommodate, pines, while oak scrub generally lacks a will be physically isolated from the canopy. Otherwise, the two communities monitoring well location in order to are very similar in appearance and species minimize the likelihood of damage composition. or disturbance to the existing well and to reserve adequate space for Among the high-profile wildlife species that the future installation of additional are dependent on scrub and scrubby wells. flatwoods for habitat are the Florida scrub- jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) and gopher  Allow the installation of additional tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). The monitoring wells, consistent with gopher tortoise is currently protected as a the requirements of Water Use species of special concern. Although the Permit Number 2010420.02. species is present at the Preserve, it appears to occur in numbers below the  Evaluate the potential for localized expected carrying capacity of the property. degradation of water quality at the This may be the result of historic harvest of monitoring well location before the species. Another important factor may commencing construction of on- be the wet character of the property. Pine site restroom facilities and other flatwoods, which comprise the most site improvements, and consider extensive upland community present in the the use of composting restroom Preserve, frequently provide high quality habitat for gopher tortoises. However, the facilities in order to minimize the Preserve’s flatwoods are subject to potential for such impacts. seasonal inundation that may render much of that land area unsuitable for year round Xeric Ridges habitation by tortoises. The tortoises are dependent on underground burrows that The xeric ridges that parallel the natural are not habitable when inundated by drains to Deep Creek in the eastern half of standing water or an elevated water table. the property are among the most distinctive The Preserve’s well-drained xeric ridges natural features in the Preserve. Although may periodically serve as an important accounting for a total land area of only seasonal refuge for tortoises and other

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 23 fossorial species that reside in close sites in a manner consistent with proximity to them. perpetuating such colonization.

Beyond the obvious natural significance of  the xeric sites, they contribute additional Refrain from allowing extensive visual or aesthetic variety to the landscape. recreational improvements or site Proximity to the shoreline of Deep Creek alterations within, or adjacent to, suggests this part of the Preserve may the xeric ridges in order to promote serve as a major destination for recreational wildlife usage, maintain aesthetic users intent on exploring the far reaches of appeal, and preserve archaeological the property, and for those who approach and anthropological context. This by boat or canoe. The well-drained shall not preclude installation of a character of the xeric sites, the presence of small covered picnic shelter/rest natural freshwater drainage features, stop near the Deep Creek shoreline adjacency to the navigable waters of the adjacent to the oak scrub segment Peace River, and proximity to the Charlotte of the recreational trail network Harbor estuary also suggests these may (Figure 6) to accommodate have been coveted camping sites for recreational users of the Preserve. aboriginal residents. Although no artifacts of any kind have been found at these Dry Prairie locations, a high likelihood of aboriginal habitation confers potential archaeological A single stand of dry prairie, totaling or anthropological significance to them approximately 100 acres in size, occurs in (Barry Wharton, pers. comm.). the southwestern corner of the property (Figure 3). Dry prairie is nearly identical to Management Actions: pine flatwoods and is distinguished from flatwoods by the absence of a pine canopy.  Use prescribed fire, conducted at The physical site characteristics that lead to appropriate return frequencies, to natural establishment of a dry prairie maintain an open canopy and association, rather than to pine flatwoods, shrubby condition in the Preserve’s are poorly understood. It has been debated oak scrub and scrubby flatwoods. in some cases whether the occurrence of Such fires should be conducted dry prairie reflects natural variation across during the growing season to the the landscape, or is just a legacy of historic logging that eliminated the pine canopy greatest extent possible. from sites which had previously supported pine flatwoods.  Survey the oak scrub and scrubby flatwood sites for the presence of It is generally accepted among ecologists scrub-jays on at least an annual that dry prairie is an ecologically distinct basis, and immediately prior to plant association and that clearcut pine conducting any prescribed fires flatwoods which have not yet regenerated a within or adjacent to these sites. In pine overstory are sometimes categorized the event of colonization by scrub- mistakenly as dry prairie or “palmetto jays, amend the prescribed burning prairie.” The Deep Creek Preserve lies near plan for these the edge of the south-central Florida region to which true dry prairie is considered to be

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 24 confined. In addition, an evaluation of Management Actions: historic aerial photography dating from 1943 to present illustrates a continuous absence  Use prescribed fire, conducted at of pines from this portion of the site. Although the 1943 photography reflects an appropriate return frequencies, to absence of pines over virtually the entire maintain the appearance, integrity, land area of the Preserve, subsequent and habitat value of the Preserve’s photography illustrates a progressive dry prairie. Such fires should be regeneration of pines across the remainder conducted during the growing of the property. This suggests that pines season to the greatest extent were harvested from the property some possible. time prior to 1943, and that the land area distinguished as dry prairie in the vegetation Artificial Cavity Clusters map is true dry prairie. The Preserve’s pine flatwoods appear to Florida’s dry prairie is considered to be one provide habitat that would supportred- of the most imperiled natural community cockaded woodpeckers. The species has types in North America, with nearly all the been designated as endangered by the historic coverage of dry prairie now USFWS, and as threatened by the FFWCC, converted to improved pasture or other on the basis of its elimination from much of agricultural land uses (Noss, et al., 1995; its historic range. Research has Noss and Peters, 1995). Given the small demonstrated that red-cockaded size of the dry prairie patch present on the woodpeckers are slow to recolonize sites Preserve, it is unlikely that it will ever serve from which they have previously been as critical habitat for any of the rare wildlife eliminated, even when habitat conditions species that are dependent on dry prairie, are consistent with those typically ascribed e.g., Audubon’s crested caracara to viable, actively inhabited sites. This (Polyborus plancus audubonii) and the reluctance to recolonize has been attributed Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus to a unique life history characteristic: the savannarum floridanus). However, like the red-cockaded woodpecker uses cavities xeric ridges discussed previously, the excavated in living longleaf pines or slash occurrence of dry prairie lends additional pines for nesting and roosting. The visual and habitat heterogeneity to the excavation of such a cavity requires a pine Preserve landscape. The presence of this of sufficient girth to accommodate the rare natural community on the property also cavity. Hence, the species is normally provides a representative example that can associated with old-growth stands of pine. be incorporated into curricula developed for Old-growth longleaf pine forests support future environmental education programs large trees that may also be infected with that use the property as an outdoor red heart disease. This disease makes it classroom. easier for the birds to excavate a cavity; however, cavity excavation is still a process that can take several years. If cavities are absent from a site that may otherwise provide suitable habitat for red-cockaded woodpeckers, then it is unlikely that dispersing birds traveling through the area would remain long enough to establish breeding colonies.

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An evaluation of the Preserve’s pine  The recreational development and flatwoods will be conducted to characterize usage proposed in this plan will be canopy coverage, age structure of the pine overstory, composition of the mid-story, and considered during analyses used to other physical and biotic factors considered identify appropriate locations for indicative of red-cockaded woodpecker the establishment of artificial cavity habitat. If this evaluation confirms that clusters so that future conflicts habitat conditions are consistent with those between recreational users and red- normally associated with viable red- cockaded woodpeckers can be cockaded woodpecker habitat, then an avoided. Recreational development appropriate number of clustered artificial taking place after the establishment cavities will be installed in the Preserve’s of such clusters, if such pine flatwoods to induce recolonization by establishment occurs, will be dispersing birds. In addition, the site will be prohibited within close proximity of evaluated to determine its suitability as a artificial cavity clusters to limit reintroduction site. Any clusters of artificial human intrusion into such areas. cavities established after the site evaluation will be afforded Special Protection Area Land Use status. For a more detailed discussion of this issue, please refer to page 50 in the Recreation Land Management section of this plan. Management Actions: It is the policy of the District (Board Policy 610-3) that appropriate public recreational  Use prescribed fire, conducted at usage of District lands be permitted, appropriate return frequencies, to provided that the usage is compatible with maintain an open canopy and natural resource management and prevent excessive accumulation of protection needs. Recreational activities fuels in the Preserve’s pine that are not “resource-based” will not flatwoods. Such fires should be normally be allowed. Resource-based conducted during the growing activities generally consist of those outdoor season to the greatest extent recreational or educational pursuits in which natural surroundings are a fundamental possible. requirement for engaging in the activity. This approach to recreational use is  Protect any pine trees with artificial consistent with that mandated in Chapter red-cockaded woodpecker cavities 373, Florida Statutes, which states that “... from possible destruction by Lands titled to the governing boards of the prescribed fire. Such protection districts shall be managed and maintained, should be limited to small-scale, to the extent practicable, in such a way as manual removal or trimming of to ensure a balance between public access, vegetation immediately surrounding general public recreational purposes, and the base of such trees that could restoration and protection of their natural transmit fire to the canopy of the state and condition.” Additional context is tree or ignite flammable resins provided through direction that the District secreted around the artificial cavity. evaluate these lands “... for their resource value for the purpose of establishing which parcels, in whole or in part, annually or

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seasonally, would be conducive to general Preserve for certain activities or to public recreational purposes.” accommodate special circumstances.

Recreational activities that will be permitted Access to all other existing entrances to the at the Preserve include hiking, horseback Preserve requires traversing privately riding, picnicking, boating, canoeing, owned lands or roadways. Although the kayaking, fishing, primitive camping, group District holds easements that allow ingress camping, birdwatching, and various forms and egress via those access points, such of nature study. Hunting will not be use is “exclusive” and cannot be extended permitted on the Preserve due to the to the general public. property’s relatively small size, close proximity to residential development, and Facilities to be developed at the primary lack of sufficient buffer; however, this will entrance will include a parking area, not preclude the implementation of special informational kiosk, picnic pavilion, hunts whenever necessary to minimize restroom and group campground. A corral destruction caused by the resident feral hog or other enclosure to serve equestrian population. Refer to page 52 for additional users of the Preserve will also be provided. discussion related to the control of exotic This entrance will serve as the main animal species. gateway to the property. As discussed in a subsequent section of this plan, an additional parking area will be developed to Management Actions: support recreational use of an off-site public boat ramp located at the eastern end of  Make the Deep Creek Preserve Southwest Peace River Street. As an available for the compatible, ancillary benefit to development of this resource-based recreational uses parking area, the site will also be designed enumerated in this plan. Exclude to serve as a secondary entrance to the user-based recreational uses as property. A picnicking structure will be incompatible with the natural installed proximate to the parking area, and character of the Preserve. a foot bridge and spur trail that provide access to the Preserve’s recreational trail Public Access – Public access to the network will be constructed across Deep Preserve will be via a primary entrance Creek Gully. This secondary entrance will located in the northwest corner of the be designed to accommodate foot access property near the western end of Southwest only. A narrow buffer of natural vegetation Peace River Street, and a secondary will be preserved between the parking area entrance to be developed near the eastern and Southwest Peace River Street in order end of the street (Figure 6). These are the to maintain the natural appearance of the only existing points of entrance to the site and limit intrusiveness upon Preserve that can be approached from a neighboring residential areas. public right-of-way. A parking area and other amenities designed to support Hiking – Hiking is a low-impact recreational recreational use of the property will be activity that appeals to a broad segment of constructed at these sites. Vehicular access the public. Part of its broad appeal may be beyond these entrance facilities will not be related to the limited need for specialized permitted, although special permits may be equipment or other accouterments. A granted on a case-by-case basis to allow comfortable pair of shoes and a daypack vehicular access to the interior of the loaded with some drinking water and

