FOOTPRINT Summer/Fall 2020 Volume 36 Issue 4 Magazine

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: ANGIE VASQUEZ FOOTPRINT Summer/Fall 2020 Volume 36 Issue 4 Magazine

Zora Neale Hurston How Florida Almost Forgot "The Genius of the South" Who's Visiting The Florida Trail? Exploring The Bryd Hammock Archeological Site

Florida Trail Association Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 1 FTA volunteers, Hannah Plate and Preston James, pass through a beautiful mixed pine forest and oak hammock while maintaining the western corridor of the Ocala National Forest in September of 2019. This work party was hosted in partnership with REI in celebration of National Public Lands Day.

Photo courtesy of Van Tran

2 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Contents Departments and Features 5 President's Message by David Waldrop

8 Florida National Scenic Trail (FT) “Big Bend” Reroute Approved for Implementation by Shawn Thomas

19 Who's Visiting The Florida Trail? by Kelly Van Patten

22 Gateway Communities Program Gaining New Ground 28 by Austin Tezak 33 Land Trusts and Their Role In 24 Florida Native American Completing The Florida Trail Heritage Trail Crossword Puzzle by Jeff Glenn by Van Tran 37 Native American History 28 Zora Neale Hurston Along The Florida Trail How Florida Almost Forgot Exploring the Byrd Hammock "The Genius of the South" Archeological Site by Adam Fryska by Jenna Taylor 37 40 Volunteer Spotlight Angie Vasquez 40 by Van Tran 49 The New Normal Changing Outdoor Representation and Narratives by Luz Lituma

Cover photo: Girls Who Hike FL founder, Angie Vasquez, enjoying a moment with FT cheerleader and mascot, Ziggy. Photo courtesy of Van Tran, FTA Community Outreach Manager and Ziggy's mom.

Our Mission The Florida Trail Association builds, maintains, protects, and promotes the unique Florida National Scenic Trail (Florida Trail), along with a network of hiking trails throughout the state of Florida. Together with our partners, the Association provides opportunities for the public to contribute to meaningful volunteer work, engage in outdoor recreation, and participate in environmental education.

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 3 About Us The Magazine of the Florida Trail Association

FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION 1022 NW 2nd Street Gainesville, FL 32601 Toll-Free: 877-HIKE-FLA Tel: 352-378-8823 Email: [email protected] Website: FloridaTrail.org Facebook.com/FloridaTrailAssociation Digital Magazine: Issuu.com/FlaTrail BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: David Waldrop VP Trails: Tom Daniel VP Outreach/Development: Vacant VP Governance: Peter Durnell VP Membership: Bill Turman Secretary: Deborah Schroth Treasurer: Pam Hale Directors: Ralph Hancock • Amanda Kincaid Greg Knecht • Darryl Updegrove Jan Wells • Leslie Wheeler FLORIDA TRAIL STAFF Executive Director: Royce W. Gibson • 352-378-8823 Administrative Director: Janet Akerson • 352-378-8823 Membership and Store Coordinator: Diane Strong • 352-378-8823 Community Outreach Manager: Van Tran • 352-538-7639 Trail Program Director: Kelly Van Patten • 518-369-9057 Panhandle Regional Trail Program Manager: Adam Fryska • 812-325-3502 North Florida Regional Trail Program Manager: OUR MAGAZINE MEMBERSHIP Jeff Glenn • 352-514-1455 The Footprint is published by the Florida Trail As a Florida Trail member, you receive a Central and South Florida Trail Program Manager: Association, a volunteer-based nonprofit subscription to The Footprint magazine, mem- Jenna Taylor • 772-242-3665 organization focused on Florida hiking and bership in a local chapter, a local newsletter trail building. Since 1966, the primary mission with local activities, opportunities for outdoor Technical Assistant: of our organization has been the care and Abe Christian protection of the Florida Trail, a 1,500-mile skills training, participation in regional and Gateway Communities Coordinator: footpath across the Sunshine State - Florida’s annual conferences and more. To become a Austin Tezak • 239-288-9437 own National Scenic Trail. member, you can visit our website, mail in the form on the last page of this magazine, or call FLORIDA TRAIL FOOTPRINT OUR GOAL 352-378-8823. Editorial Team: Van Tran • Kelly Van Patten To provide outreach to our readers through Layout: Sean Lucas informative articles that express appreciation ADVERTISING for and conservation of the natural beauty of ©2020 Florida Trail Association Reach a highly targeted demographic of All rights reserved. Florida; to inform our readers of Florida Trail Association efforts; and to provide informa- Florida outdoor enthusiasts by advertising Contributors retain copyright to their work but tion on Florida hiking and outdoor recreation with us or becoming a regular sponsor. Your give the Florida Trail Association permission to use opportunities. advertising dollars directly support production to promote FTA and the Florida Trail. Articles are and publication of this magazine and assist subject to editing for clarity and space. Materials CONTRIBUTORS the Florida Trail Association in fulfilling its will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed Please contact the editor at communications@ stamped envelope. Opinions, observations, and en- mission. Call 877-HIKE-FLA or email floridatrail.org to discuss ideas for feature [email protected] for more dorsements made within the Florida Trail Footprint stories prior to submission. do not necessarily reflect those of the board or details. staff of the Florida Trail Association. Bulk rate postage paid at Gainesville, FL. Deadline for ads for the Winter 2021 issue of The Footprint is January 15. The Footprint (ISSN 1064-0681) is published Postmaster: quarterly by the Florida Trail Association Send change-of-address form 3597 to: Footprint, The Footprint is printed with 1022 NW 2nd Street 1022 NW 2nd Street soy-based inks on paper with Gainesville, FL 32601 Gainesville, FL 32601 post-consumer content 4 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org President’s Message