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 27 snacks (and ideally a map and compass) e.g., the Florida Trail Association, that will are all that’s needed. The unobtrusive assist with trail delineation, construction, qualities of hiking also make it an ideal and long-term maintenance needs. The vehicle for observing wildlife. The Deep extensive network of existing roads is a Creek Preserve provides an outstanding legacy of past agricultural use and the opportunity for those seeking an outdoor creation of new trails through undisturbed experience in an area that showcases an sections of the property will be discouraged. exceptional example of the south Florida The development of any new trails through pine flatwoods community. The relatively undisturbed portions of the property will not small size of the Preserve lends itself well to be contemplated until appropriate wildlife short day hikes, although the full 6-mile surveys and research have been network of trails may also be sufficient to completed. Information provided by such entertain those who are interested in a surveys and research will be essential to longer hike. guiding future decisions regarding any expansion of public use. In summary, When planning trails for hikers and other prerequisites to creation of new trails will recreational users of the Preserve, the include: formation of a partnership with a preferences and enjoyment of the local government and/or established user recreationist must be balanced with group; confirmation that a clear need or considerations related to the sensitivity of demand exists for additional trails; and the property’s wildlife and natural wildlife surveys and other research that communities. The conceptual trail network suggest the additional trails will result in a delineated in Figure 6 provides a series of minimum of adverse environmental impacts. loop trails that will allow hikers to tailor their hike to personal preferences of both hike Existing trail roads that are not projected to duration (distance) and the variety of be needed for future land management landscapes to be traversed. All of the trails purposes, or that traverse wetlands or other follow existing trail roads, thereby sensitive natural features, will be retired minimizing disturbance to the property and from vehicular use to promote the recovery allowing recreational users to enjoy virtually of native vegetation and to enhance their immediate access. The sole exception to attractiveness and potential for future this is a short length of hiking trail that must recreational and wildlife usage. Measures to be developed to link the secondary access enhance the designated network of trails point discussed previously with the will also be undertaken, including the recreational trail network. Development of construction of rest shelters, installation of this trail, and of the foot bridge over Deep interpretive signs at appropriate points of Creek Gully that will be necessary to interest, and construction of a kiosk at the provide connectivity to the existing trail primary entrance to provide a central network (see Figure 6), will be deferred until location for the dissemination of the parking area for this secondary informational literature. entrance to the Preserve has been developed. The District will consider offering guided interpretive walks that highlight the natural Although the future development of new landscape and diverse wildlife habitat recreational trails is not precluded entirely, traversed by the trail system. These walks the development of such trails typically must may be sponsored by District personnel or be conducted in partnership with a local other experienced naturalists, or through government and/or organized user group, development of a volunteer naturalist

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 28 program or environmental education current availability of 15 miles of trail at RV program. The walks should be scheduled to Griffin Reserve for equestrian use, in take advantage of seasonal variations in combination with the opening of additional vegetation and wildlife. The subject matter trails in the region, has apparently negated of the walks should describe the ecology of this deficit, which is not reflected in the draft the Preserve, explain land management update of Florida’s Statewide goals, and emphasize the natural values Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan which served as the motive for preservation (Florida Department of Environmental of the property. Protection, 2000) Approximately 7 miles of the Preserve’s 7.5-mile designated recreational trail network will also be Management Actions: managed as “shared use” trails and will be open for equestrian use, helping to ensure  Following construction of the an adequate supply of trails for this large parking area that will serve as the segment of recreational users. A group secondary public access point, camping area will be established in the develop a spur trail and footbridge former pasture area located at the primary that will connect the secondary entrance, and will be available for use by public access point with the equestrians. An existing structure at this Preserve’s recreational trail site, if it is determined to be suitable for network. such use, will be modified to provide stalls and enhance the area’s attractiveness to Horseback Riding – DeSoto County equestrians. In addition, a primitive camp remains very rural in character and firmly site will be made available for small groups rooted in its long history and tradition of of equestrians interested in “ride in” cattle ranching. It currently ranks seventh in camping. cattle production among Florida’s 67 counties (Bureau of Economic and Most equestrians maintain a close affinity Business Research, 1999). The local and personal attachment with their horses. popularity of recreational horseback riding In order to provide equestrian users of the is consistent with this ranching tradition and Preserve with a reasonable assurance that DeSoto County’s rural character. It is also they can safely explore the Preserve’s trail reflected in the current pattern of system with their horses, the District will recreational use at the nearby, District- require that all equestrian users possess owned RV Griffin Reserve, where current evidence of a negative Coggins test equestrians form the dominant user group. while riding on the property. Several equestrian organizations have expressed a strong interest in use of the Management Actions: Deep Creek Preserve, and have also requested that a campground for  Manage the designated recreational equestrians be designated there. trail network as a “shared use” system open to both foot and An assessment of outdoor recreation needs in Florida determined that the region equestrian use. encompassing DeSoto County would experience a 40-mile deficit in equestrian trails by the year 2000 (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 1994). The

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If there is a category of camping for which  Provide site improvements in the there is a deficit in supply for this region, entrance pasture that will make the then it is for primitive camping. This form of group camp site attractive for use camping appeals to a segment of the pubic by equestrians. that is seeking a high degree of solitude in a very natural setting. These campers  Provide site improvements that will typically practice a “leave no trace” make the old cow pen site usable philosophy that is consistent with protecting for “ride in” primitive camping by sensitive natural areas like the Preserve. As small groups of equestrians. noted in the preceding discussions of trail use by hikers and equestrians, a primitive  Require that equestrian users of the camp site will be designated for each trail Preserve possess evidence of a user group. A site in the large hammock on negative “Coggins” test for each the south side of Deep Creek Gully was horse in their company while used by the previous landowner as a hunt horseback riding on the property. camp. Existing improvements include a small, open pavilion and an established fire Camping – An assessment of outdoor pit. The pavilion is dilapidated and unsafe recreation needs in Florida, and a draft for public use, and it will be removed. This update of that assessment, did not project site will be reserved for “hike in” campers any unmet demand for either tent camping (Figure 6) and amenities will be limited to a or recreational vehicle/trailer (RV) camping fire ring or other enclosure designed to in the DeSoto County region (Florida safely contain campfires. An additional Department of Environmental Protection, camp site will be established by a set of old 1994). However, the Preserve lies at the cow pens located near the center of the extreme edge of the five-county region that property. The existing pens will be encompasses DeSoto County. A draft renovated to provide stalls or a small coral update to the survey predicts that the so this area can serve as a “ride in” neighboring region, which includes equestrian camp site (Figure 6). The only Charlotte County, will experience a deficit of other improvement planned for this site is a 300 tent camping sites by the year 2005 fire ring. (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 2000). It is also noteworthy that Primitive camping is normally considered to the vast majority of tent camping sites be a category of tent camping. Given the inventoried for the DeSoto County region close proximity of the Preserve to the were affiliated with privately owned Charlotte County region for which a tent “improved” campgrounds (75 percent). camping deficit has been projected, the Many of the remaining sites are located in establishment of two primitive camp sites on state parks or in the federally owned Avon the property will help to address a local Park Air Force Range, all of which are shortage of tent camping opportunities. located in portions of the region that are Each site will be designed to provide pads relatively distant from DeSoto County and for several tents. If the demand for camping the Deep Creek Preserve. Very few of the exceeds any carrying capacity established sites are “primitive” in character, meaning for the sites, or if use levels begin to that they cannot be approached by vehicle degrade them, then an additional primitive and do not provide any improved facilities, camp site may be designated so that use e.g., restrooms or fresh water. can be rotated among sites or otherwise managed to minimize physical disturbance

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 30 and ensure a quality camping experience Management Actions: for visitors to the Preserve.  Establish two primitive camp sites, Additional progress toward meeting the local tent camping deficit will be achieved one of which will be available for by establishing a group campground in the equestrian “ride in” use, and improved pasture located at the entrance to another that will be reserved for the Preserve (Figure 6). An existing “hike in” use. The sites will be structure at this site may be modified to closed to vehicular access and site provide stalls and enhance the area’s improvements will be limited to fire attractiveness to equestrian groups. The rings, tent pads, and stalls or a restroom and picnic pavilion planned for the coral at the equestrian site. Preserve entrance will provide additional amenities for users of the group  Establish a group campground in campground and a source of fresh water the improved pasture located at the may also be provided. entrance to the Preserve. Design the campground to meet the needs The group campground and primitive camp of equestrians and function in sites will be made available for public use conjunction with the picnic pavilion by prior arrangement only. Although the and restrooms that will also be group campground and one of the primitive constructed at the entrance. camp sites will be designed to meet the needs of equestrians, both sites will also be  Make the camping areas available open for use by non-equestrians. to the public through a reservation system. DeSoto County has expressed an interest in establishing a “full service” campground  Coordinate with DeSoto County in that would serve recreational users of the the possible development of an RV- Preserve. The campground would provide compatible campground on lands facilities, including electrical and water adjacent to the Preserve. hook-ups, for RV and trailer campers. Although the development of such campgrounds on District lands is prohibited, Boating, Canoeing, and Kayaking – The the District will be amenable to coordinating Preserve’s riverfront, which includes both with DeSoto County to accommodate direct Deep Creek and the main channel of the access from such a site if it is constructed Peace River, offers an ideal location for on adjoining lands. It would be required that boaters, canoeists, and kayakers to explore access from the campground, and a natural tidal shoreline. The shallow, tidally recreational use of the Preserve originating influenced nature of the riverfront limits from such a location, must be consistent boating activity to shallow-draft vessels. with the resource protection and land use This is especially true for Deep Creek, guidelines outlined in this plan. where there is no well-defined channel and water depths at low tide decline to less than two feet in many places. The sheltered character of Deep Creek, coupled with the relative absence of motorized boats, enhances the appeal of this area for canoeists and kayakers.

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Although the lack of direct vehicular access Management Actions: to the riverfront precludes the launching of boats and other watercraft from within the  Preserve, there is a public boat ramp By the end of the 2003 fiscal year, located at the eastern end of Southwest coordinate with the FFWCC and Peace River Street (Figure 6) immediately DeSoto County to develop adjacent to the northern boundary of the supplemental parking for the property. There are additional public boat Southwest Peace River Street ramps in the area, including a small facility public boat ramp. immediately east of the Preserve near the proposed Liverpool Park site, and a much  By the end of the 2004 fiscal year, larger facility located approximately 8 miles construct a stabilized landing or upriver on County Road 760 at its point of other structure at the site of the intersection with the Peace River. These Deep Creek picnic shelter to public facilities ensure adequate waterfront accommodate landings by access for the launching of boats and other canoeists and kayakers. watercraft; however, the Southwest Peace River Street boat ramp has inadequate Fishing – As noted previously, the parking to meet the needs of users of that Preserve’s natural riverfront provides an facility. As noted previously in this plan, the outstanding setting for boating, canoeing District will coordinate with the FFWCC and and kayaking. These forms of recreation DeSoto County to develop supplemental are often conducted in association with parking for the boat ramp on the adjacent fishing. The waters of Deep Creek and the lands of the Preserve. Amenities to support Peace River support a healthy estuarine picnicking, consisting of a small picnic fishery, including such species as snook shelter, will also be constructed at the site. (Centropomus undecimalis) and spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), and sport It is anticipated that the Preserve’s natural fishing is a regular activity there. Fishing riverfront will serve as a focal point for use from the property’s shoreline will also be by canoeists and kayakers. In order to permitted, although inundated soils and a expand the public’s access to the picnic nearly impenetrable barrier of dense shelter that will be constructed along the vegetation lines most of the riverfront. The shore of Deep Creek (see Figure 6), a only other areas of open water within the stabilized landing platform or other structure Preserve are the deep-water central pools will be erected at the site so that canoeists of several freshwater marshes, and the and kayakers can safely land at this channel of Deep Creek Gully. These waters location and enjoy use of the shelter. Such are incapable of sustaining sport fisheries a structure will also be important to prevent and will be closed to such use. Anyone excessive damage and erosion along the fishing on the Preserve must be properly shoreline. licensed and must comply with established laws governing fishing in the State of Florida.

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Management Actions: Management Actions:

 Permit fishing from the riverine  By the end of the 2002 fiscal year, shoreline of the Deep Creek construct a pavilion or other Preserve, and prohibit fishing in the improved structure in the entrance property’s freshwater marsh and pasture to serve as a facility for Deep Creek Gully systems. group picnicking.

Picnicking – The open, grassy pasture and  Install picnic shelters at several scattered live oaks located at the primary different locations along the entrance to the Preserve provide a site that Preserve’s recreational trail is attractive and sufficiently spacious for network, including one near the improved picnicking facilities. The parking Deep Creek shoreline and one at area and restrooms planned for this area the secondary public access point. will provide the basic infrastructure necessary to accommodate group Birding – The sub-tropical climate of the picnicking and will be designed to do so. Preserve, the mixture of natural Small “rest stations”, or picnic shelters, will communities present at the site, and its also be constructed at several locations on occurrence along the migratory path of the property to provide a sheltered area many neotropical migrants results in the where hikers and other recreational users presence of a great diversity of bird can rest, seek shelter from the sun or rain, species. The network of recreational trails or eat lunch. These stations will be on the Preserve will provide convenient consistent with a backcountry setting, access for birders and other wildlife viewing consisting of little more than a covered enthusiasts. picnic table. One of the stations will be constructed along the Deep Creek shoreline Bird watching is the most popular form of where it adjoins the xeric ridges. This “non-consumptive” wildlife viewing in the distinctive portion of the property is United States, and Florida has become a relatively distant from the Preserve entrance major destination for out-of-state birders. It and is likely to be a target destination for has been estimated that 796,000 visitors to many recreational users. Florida engaged in wildlife viewing recreation during 1996, and that they spent As noted previously, there is insufficient approximately $1.7 billion in trip-related parking to meet the needs of users of the expenditures (United States Department of Southwest Peace River Street boat ramp. the Interior, 1997). These figures rank The District will provide a picnic shelter to Florida first in the United States as a support picnicking in conjunction with destination for out-of-state wildlife viewers, development of the secondary public and third in terms of total economic impact access point proposed in this plan, which from wildlife viewing. In contrast, sport will also provide supplemental parking for hunting generated $341 million, or only 20 the public boat ramp that neighbors the percent of the spending attributed to wildlife Preserve. viewing (United States Department of the Interior, 1997). Bird watching at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary alone, which is located approximately 30 miles south of the Preserve, accounted for approximately

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$9.5 million in local sales and services This use has been allowed at the site on a during 1993-1994 (Jay Yingling, pers. trial or interim basis to allow for a comm.). The FFWCC is currently in the determination of compatibility with other process of designating a statewide birding uses. When the interim use was initially trail in response to the tremendous permitted, there was no established popularity of birding. In recognition of this recreational usage of the Preserve. The popularity and of the low-intensity, highly range of uses now planned for the entrance compatible nature of the activity, the District area, and the structural improvements will coordinate with local birding groups to necessary to accommodate those uses, will develop an interpretive guide to birding on displace the CSMS from the Deep Creek the Preserve and will consider implementing Preserve location. Concern over the noise other measures designed to enhance the generated by the CSMS aircraft, and the site for birding. In addition, the District will perceived incompatibility of this use with the nominate the Preserve for inclusion in the other recreational uses projected to occur at Great Florida Birding Trail that is being the Preserve, also suggests that the use by established by the FFWCC. CSMS should be terminated. There are additional concerns associated with the flammability of fuels used by the modelers Management Actions: and with the potential for crashing models to serve as a possible source of ignition for  Coordinate with local birding wildfires. groups to develop an interpretive guide to birding on the Preserve. The RV Griffin Reserve, which is located a short distance north of the Preserve, is  Nominate the Preserve for inclusion more highly altered than the Preserve and in the Great Florida Birding Trail has been subjected to more intensive use being established by the FFWCC. associated with the development of public water supply facilities. As such, it is more Radio-Controlled Aircraft – The Florida conducive to accommodating such legislature recently enacted legislation that intensive, non-resource based recreational added radio-controlled aircraft to the activities. Transferring use by the CSMS to general list of permitted recreational uses the RV Griffin Reserve would minimize the on lands purchased through the Florida potential for conflict with other recreational Forever land acquisition program (Chapter users and would reduce concerns 259.105(5)(a), Florida Statutes). Although associated with adverse environmental the Preserve was not purchased with impacts, e.g., the disturbance of sensitive Florida Forever funds, the District has wildlife species. The District will negotiate endeavored to remain consistent with this with CSMS to establish a mutually direction from the legislature and has made agreeable set of conditions that will allow the Deep Creek Preserve available for such the use to be transferred to a site at the RV use by the Charlotte Sport Modelers Society Griffin Reserve. (CSMS). The current agreement with CSMS restricts their use to a portion of the 40-acre pasture site located at the main entrance to the property. An area of turf has been improved to support the take-off and landing of their aircraft and they are permitted to maintain the site as necessary.

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previously, follows existing double track trail Management Actions: roads and was delineated to follow those road segments that are least subject to  Terminate the ongoing use of the flooding following major rain events. The flat Preserve by radio-controlled model topography that is characteristics of the hobbyists and establish a site at the Preserve, and the resulting frequency of RV Griffin Reserve to accommodate very wet conditions, combined with the such use, provided appropriate relatively small size of the property, controls over the use are combine to limit the length of recreational implemented. trial that can be provided. This, in turn, increases the potential for conflicts among Bicycling – The popularity of bicycling as a competing user groups. recreational activity has increased greatly in recent years, due in large part to the User demand and the current mix of emergence of off-road bicycling or recreational alternatives available in the “mountain biking.” However, the District will local area were other factors considered in not open the Preserve’s trail network to identifying the recreational uses that will be bicycling on the basis of a rationale that permitted at the Preserve. The District has aims to optimize the experience of received frequent requests for equestrian recreational users by precluding a use that access to Deep Creek Preserve from both can be better accommodated elsewhere, individuals and organized equestrian and that may conflict with other uses within groups, while there has been no pressing the relatively confined trail network of the demand in the local area for off-road Preserve. bicycling opportunities. This level of equestrian demand is consistent with the The emergence of off-road bicycling has character of DeSoto County, and is also posed a challenge to the managers of reflected by current public use patterns at publicly owned conservation lands. One the nearby RV Griffin Reserve, where aspect of this challenge is related to equestrian use greatly exceeds bicycling occasional conflicts between the “historic” use. The current availability of 7 miles of trail user groups, i.e. hikers and shared-use trail that is open for bicycling at equestrians, and the “new” bicycling RV Griffin appears adequate to satisfy the constituency. Another element of the limited demand for such use. challenge concerns divergent preferences in trail configuration and design. A subsequent section of this plan discusses Equestrians require more vertical clearance opportunities for creating a physical in order for a trail to be passable, and often connection between the shared-use trail enjoy wide trails that allow them to travel networks of the Preserve and RV Griffin. side-by-side. The trail roads that comprise This would complement ongoing efforts by the designated trail network are ideal for Charlotte and Sarasota Counties to such use. In contrast, many off-road delineate a continuous regional trail network bicyclists favor the use of “single track” by incorporating DeSoto County. The trails over “double track” trail roads, and District is prepared to coordinate with prefer various obstacles and impediments DeSoto County in creation of such a to easy passage, because such trails can greenway link. The connectivity, and overall present a more physically demanding and expansion of trail length that would result challenging experience. The trail network from such a greenway, could both reduce designated for the Preserve, as stated the potential for conflicts among different

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 35 user groups, and cultivate greater interest Charlotte Harbor estuary in Charlotte among bicyclists. The District will remain County. CHEC has expressed an interest in open to amending the approach to developing just such a curriculum. recreational use of the Deep Creek Instruction would emphasize the various Preserve, as currently outlined in this plan, water management benefits associated with in response to these possible changes in the Preserve and explain how these circumstances. benefits are retained through preservation of the property. The District-managed RV Opportunities for Griffin Reserve, which is located a short Environmental Education distance north of the Preserve, is the site of pubic water supply facilities that meet the Most people who are attracted to visiting a needs of many residents of DeSoto, natural area like the Preserve enjoy an Charlotte, and Sarasota Counties. CHEC outdoor experience in unspoiled wishes to incorporate the water supply surroundings and are committed to facilities of RV Griffin Reserve, and the protecting the area and the natural neighboring PR/MRWSA water treatment communities it sustains. However, many plant, into the water-related curriculum they visitors may be relatively unfamiliar with the would develop for the Deep Creek dynamics of the natural environment and Preserve. In this way, a full range of water- the effects their recreational use or other related environmental issues can be activities may have on ecological processes addressed. An existing structure at RV at work within the property. Educational Griffin Reserve will be retrofitted to serve as displays related to the ecology of the a classroom and working laboratory and will Preserve, its resident wildlife, and water be made available for such use. management values will be incorporated into displays exhibited at the entrance kiosk The District is committed to promoting and whenever possible. The assessment of partnering in environmental education outdoor recreation needs that was cited programs and has provided funds to CHEC previously predicted a 34-mile deficit of to support the initial implementation of field trails for nature study in the region trips to the two properties. Close encompassing Charlotte County by the year coordination will be required to ensure that 2000 (Florida Department of Environmental the field trips and associated curriculum and Protection, 1994). Although a shortage of classroom instruction are designed to such trails was not predicted for the region maximize educational benefits while including DeSoto County, the proximity of avoiding negative impacts to the resources the Preserve to Charlotte County suggests of both properties. the Preserve’s recreational trail network can help address the existing shortage of trails The District will also be amenable to for nature study. accommodating requests for field trips from local schools or private groups interested in Organized, professional instruction that is capitalizing on the availability of this natural consistent with a curriculum tailored classroom. Typically, the District’s role in specifically to the natural attributes of the such trips will be limited to organizational Preserve is the ideal way to capitalize on matters, including arrangements for the outdoor classroom the property necessary vehicular access and guidance represents. The Charlotte Harbor on educational content or curriculum. Environmental Center (CHEC) was Interpretive tours conducted by established on lands situated beside the knowledgeable staff may be also be

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 36 arranged depending on the availability of aggressive approach to land protection has appropriate staff, compatibility with resource been a concomitant increase in the amount protection goals, and liability concerns. The of lands for which the District, and other District’s approach to environmental public agencies, must accept management education will emphasize cooperation and responsibility. While the public acquisition of coordination with CHEC, the DeSoto land for conservation purposes will County School Board, and any nearby eventually reach a conclusion, the private schools. Ultimately, the District’s management of lands so protected will relationship with CHEC may evolve to a remain a continuing responsibility. stage at which CHEC will direct all organized educational activities conducted In 1996, the District began to evaluate on the Preserve in cooperation with the various alternatives for generating revenue District and the DeSoto County School on District-held lands in order to assure a Board. continuous source of funding to support land management. Legislative constraints on the use of lands held in trust by the Management Actions: District limited the range of options to those  that would be compatible with resource Coordinate with the Charlotte protection needs. As a result, the District Harbor Environmental Center to considered only those alternatives that develop and implement an would capitalize on existing resources and environmental education not result in the alteration of natural, curriculum that highlights the water undisturbed lands. Fallow improved pastures were analyzed to determine management benefits of protecting viability for revenue-generating cattle both the Deep Creek Preserve and leases, harvesting of hay, or timber the nearby RV Griffin Reserve. production (Fox and Tully, 1996a; SWFWMD, 1997). Likewise, existing stands  Coordinate as appropriate with of planted pine on District lands were DeSoto County and outside groups evaluated to project their long-term or organizations to permit or capability to support continuous, conduct interpretive educational sustainable timber harvests (Fox and Tully, tours of the Preserve. 1996). As a result of this comprehensive analysis of District-held lands, more than  Incorporate environmental 8,000 acres have been designated as education themes into the Timber Management Zones where informational kiosk constructed at sustainable silviculture will be practiced to the entrance to the Preserve. provide a continuous revenue stream to support land management. Additional pastures have been, or will be, leased to Multiple Use Potential private citizens to serve as grazing sites for cattle or as sites for the harvest of hay. The State of Florida’s landmark land acquisition programs have successfully No planted pine occurs on the property and protected a large portion of natural Florida the high quality of its pine flatwoods from development, and are conserving an precludes thinning harvests to restore amazing diversity of natural resources for natural pine densities. Areas presently future Floridians. A direct result of this supporting natural land cover will not be

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 37 considered for conversion to planted pine considered in the future. No other public stands. facilities are projected for the property.

With less than 40 acres occurring on the Management Actions: property, pasture area falls well below the minimum 100 acres the District has  Ensure that any utilities or other determined to be required for cost-effective silviculture or cattle leases (SWFWMD, public facilities permitted to locate 1997; Kerry Tully, pers. comm.). These on the Preserve property are practices are also precluded by the consistent with statutory guidelines anticipated public use of the pasture area. established for permitting such As such, the District does not attribute any uses of publicly owned multiple-use potential to the Preserve and conservation land. these revenue-generating uses will not be implemented on the property. Security

Utilities and Other Public Facilities Security will be maintained on the Preserve through several means. The District’s Land Consistent with legislation that was adopted Resources staff, and to a limited extent the by the State of Florida in 1999, lands staff of other departments, will provide acquired through state-funded acquisition security by maintaining a regular daytime programs can be used for a variety of public presence on the property through the facilities. These include utility lines and course of conducting normal land other linear facilities; stormwater management activities. Supplemental management projects; water supply security will be provided by limiting access development projects; and sustainable points and restricting vehicular traffic. In agriculture or forestry. Approval of such accordance with District policy 610-3, uses is contingent upon a number of perimeter fencing will be placed and/or criteria, including: the use must be maintained around the perimeter of the compatible with the natural resource values property. Maintaining appropriate perimeter of the property; reasonable compensation fencing and other barriers to unauthorized must be provided to the titleholder of said access will remain a priority of the District’s lands; the proposed use must be in the Land Resources Department. public interest; the use must be located appropriately on the lands, with due Informational signage can aid in providing consideration given to use of other lands; security by apprizing the public of permitted and the proposed use must not be and prohibited activities. Limiting public use inconsistent with the management plan for to daylight hours will also help to reduce the property. both security concerns and concerns related to public safety. Vehicular access The monitoring well located in the northwest and nighttime use of the property will corner of the Preserve meets the criteria remain limited to those users holding established for making public conservation special permits for camping and other lands available for such uses. It is currently activities, as issued by the District on a the only such use accommodated on the case-by-case basis. property, although the installation of additional monitoring wells may be If serious breeches of security occur, then the District will consider entering into a

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 38 contractual agreement with a certified law or enhance the natural resource values of enforcement officer or other party that will its properties and to ensure public safety. provide for patrolling of the property during The following is a discussion of some of the “off hours.” Such patrols would confer a management practices and resource measure of security that cannot be attained protection measures to be employed at the solely by District staff patrolling the site Deep Creek Preserve. during work hours. In the event that DeSoto County, or another outside governmental Prescribed Fire entity, agrees to sponsor and/or supervise public access and related recreational use, Prescribed fire is the most important strategies for maintaining security will be management tool available to public land amended as appropriate. managers in Florida. Approximately 1,400 acres of the Preserve’s 1,988 acres, or fully 70 percent of the total land area, supports Management Actions: vegetation that will benefit from regular, controlled applications of fire. The mesic  Maintain perimeter fencing to and scrubby pine flatwoods, oak scrub, dry control access and prevent prairie, and freshwater marsh communities unauthorized activities on the at the Preserve are fire-maintained systems Preserve. that are dependent upon recurring fire for their long-term maintenance and viability. In  Restrict public use to daylight the prolonged absence of fire, the hours and limit vehicular access, vegetative structure and species except as authorized through composition of these communities would special use permits. gradually change and be of reduced value to wildlife. Given the degree to which the  Construct an informational kiosk at natural Florida landscape has been altered, the Preserve entrance to inform the and the need to prevent fires from escaping public of permitted uses and to adjoining private lands, the natural disseminate maps and other mechanism of lightening-induced fires informational literature to ensure cannot be expected to fulfill the fire needs the public’s safe use of the of these communities. The use of property. prescribed fire will be necessary to achieve many of the land management objectives  Provide additional security through established for this property. Long-term fire contractual agreements with private management will be critical to preserving or public sector parties or through the fire-dependent communities in a natural, cooperative agreements with biologically productive state and to DeSoto County, as necessary, to maintaining low fuel loads that will pose less ensure adequate protection of the risk of spawning catastrophic wildfires. Preserve’s natural resources and recreational users. The inclusion of a detailed prescribed burning strategy is beyond the scope of this plan. Burn plans are developed for each Land Management District-held property individually, and independently of site-specific land The District engages in a variety of land management plans such as this. The management activities designed to protect District’s land management staff has

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 39 extensive experience in the use of Management Actions: prescribed fire and a burning program has already been implemented on the property.  Develop a detailed burn plan for the Generally, prescribed fires on the Preserve will be designed to mimic natural, Preserve’s fire-dependent natural lightening-induced fires. Appropriate burn communities that includes seasons and fire return frequencies will be prescription parameters designed established for each fire-maintained to prevent the escape of fire to community and will be adhered to whenever adjoining properties and minimize possible. Burns will attempt to create a the potential for placement of fire- natural mosaic of burned and unburned generated smoke over sensitive patches to maximize diversity. Additional areas. details on the use of prescribed fire at the Preserve are included in some of the Habitat Restoration discussions related to wildlife management issues, including a rationale for maintaining District policy directs that sites on District- scrubby conditions suitable for scrub-jays in managed land that have been altered from the property’s oak scrub and scrubby a natural state and condition must be flatwoods systems. restored to a natural condition whenever practical. It has also been a standard Smoke management will be one of the most District practice to locate site improvements problematic issues associated with on altered portions of a property whenever implementation of the prescribed burning possible in order to avoid altering program due to proximity of residential undisturbed sites. The Deep Creek development and a heavily traveled Preserve is noteworthy for its nearly transportation corridor. There is a pristine, unaltered condition. The only considerable amount of residential substantial alteration occurred in the development surrounding the Preserve, and northwest corner of the Preserve, where the Kings Highway (CR769) right-of-way approximately 40 acres of pine flatwoods approaches the property’s western were converted to improved pasture. This boundary. The prescription parameters pasture now coincides with the entrance to used to plan and guide individual prescribed the Preserve and is slated to serve as the fires at the Preserve will rely on appropriate site of improvements and amenities that will combinations of wind speed and wind support the public’s recreational use of the direction to avoid placing smoke over these property. As such, the District will not target sensitive areas. Fire breaks have already the pasture for habitat restoration. been established along those portions of the Preserve perimeter that adjoin privately There are several minor alterations to the owned lands, and these fire breaks will be property that will be the target of habitat maintained through regular discing or other restoration projects. Three isolated mechanical methods to prevent the escape freshwater marsh systems have been of fire onto surrounding properties. The affected by ditches that were excavated to Peace River floodplain, which is situated drain water during wet periods (Figure 3), along the Preserve’s eastern boundary, presumably to prevent flooding of provides a broad and relatively secure surrounding pine flatwoods and thereby natural fire break, and can also serve as a maintain conditions suitable for cattle buffer zone for the dissipation of fire- grazing. The affected wetlands have generated smoke. suffered from prolonged reductions in

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 40 hydroperiod that have allowed various  Evaluate the benefits of degrees of invasion by upland vegetation recontouring spoil piles that and shrub growth. Drainage from two of the wetlands is discharged into Deep Creek parallel the channel of Deep Creek Gully, potentially exacerbating flooding Gully. problems in off-site, upstream locations by consuming a portion of the conveyance Wildlife Management capacity of the Gully. The District will plug or backfill the ditches that drain these There are many notable species of wildlife affected wetlands following a hydrologic and plant life inhabiting the Preserve evaluation which establishes the proper (Tables 1 and 2). Some of these species elevation for backfilling and demonstrates are protected by the State of Florida and/or that there will be no adverse off-site the USFWS on the basis of imperilment. impacts. The continued presence of these species on the Preserve can be assured most A small block of the flatwoods that adjoin effectively through implementation of the the primitive equestrian campsite supports general land management actions “semi-improved” pasture. This site will be addressed elsewhere throughout this plan. evaluated to determine suitability for The appropriate application of prescribed supplemental plantings of native plant fire and the control of invasive, non-native species. It appears likely that a low-density species will be especially important installation of longleaf pine seedlings, measures in maintaining the outstanding combined with use of prescribed fire, will be habitat values of the Preserve. Any special, sufficient to restore this mildly altered site. A species-specific management needs are portion of the channel of Deep Creek Gully summarized briefly in Tables 1 and 2. was affected by historic channelization, which left piles of dredged spoil material It is important to note that exhaustive paralleling sections of the Gully. The District surveys to document the occurrence of will evaluate the merits of recontouring threatened and endangered species on the these spoil piles, many of which have been Preserve have not been conducted. There colonized by native trees and other is a high likelihood that additional species vegetation, including the invasive, non- meriting special attention and consideration native Brazilian pepper (Schinus in land management planning will be terebinthifolius). documented on the property. The District employs an adaptive approach to land management that will be responsive to the Management Actions: presence of any additional species documented to occur on the Preserve, and  Backfill the ditches that were that is consistent with an overall excavated to drain several on-site management approach that seeks to freshwater marshes following an maintain healthy ecosystems as the evaluation to establish appropriate fundamental basis for meeting the needs of water levels and hydroperiods. the greatest number of native species.

 Evaluate the need for supplemental Although the Florida scrub-jay is not known plantings of native vegetation in the to inhabit the Preserve, the species has semi-improved pasture adjoining been sighted on the property on one the primitive equestrian campsite. occasion (Barnwell et al., 2000) and is

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known to be present on a nearby site. As possible that jays from this site may noted in Table 1, the scrub-jay has been eventually colonize the Preserve’s xeric designated a threatened species by both ridges. Although the total areal extent of the FFWCC and the USFWS. Likewise, the these scrubby habitats on the property is red-cockaded woodpecker is present on insufficient to support more than a couple of nearby lands but is not known to be present scrub-jay families, they may work in concert on the Preserve, nor has it been sighted on with the nearby occupied habitat to help the property. The red-cockaded support the local metapopulation. A recent woodpecker has been designated as assessment of the viability of Florida’s threatened by the FFWCC and as remaining populations of the scrub-jay endangered by the USFWS (FFWCC, emphasized the importance of protecting 1997). In recognition of the highly imperiled additional habitat within the range of this status of these species, and of the apparent metapopulation, which was ranked the sixth availability of suitable habitat for it on the most vulnerable to extirpation in the state. Preserve, the following discussion addresses special management actions for Although the Peace River serves as a the scrub-jay and red-cockaded boundary between this metapopulation and woodpecker. one that resides on the east side of the river, there is a possibility of movement Florida Scrub-Jay – The Florida scrub-jay between these neighboring populations. is an extremely habitat-specific species, The presence of scrub-jays around the occurring only in immature stands of scrub mouth of Shell Creek, which is a distance of or scrubby flatwoods. Sites that have approximately 6 km from those residing become overgrown or over-mature due to near the Preserve, may allow exchange long-term absence or suppression of fire between these populations and increase the will not support jays. The well-drained long-term viability of both populations. sands that are characteristic of scrub and Estimates of the maximum dispersal scrubby flatwoods sites also makes them distance for scrub-jays vary, depending highly coveted for development and citrus upon the nature of the intervening cultivation. The scrub-jay’s specificity for a landscape, but do not typically exceed 8 habitat type that has always been relatively km. Heavily forested areas pose a barrier rare, and that has become increasingly rare that can greatly reduce this figure (USFWS, due to fire suppression and human 1998). The forested floodplain along the development, has led to their elimination Peace River represents a substantial barrier across much of their historic range and to to movement between the neighboring the species’ threatened status (Cox, 1987). populations. However, the occupied habitat The USFWS estimates that the statewide south of the Preserve is only 2 km distant, population has declined 25-50 percent since and the intervening landscape does not 1986 (Dawn Zattau, pers. comm.). contain large blocks of dense forest, suggesting a reasonable possibility of As noted previously in the description of the natural dispersal to the property’s oak scrub Preserve’s land cover, and in a discussion and scrubby flatwoods. Continuation of the about designation of the Preserve’s xeric ongoing prescribed burning program at the ridges as a Special Protection Area, there is Preserve will prevent an increase in canopy potential scrub-jay habit in the oak scrub density in the pine flatwoods of the and scrubby flatwoods of the property. intervening landscape, thereby maintaining There is occupied scrub-jay habitat to the the possibility of scrub-jay dispersal to the south of the Preserve (Stith, 1999) and it is site. It will also maintain the habitat

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Table 1. Noteworthy wildlife species documented at Deep Creek Preserve. Listing status of those species designated as endangered (E), threatened (T), or species of special concern (SSC) by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is noted. An “NL” designation indicates that a species is not listed by that agency. “S/A” denotes listing based on similarity of appearance to the threatened American crocodile.

Species FFWCC USFWS Management Recommendations

American alligator Protect from illegal take; maintain SSC T(S/A) (Alligator mississippiensis) wetland hydroperiods. Maintain scrub and scrubby flatwoods Florida scrub-jay TTwith prescribed fire and mechanical (Aphelocoma coerulescens) means, as necessary. Great Blue Heron NL NL Protect rookeries and foraging sites. (Ardea herodias) Common Snook Maintain natural, undisturbed SSC NL (Centropomus undecimalis) shoreline along riverfront. Little Blue Heron SSC NL Protect rookeries and foraging sites. (Egretta caerulea) Snowy Egret SSC NL Protect rookeries and foraging sites. (Egretta thula) White Ibis SSC NL Protect rookeries and foraging sites. (Eudocimus albus) Gopher Tortoise Maintain flatwoods, scrub, and dry SSC NL (Gopherus polyphemus) prairie with prescribed fire. Florida Sandhill Crane Protect nesting habitat and restore TNL (Grus canadensis pratensis) hydroperiods in altered marshes. Prevent high intensity of public use; Bobcat NL NL maintain habitat suitability through (Lynx rufus) appropriate means Tarpon Maintain natural, undisturbed NL NL (Megalops atlanticus) shoreline along riverfront. Red-Headed Woodpecker Maintain flatwoods with prescribed (Melanerpes erythroceph- NL NL fire; preserve snags. alus erythrocephalus) Wood Stork E E Protect rookeries and foraging sites. (Mycteria americana)

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Species FFWCC USFWS Management Recommendations

Gopher Frog (Expected) SSC NL Maintain suitable upland habitat for (Rana capito) gopher tortoises; maintain hydroperiods in isolated wetlands. West Indian Manatee E E Coordinate with USFWS to post (Trichechus manatus) warning signs and designate idle speed zones, as necessary.

Table 2. Plants present at Deep Creek Preserve that have been designated as endangered (E), threatened (T), or commercially exploited (C) by the Florida Department of Agriculture (FDA) or United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). An “NL” designation indicates that a species is not listed by that agency.

Species FDA USFWS Management Recommendations

Long Strap Fern Eradicate exotic sword fern; protect ENL (Campyloneuron phyllitidus) from collection. Butterfly Orchid Maintain intact canopy in hammocks; CNL (Encyclia tampensis) protect from collection. Pine Lily; Catesby’s Lily Conduct growing season burns in TNL (Lilium catesbaei) flatwoods; protect from collection. Cinnamon Fern Maintain wetland hydroperiods; CNL (Osmunda cinnamomea) protect from collection. Royal Fern Maintain wetland hydroperiods; CNL (Osmunda regalis) protect from collection. Florida Royal Palm Prevent physical disturbance in tidal ENL (Roystonea elata) swamp. Florida coontie Apply prescribed fire to flatwoods and CNL (Zamia floridana) protect from collection. suitability of the Preserve’s oak scrub and District will survey the Preserve’s oak scrub scrubby flatwoods. and scrubby flatwoods for the presence of scrub-jays on at least an annual basis. The Scrub-jays are an extremely sedentary and territoriality of scrub-jays is most aggressive territorial species. Most individuals spend during the nesting season, which extends their entire lives without straying more than generally from mid-March through June several hundred meters from their birth site. (Woolfenden, 1996), making this the period The territorial natural of scrub-jays makes it during which scrub-jay presence is simple to define the limits of occupied most evident. As such, a survey will be habitat, and it also simplifies the monitoring conducted among these sites, at a of both occupied and potential habitat. This minimum, during each nesting season.

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Fitzpatrick et al. (1991) recommend the dense stands of trees within or preservation of large tracts over that of adjacent to the managed scrub numerous small tracts in efforts to preserve (Fitzpatrick et al., 1991). the scrub-jay. Population modeling studies  have suggested that subpopulations of Coordinate with the owners and/or fewer than 30 families cannot be expected managers of nearby tracts that to survive long-term. Although it is unlikely support scrub-jays to ensure that that the subpopulation residing in the the local scrub-jay metapopulation vicinity of the Preserve will ever achieve is managed in an holistic manner, such numbers given the limited availability rather than as individual of habitat, management within the occurrences, paying special property’s xeric ridges will be consistent attention to the need for with the guidelines outlined for this species. maintenance of potential movement These guidelines include quantitative corridors among tracts. targets for the density and height of scrub oaks and canopy trees that are consistent Red-Cockaded Woodpecker – The with targets established through research. Preserve’s pine flatwoods are not currently They also provide guidance related to the inhabited by red-cockaded woodpeckers timing of prescribed fires and the maximum (RCWs), nor have any abandoned cavity percentage of a familial territory that should trees, or other evidence of prior occupation, be burned in any one year period in order to been sighted on the property. An analysis of maintain sufficient habitat for survival of the historic aerial photography indicates that a family. The presence of scrub-jays is widely longleaf pine overstory, which is considered to be a good indicator of high characteristic of pine flatwoods in this quality scrub. As such, species-specific region, was virtually absent from the site in management actions directed toward 1943. The absence of a mature pine maintaining good conditions for scrub-jays overstory in 1943, and the progressive ensure good quality habitat for amphibians, regrowth observed in subsequent aerial reptiles, and mammalian species that are photography, reflects the large-scale also characteristic of, or dependent upon, harvest of pines that took place throughout scrub habitats. southwest Florida during the early part of the 20th century. As a species that is Management Actions: restricted to old-growth stands of pine, any RCWs that may have resided historically on  Use prescribed fire and/or the lands of the Preserve would have been mechanical methods to maintain : eliminated by the pine harvest. 50-75 percent cover of scrubby oaks at a height of 2-10 feet (1-3 The size and age distribution of the pines that have regenerated on the property are meters); an open canopy of trees consistent with that seen in active, viable with no more than 20 percent total RCW habitat. Other physiognomic canopy cover; and 10-30 percent characteristics typically associated with cover consisting of bare sand. viable RCW habitat are also exhibited in the Other optimal habitat Preserve’s flatwoods. These include an characteristics include: few or no open mid-story and a relative absence of patches unburned for >20 years; hardwoods in the canopy. Bunchgrasses and few or no dense forests or and other fire-dependent herbs are patchy in distribution and may not meet the 40

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 45 percent coverage that is usually correlated  If the assessment of habitat with good quality RCW foraging habitat suitability for RCWs indicates that (USFWS, 2000); however, the District’s regular application of growing season fire in conditions are suitable, then the Preserve’s flatwoods is expected to establish 3-4 clusters of artificial progressively reduce coverage by palmetto RCW cavities topromote or induce and promote expansion of such species. natural colonization by dispersing RCWs. Such installation shall be It is unlikely that the Preserve’s flatwoods complete by the end of the 2003 could ever provide habitat for more than 4-6 fiscal year. family groups, and their “clusters” of cavity trees. An important aspect of RCW  Retain and protect clusters of recovery depends upon strategic snags in the Preserve’s flatwoods, translocations designed to enhance the install cavity restrictors and snake spatial distribution of the species by linking excluders at artificial cavity sites, isolated groups or subpopulations. The and employ other methods as largest concentration of RCWs near the necessary to control predators and Preserve occurs in the Babcock/Cecil Webb kleptoparasites. Wildlife Management Area located approximately 7-8 miles south-southeast of  Request an assessment of the property. An isolated occurrence of suitability for translocation or RCWs on a site 2 miles south-southeast of reintroduction from the USFWS and the property and reports of RCWs on lands the RCW Recovery Coordinator. approximately 5 miles west of the property (J. Beever, pers. comm.) suggest that the Control of Exotic Species Preserve may serve as a link between disjunct subpopulations. Although the latter The invasion of native communities and two sites are privately owned, both are ecosystems by non-native or “exotic” targeted for acquisition by the District, species of plant life and wildlife is widely presenting the possibility that future recognized as one of the primary threats to management of the Preserve could the integrity of Florida’s remaining natural effectively restore connectivity across a areas. Non-native species, growing in an wide swath of suitable RCW habitat. environment that is free of the population controls typically imposed by their natural Management Actions: predators and pathogens, can often displace native species and greatly diminish  By the end of the 2002 fiscal year, the habitat value of affected natural areas. conduct an assessment of the The District has adopted a formal procedure Preserve’s flatwoods to evaluate (Board Procedure 61-9) to address the habitat suitability for RCWs and to control of exotic species in response to the identify appropriate locations for severity of this threat. The ultimate goal of the installation of artificial RCW the land management program is cavities. eradication of the most invasive species. At a minimum, those invasive exotic species occurring at the Preserve will be maintained below current densities and areal coverage. No encroachment into natural systems will

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be tolerated, and spot treatment of exotic their trunks and branches (Langeland and species that have invaded the property will Burks, 1998). On the Preserve, Old World occur immediately upon observation. climbing fern is found in the floodplain wetlands of both the Peace River and Deep Plants – Exotic plant species known to be Creek. Though complete eradication of this present in the Preserve include: Old-World species from the property is unlikely, the climbing fern (Lygodium scandens); District will aggressively treat it where it is Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium accessible to reduce its coverage in japonicum); Brazilian pepper (Schinus affected areas and prevent its terebinthifolius); sword fern (Nephrolepis encroachment into upland areas. cordifolia); water-spinach (Ipomoea aquatica); air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera); Japanese climbing fern is a species that is wild taro (Colocasia esculenta); and Natal closely related to Old World climbing fern. It grass (Rhynchelytrum repens). With the can form tangled masses that blanket, and exception of Natal grass, all of these plant eventually eliminate, natural groundcover species have been designated as Category and shrub vegetation (Langeland and I exotic pest plant species by the Florida Burks, 1998). This species has been Exotic Pest Plant Council (Florida Exotic reported from only a couple areas of the Pest Plant Council, 1999). This designation property and these have already been is reserved for those plants that have clearly treated. It is believed that the species has demonstrated a propensity to invade and been eliminated from the property; however, disrupt Florida’s native plant communities. the District will remain watchful for any new Natal grass is designated a Category II infestations. species, indicating that it may potentially invade and disrupt native plant It is currently estimated that Brazilian communities. Control of exotic plants at the pepper occupies nearly 700,000 acres in Preserve will focus on the eradication or central and south Florida (Langeland and control of these 8 species. The District will Burks, 1998). At the Preserve, Brazilian remain alert for the appearance of any other pepper is found primarily within the Peace Category I or Category II species and will River floodplain and on spoil piles that are a implement suitable eradication or control remnant of the historic channelization of measures. Deep Creek Gully. Brazilian pepper forms dense thickets of tangled woody stems that The control of Old-World climbing fern can completely shade out and displace native be especially problematic because the vegetation. Along Deep Creek Gully, the species spreads prolifically via the proliferation of this species has precluded windblown dispersal of spores. This method the recruitment of native plant species on of propagation has allowed the fern to the remnant spoil piles. Elimination of spread into remote portions of the property, Brazilian pepper will be an essential aspect making its location and treatment difficult. of plans to restore disturbed areas along Additionally, the fern’s ability to climb into the channel of Deep Creek Gully. the canopy of trees can provide a “ladder” of fuel capable of carrying fire into the The occurrence of sword fern is presently crown of affected trees. This introduces the thought to be confined to central portions of possibility of killing “crown” fires that can a hydric hardwood hammock located near result in the loss of trees and the concurrent the southeast corner of the property. This loss of other plants, such as native species can spread aggressively across the bromeliads and orchids, that may reside on landscape through both vegetative means

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and the dissemination of fertile spores. It surfaces. These mats can shade out native forms dense stands that displace native submerged vegetation and out-compete ground cover (Langeland and Burks, 1998). aquatic emergent species (Langeland and In the Preserve it is supplanting native fern Burks, 1998). species occurring in the aforementioned hammock, including at least one species Natal grass is currently found on the road (Campyloneuron phyllitidis) that has been that parallels the Deep Creek Canal along designated as endangered by the FDACS. the southern property boundary. It has In order to prevent or minimize incidental begun to encroach into the adjacent pine damage to “non-target” native species that flatwoods and dry prairie. Though grow intermingled with the sword fern, designated as a Category II exotic, its treatment with herbicide must be conducted extent and presence within surrounding judiciously and will be a labor-intensive natural areas suggests that control of this process. species should be considered a land management priority. Though wild taro can invade a wide range of wet and dry sites, its occurrence on the Animals – Non-native animal species also property is limited primarily to the edges of pose a threat to Florida’s natural the riverine floodplain. This species can communities. The only such animal that has form dense growths along river and lake been noted on the property is the feral hog shores, displacing native shoreline (Sus scrofa). Spanish explorers are credited vegetation. Currently, taro does not pose a with introducing the hog into Florida during significant threat to the Preserve. However, the 16th Century. Since then, this exotic it will be treated in areas where it is present species has flourished in an environment to limit its proliferation. Spot treatment will that effectively lacks any natural predators. be the primary method of control for this Feral hogs now represent a significant land species in order to minimize impacts to management problem in many natural surrounding native vegetation, areas. The disturbance caused by hog rooting activities can severely damage Air potato is limited in extent, occurring natural vegetation in floodplain swamps, along portions of the northern property hammock, pinelands, and herbaceous boundary and encroaching into adjacent wetlands. Hog rooting also creates flatwoods. Potato vine can quickly engulf conditions that promote invasion by exotic native vegetation and climb into mature tree plant species, can significantly affect canopies in pine flatwoods and other fire- surface drainage or sheetflow through maintained natural communities, forming wetlands or low-lying uplands, and can ladder fuels in a manner similar to Old damage archaeological sites. Hogs are also World climbing fern. For this reason, it will prone to feed on acorn mast. Competition be imperative that these small-scale for the mast produced in the scrubby infestations be treated as they occur to flatwoods on the property may reduce the prevent further invasion of this species. value of these sites for native species, including the Florida scrub-jay which relies Water spinach has been identified in at heavily on acorns as a food source during least one of the interior wetlands in the the winter and early spring months. western portion of the Preserve. This species readily invades wetlands and Trapping methods are often inadequate as waterbodies by forming dense, floating a sole means of controlling hog populations mats of intertwined stems over water due to the high reproductive rate of the

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 48 species, the tendency of individual animals A process has been established whereby to become trap-shy, and the ability with the preparation of site-specific “arthropod which they can move between neighboring control plans” can be required for publicly properties. Previous trapping efforts on the owned conservation lands (Section property were considered to be ineffective 388.4111, F.S.). A tract must be officially in sufficiently reducing hog numbers. As a declared “environmentally sensitive and result, the District will implement special biologically highly productive” by the hog hunts on an “as needed” basis, in managing agency to initiate the process. conjunction with a trapping program, to This designation requires that an arthropod bring the population to a manageable level. control plan be developed that offers Such hunts have been used on other adequate levels of protection to the natural District lands and have provided an systems and flora and fauna that occupy effective means of controlling hogs while the site. The mosquito (i.e. “arthropod”) also providing a recreational benefit to the control district having jurisdiction over the public. Revenue generated by the hunts can area is responsible for preparation of the be sufficient to offset the administrative required site-specific arthropod control plan. costs associated with the hunts, allowing The entire process is administered by the this aspect of land management to be self- Florida Department of Agriculture and supporting. In the absence of a recreational Consumer Services. hunting program on the property, hog hunts may provide a necessary supplement to There has been no formation of a mosquito trapping in order to achieve the most control district in DeSoto County. As effective and efficient method of long-term directed by Florida Statutes, responsibility control. reverts to the Board of County Commissioners in counties that lack such districts because the County Commission Management Actions: can contract with the private sector for mosquito control or may authorize the  Eradicate or control the growth of county health department to administer and invasive, non-native species direct mosquito control in cases where the consistent with the direction public health is at risk. The District will work provided in Board Procedure 61-9. with DeSoto County and the Board of County Commissioners to develop an Preparation of a arthropod control plan that will ensure Mosquito Control Plan protection of the Deep Creek Preserve’s natural resources while also ensuring Chapter 388 of the Florida Statutes protection of the public’s health. provides sweeping authority for local Management Actions: governments to form mosquito control districts and to implement mosquito control  programs. This authority was granted in Officially designate the lands of the recognition of the potential health threat Deep Creek Preserve property as associated with major swarms of “environmentally sensitive and mosquitos, in addition to the annoyance biologically highly productive.” they can pose in developed areas. The  statute also acknowledges the possibility for Coordinate with DeSoto County in adverse environmental impacts resulting the development of an arthropod from mosquito control activities. control plan for the Preserve.

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Preserve Design Considerations especially problematic to fire management on the Preserve. The science of conservation biology has defined several guiding principles for Maintaining connectivity with the RV Griffin designing preserve areas. One of the most Reserve would be an especially significant important of these principles is the enhancement to the Preserve’s future recognition that only large natural areas are habitat value. There is a concerted effort likely, or able, to encompass a diverse underway in Florida to preserve “greenway” range of natural communities and support linkages between natural areas in order to genetically viable populations of many enhance habitat value and maintain native wildlife species. Large areas are also connectivity among sites for recreational more “manageable” in many respects, users. DeSoto County has expressed an particularly in terms of safely applying interest in working with the District to create prescribed fire and minimizing “edge” or maintain a greenway connection between effects associated with the interface the Preserve and the RV Griffin Reserve for between natural areas and developed the recreational benefits such a connection areas. The current extent of habitat would confer to both tracts. An ongoing fragmentation and alteration in Florida effort by Sarasota and Charlotte Counties to dictates that many of our existing preserves create a network of trails that could serve are too small to support healthy populations as both a recreational amenity, and as a of large mammals, and many other species, strategy for allowing or encouraging unless these areas are connected to one alternatives to the automobile as a mode of another by natural corridors that permit transportation, poses a valuable opportunity movement of wildlife between a linked for forging a regional, or “inter-county”, network of preserves. Such linkages system of multi-purpose trails. effectively increase the “size” of a preserve and allow for gene exchange between A patchwork of other publicly owned lands populations that would otherwise be north of the Preserve, and of privately isolated from one another, thereby reducing owned land that will eventually be deeded to the likelihood or incidence of inbreeding. the state as compensation for environmental infractions, may form the The small size of the Deep Creek Preserve framework for preserving such a connection suggests that a high priority should be (Figure 7) for wildlife movement. Ultimately, placed on expansion of the property the Preserve and the RV Griffin Reserve through acquisition of neighboring natural may eventually serve as links in a larger lands. Although there is very limited regional network of greenways. The District potential for a significant increase in the will coordinate with DeSoto County, the total contiguous land area of the Preserve, FFWCC, the Peace River/Manasota any additional lands would enhance the Regional Water Supply Authority and other long-term viability and manageability of the parties, as necessary, to maintain a natural property. The addition of natural lands connection between these District-managed along the western boundary of the Preserve natural areas. However, this proposed would result in a meaningful expansion of connection would be comprised almost the Preserve, especially in terms of total entirely of forested wetlands lying within the flatwoods acreage, and would reduce the floodplain of the Peace River. It does not potential for those lands to be dedicated to appear that this greenway could function incompatible land uses in the future. Future effectively as a recreational connection development of those lands would be between these two tracts.

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The cooperative effort between Sarasota Management Actions: and Charlotte Counties has identified the  water transmission pipeline corridor that Coordinate with DeSoto County, the traverses the southern boundary of RV FFWCC, the Peace River/Manasota Griffin as perhaps the best possible future Regional Water Supply Authority, trail link into DeSoto County. The future and others, as necessary, to Town Center could conceivably serve as a maintain a greenway connection for major hub in a regional trail system, wildlife movement between the provided that long-range planning for the Deep Creek Preserve and the Town Center provides for protection of a nearby RV Griffin Reserve. continuous corridor. Such a corridor could be as narrow as 50 feet, and through co-  To the extent possible, expand the location of infrastructure could serve size of the Preserve through the double-duty as a utility corridor. The fee-simple or less-than-fee-simple recreational benefits could also translate acquisition of adjoining lands. into economic benefits for DeSoto County. Such trails in other areas of Florida have Creation of a Recreational spawned ancillary businesses to support Greenway Connection trail users, and are widely accepted as valuable assets and centers of activity for DeSoto County recently amended its the surrounding community. The District will Comprehensive Growth Management Plan work with DeSoto County to explore the in a manner that may pave the way for feasibility of creating such a recreational creation of a viable, practical trail corridor greenway connection between Deep Creek between the Preserve and RV Griffin. The Preserve and the RV Griffin Reserve. lands bordering the northern half of the Preserve’s western boundary, and Management Actions: extending across Kings Highway (CR769) to within approximately a quarter-mile of RV  Coordinate with DeSoto County to Griffin, have now been designated a Town promote creation of a recreational Center. This land use category provides for greenway connecting the Deep the widest possible mixture of uses (DeSoto Creek Preserve and RV Griffin County, 2002). Such mixed-use areas are Reserve. intended to provide a maximum of flexibility when making future land use decisions and have become a favored tool for combating Sale of Surplus Lands urban sprawl, allowing efficient provision of public services and infrastructure, and The legislation governing Florida’s creating transportation networks that safely conservation land acquisition programs accommodate alternatives to the provides for the sale, or “surplussing,” of automobile. Protection of a narrow trail those lands that are no longer considered corridor traversing the north-south axis of necessary for conservation purposes. the Town Center could simultaneously Consistent with Section 373.089 of the provide a recreational connection between Florida Statutes, a decision to surplus lands the Preserve and RV Griffin, and serve as a must be approved by a two thirds majority major spine of the transportation system of the District’s Governing Board. The within the Town Center. District’s Board Policy 610-4 and Procedure 61-4 provide criteria that can serve as the

A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve Page 51 basis for a decision to surplus lands, oftotal) and 40 acres of pastureland (100 including: 1) the lands are no longer percent of total). Approximately half of the required for present or foreseeable future on-site length of Deep Creek Gully operation and/or maintenance of District traverses the PSA (Figure 5). In terms of facilities or Works of the District; and 2) wildlife habitat value, virtually the entire PSA they have no present or foreseeable future has been distinguished as a “biodiversity utility in the District land management hot spot” (Figure 2) by the FFWCC (Cox, et program; and 3) they are no longer needed al., 1994) for water management, water supply, the conservation and protection of fish and The 40-acre improved pasture located at wildlife, or water and land-related resources the northern end of the PSA currently including but not limited to archaeological serves as the primary entrance to the and historical resources; or 4) they have Preserve and is the location where the been declared surplus by the Governing property is most accessible to vehicular Board in the overall best interest of the traffic approaching from the publicly District. maintained road network. Deletion of the PSA from the Preserve land area would DeSoto County has requested that the necessitate creation of a new entrance District consider surplussing a portion of the along the 2,300-foot segment of Southwest Deep Creek Preserve property so that it can Peace River Street over which the District be returned to private ownership and would retain ownership. This segment is generate ad valorem taxes. Approximately located at the eastern end of the street, 480 acres in the westernmost portion of the which terminates in a public boat ramp property have been identified as a “Potential (Figure 6) and privately owned fish camp. Surplus Area” (PSA) and have been Any new entrance at this location would be evaluated for surplussing (Figure 7). This is developed along the western half of the the portion of the property most distant from road frontage to avoid congestion at the the floodplain of the Peace River and Deep boat ramp and to minimize interference with Creek, and its sale would minimize the vehicular traffic entering or leaving the fish fragmentation that would result from camp and residential community located in surplussing such a significant portion of the this area. Preserve, relative to any other portion of equivalent size. Creation of an entrance at this site would also require the construction of a bridge to The PSA accounts for approximately 25 traverse the channel of Deep Creek Gully percent of the entire land area of the (Figure 5). In order to minimize the Preserve. The proportion of the PSA that is destruction of natural land and reduce wetland (12 percent) is lower than the expenditures associated with bridge proportion of wetland on the Preserve as a construction, the bridge would be designed whole (30 percent); however, the PSA to accommodate use by recreational users accounts for fully 45 percent of all on-site on foot or horseback only. Parking would be freshwater marsh (Figure 3). Approximately provided on the north side of Deep Creek 155 acres of the PSA (32 percent) has been Gully and vehicular traffic would not be identified as flood prone (Figure 4), and permitted to proceed beyond this point. over 100 acres of the on-site hardwood hammock (65 percent of total) lie within the PSA. The remainder of the PSA consists of 295 acres of pine flatwoods (22 percent

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Other factors and considerations were are less aesthetically attractive for camping weighed in evaluating the merits of and they are subject to seasonal flooding. It surplussing the PSA. These are is anticipated that any future sale of the summarized as follows: PSA would render the Preserve unsuitable for camping. 1) Two of the ditched wetlands that have been proposed for restoration are located in 4) If the PSA were sold by the District, then the PSA. The stormwater storage capacity the proposed site of the picnic pavilion, that would be gained through the restrooms, and other infrastructure to restoration of these wetlands, as well as support the entrance and its associated that provided by 22 percent of the on-site uses would be lost. pine flatwoods (295 acres), would be lost. 5) If the PSA were sold by the District, then 2) The site of the existing monitoring well is the potential for any future expansion of the located within the PSA. If the District sold Preserve to include natural upland the PSA, then the sale would have to be communities would be compromised. contingent upon retaining ownership of the Future expansions would be limited almost well site or include provisions that will exclusive to tidal floodplain swamp and ensure protection of the site. These would other wetland communities. include retention of an easement over the well site, and inclusion of covenants or deed The final factor considered in the District’s restrictions that would preclude future land evaluation of the proposal to surplus the uses in the PSA that would compromise the PSA revolves around a requirement that the validity of monitoring data generated by the District must compensate DeSoto County well. Such a sale would compromise the for the ad valorem tax revenue that was ability of the District and the Authority to generated by the lands prior to acquisition construct additional monitoring wells on the by the District. This requirement is a property. statutory directive that requires “payments in lieu of taxes” for a period of ten years. 3) The on-site camping areas identified in DeSoto County’s request that the District this plan are all located within the PSA. If consider surplussing a portion of the the PSA were sold by the District, then the Preserve was based on projected proposed camping areas would be lost. The repercussions to the local tax base. In oak canopies present in both the group recognition of the considerable water campground and the “hike in” primitive management, natural resource, and camp site are highly coveted features for recreational values of the PSA land area, camping areas because they provide and of the compensation that will be shaded cover, and these are relatively provided to DeSoto County to offset the ad unique sites within the Preserve. There are valorem revenues lost as a result of the some sites located outside the PSA that District’s purchase of the site, the District support limited areas of closed hardwood will not surplus the PSA. canopy; however, they are not conducive to providing a positive camping experience. Most such sites are small patches of poorly drained hydric hammock. Others are located along the perimeter of the Preserve immediately adjacent to existing residential development. The property’s pine flatwoods

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Administration coordinate closely with the FFWCC in the management and monitoring of state-listed External Coordination wildlife and critical habitat areas occurring on the Preserve. If a red-cockaded The District coordinates with many outside woodpecker translocation program is public agencies and public interest groups implemented at the Preserve, permits for to effectively manage its properties. This the capture and handling of this species will section identifies those management and be required from FFWCC. In addition, the land use activities which cross, or public boat ramp located at the eastern end potentially cross, the limits of jurisdictional of Southwest Peace River Street is a authority and interest and will require FFWCC facility. The District will coordinate outside coordination. with the FFWCC to provide a supplemental parking area to serve users of the boat ramp. United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Florida Department of The USFWS is the agency with primary Environmental Protection (DEP) responsibility for protecting the nation’s wildlife resources. This responsibility DEP is responsible for the management of includes the administration of the state-owned lands adjacent to the Preserve. Endangered Species Act (ESA). The In addition, DEP administers the USFWS will be consulted regarding special Conservation and Recreational Lands management needs of any species (CARL) Program, which is seeking to protected under the provisions of the ESA acquire lands immediately adjacent to the that is know to occur on the property, or that Preserve on the east side of the Peace colonizes the site in the future. River. These lands, known as the Liverpool Management and protection guidelines Park Project, total 630 acres and may offer contained in the USFWS Red-Cockaded recreational opportunities that will Woodpecker Recovery Plan have been complement those available at the noted previously in this plan and will be Preserve. Other nearby lands are already implemented as necessary to encourage held under state ownership (Figure 7) and colonization of the Preserve by this species. are administered under the supervision of If active translocation or reintroduction of DEP’s Division of State Lands. The District red-cockaded woodpeckers to the Preserve will coordinate with DEP, as necessary, in is determined to be feasible, then such a the management and public use of project will require permits from the USFWS adjoining state-owned lands to maximize and depend on close coordination with that efficiency, link recreational usage, and agency. potentially preserve a regional greenway network. DEP may also be responsible for issuing permits that would be required in Florida Fish and Wildlife conjunction with habitat restoration Conservation Commission (FFWCC) activities, development of recreational facilities, or other projects that may affect The FFWCC, formerly the Florida Game wetlands on the Preserve. and Freshwater Fish Commission, is the agency with primary responsibility for protecting and managing Florida’s wildlife resources. As such, the District will

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Peace River/Manasota Regional by the Division of Historical Resources for Water Supply Authority (Authority) the investigation of sites on state-owned lands. District approval of such proposals As part of the expansion of the Peace River will require that any sites discovered at the Option (PRO) Project, the Authority Preserve be registered in the Florida Master maintains twenty-three wells as part of a Site File. monitoring program developed in response to SWFWMD water use permit DeSoto County #2010420.02. The purpose of the program is to monitor changes in water levels and As the local government having jurisdiction water quality associated with changes in over the area in which the Preserve is rainfall, off-site public supply withdrawal located, DeSoto County has a compelling activities, and ASR wellfield operational interest in the future management and use activities. One of these monitoring wells is of the Preserve. In addition, the DeSoto located in the northwest corner of the County School Board may serve as a Preserve. The District will continue to potential partner in the development of an coordinate with the Authority to allow environmental education program that necessary access to this well and will would use the Preserve as an outdoor receive reports from the Authority on a classroom. The District will work closely monthly basis. The lands that support the with the county to: prevent incompatible Authority’s water treatment plant and other land uses on adjoining lands; accommodate water supply facilities may also form an recreational needs of the county’s important link in efforts to create a regional residents; preserve a regional greenway greenway network. The District will network; create a recreational greenway coordinate with the Authority, as necessary, connection between the Deep Creek in efforts to preserve such a network. Preserve and RV Griffin Reserve; and develop an environmental education Florida Department program that will complement the scholastic of State (DOS) needs of the local community. The County is interested in exploring opportunities for The Division of Historical Resources of the construction of a boardwalk and/or fishing DOS maintains the Florida Master Site File pier on the Preserve that would showcase and oversees the management and the natural waterfront. The District will work protection of listed archaeological sites. with the County to review the feasibility of Although no archaeological sites have been providing such an amenity on the property. documented at the Preserve, its location along the Peace River near the river’s The County has also expressed an interest confluence with Charlotte Harbor, coupled in partnering with the District in with the on-site presence of upland sites management of recreational use at the immediately adjacent to navigable water, Preserve. Such cooperative efforts are suggests a high likelihood of aboriginal favored by the District, which will remain habitation. Proposals to conduct amenable to executing a formal agreement archaeological surveys or related that would extend recreational management archaeological research at the Preserve will responsibilities to DeSoto County. be welcomed by the District. Such proposals will be reviewed by the District on a case-by-case basis and will be required to satisfy requirements and protocols dictated

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Charlotte County Other Private Interests

Although the Preserve is located wholly There are various private interests that may within DeSoto County, its close proximity to eventually play a role in the future Charlotte County suggests that many management and use of the Preserve. The recreational users of the property will be District has worked with the Florida Trail residents of Charlotte County. Any future Association, Inc., and other organizations environmental education program that that represent recreational user-groups to capitalizes on the natural attributes of the enhance recreational opportunities on Preserve may also benefit students from District-managed lands. The District will be the Charlotte County school system. As prepared to work with these and other such, the District will be amenable to stakeholder groups in the development and coordinating with Charlotte County in the enhancement of recreational uses of the development of recreational and Preserve. educational uses.

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC)

The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center is a private, non-profit facility dedicated to meeting the environmental education needs of students and citizens in the Charlotte Harbor area. The existing environmental center is located in Charlotte County near the shores of Charlotte Harbor. CHEC has expressed an interest in developing a curriculum and program that would capitalize on the educational opportunities represented at both the Preserve and the nearby RV Griffin Reserve. The important role played by the RV Griffin Reserve in meeting public water supply needs in this portion of the District would serve as an ideal complement to the water management and habitat values of the Preserve. Used In tandem, the two sites offer an ideal setting for comprehensive instruction on water- related issues and concerns.

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References Black, Crow and Eidsness, Inc. 1976. Peace River Regional Water Supply Abrahamson, W.G., and D.C. Hartnett. Study: 1976-2020 for Florida Power and 1991. Pine Flatwoods and Dry Prairies. Light Company. Project No. 538-75- In: Ecosystems of Florida, Ronald L. 80(5). Black, Crow and Eidsness, Myers and John J. Ewel (eds.). The Consulting Engineers. Gainesville, University of Central Florida Press. Florida. Orlando, Florida. Bureau of Economic and Business Aucott, Walter R. 1988. Areal Variation in Research. 1999. Florida Statistical Recharge and Discharge From the Abstract 1999. Bureau of Economic and Floridan Aquifer System in Florida. Business Research, University of Florida. Water-Resources Investigations Report Gainesville, Florida. 88-4057. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Tallahassee, Christianson, R.A. 1988. Guidelines for the Florida. Development of Site-Specific Plans for the Use and Management of District- Barnwell, M.E. 1997. Natural Systems Owned Properties. Southwest Florida Restoration: Ten Year Plan, 1998-2007. Water Management District. Southwest Florida Water Management District. Brooksville, Florida. Cox, J. A. 1987. Status and Distribution of the Florida Scrub-jay. Florida Barnwell, M.E., M.P. Eagan, P.M. Elliott, Ornithological Society Special and D.L. Freeman. 2000. Resource Publication No. 3. Florida Ornithological Monitoring Report: Natural Systems Society. Gainesville, Florida. 1999. Southwest Florida Water Management District. Brooksville, Cox, J., R. Kautz, M. MacLaughlin, and T. Florida. Gilbert. 1994. Closing the Gaps in Florida’s Wildlife Conservation System. Beever, James W., and Kimberly A. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Dryden. 1991. The Hydric Pine Commission. Tallahassee, Florida. Flatwoods of Southwest Florida: A Community Profile. Florida Game and DeSoto County. 2002. DeSoto County Freshwater Fish Commission. Punta Comprehensive Plan,1991: as amended Gorda, Florida. by EAR-based Comprehensive Plan Amendments 2002. Ordinance No. . 1992. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers 2002-01 DeSoto County. Arcadia, and Hydric Slash Pine Flatwoods. Trans. Florida. 57th N. A. Wildl. & Nat. Res. Conf. pages 693-700 Delaney, K. R., N. Bissett, and J. D. Weidenhamer. 1999. A New Species of Beyer, D.E., R. Costa, R.G. Hooper, and Carphephorus (Asteraceae; Eupatorieae) C.A. Hess. 1996. Habitat Quality and from Peninsular Florida. The Botanical Reproduction of Red-cockaded Explorer, Issue 1. Woodpecker Groups in Florida. J. Wildl. Manage. 60(4):826-835

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A Plan for the Use and Management of the Deep Creek Preserve