The FTA’s Membership & Retail Coordinator, Diane Strong, posing with our trail mascot, Ziggy, in front of the new headquarters office.

’m leading with the bad news first, but on public recreation. By maintaining our selected as the FTA’s new executive director. stay with me, because this letter has network of hiking trails we enable Floridians Royce brings 25 years of experience in Imuch more good news than bad! to exercise, socialize and immerse themselves fundraising, advocacy and outreach, including With the COVID-19 pandemic still in nature in a way that is safe and accessible. 11 years as the senior director of membership holding the world in its grip, we are slowly Despite these challenging times, I and development for the Appalachian Trail getting back to our new normal. The Florida am pleased to announce two momentous Conservancy(ATC). While there, he built Trail Association (FTA) will not be hosting achievements that were accomplished this a team and a program which significantly large group gatherings for the time being, so fall. improved and increased the organization’s many events that have become a tradition Earlier this year, the organization was fundraising program and revenue. Recently within our community are not able to happen fortunate to receive a generous bequest he has worked with the Friends of San this coming hiking season. Our annual Trail from an individual who saw the great value of Juan National Historic Site and at ATC in a Skills Training will not be held this year for investing in the work that we do to enhance consulting capacity. With Royce leading our the first time in 8 years, conferences have recreation and conservation across the organization, we are poised to expand our been canceled, and our multi-day volunteer state. The board decided that dedicating this capacity to raise funds, collaborate with new work parties will be scaled back and following funding toward leadership for the organization partners, advocate for the trail, and so much new operating procedures. Maintenance of would help the FTA meet its full potential, more in support of our mission. the trail is going to take longer because of and moved full steam ahead on an executive Our second big announcement is that this, but the work will get done through the director search. FTA headquarters has moved into a new and dedication of our amazing volunteers and I am thrilled to share with our improved building. When the organization staff. Now more than ever, people are relying community that Royce Gibson was recently had to move out of the office on Hwy 441

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 5 in 2018, we were fortunate to find a newer building with great landlords right in the heart of Gainesville. While this location worked as a temporary solution, we quickly outgrew the space. The building lacked necessary amenities such as a conference room, extra work areas for remote staff and interns, a sufficient workshop space, storage for the FTA store and other important features that enable us to do our best work. Royce at the Last year, the board San Juan National voted to enter into a lease Historic Site with our existing landlords for a new building that was planned for construction across the parking lot from the current office space. This new building is now complete and has been custom designed for us. It includes 7 offices, a conference room, warehouse space and a small kitchen area. We look forward to opening the space to the public and showing it off to our community as soon as it is safe to do so. Moving forward, the beginning of the Footprint magazine will be featuring a letter from our executive director rather than a president’s letter. It has been a pleasure contributing to this column over the years and I am so excited to see what the next chapter holds. I am proud that our organization has stayed undeterred by the challenges that 2020 has brought. As always, we are thankful for the members, volunteers, donors, partners and everyone else who contributes to the FTA’s growth and success. Plan your next day hike or overnight trip on a Planhike your that next puts daythe “scenic”hike or overnight in Florida tripNational on a hikeScenic that Trail. puts Featuringthe “scenic” 30 inmajor Florida destinations, National Scenicthis 376-page Trail. Featuring full color 30 guidebook major destinations, provides thisstep-by-step 376-page fulldetails color and guidebook maps for 52provides distinct step-by-stephikes along detailsthe Florida and Trail.maps Each for 52 chapter distinct hikesincludes along multiple the Florida options Trail. to Eachextend chapter or shrink includesyour hiking multiple mileage. options to extend or shrink your hiking mileage. This new book includes many of the best day Thishiking new loops book along includes the Florida many Trail,of the andbest a fewday hikingloops loops made alongup by theusing Florida connecting Trail, andtrails. a fewHike loopsmileages made range up by from using a half-mile connecting accessible trails. Hike mileagesboardwalk range to a from 42-mile a half-mile backpacking accessible trip. boardwalk to a 42-mile backpacking trip. Order online at FloridaHikes.com or by check Orderfor $34.45 online (includes at FloridaHikes.com shipping and salesor by tax)check to: for $34.45 (includes shipping and sales tax) to: Florida Hikes Photo courtesy of Yuraldys Martinez Prieto FloridaPO Box Hikes 93 Royce hiking at Biscayne Bay Mims FL 32754 PO Box 93 6Mims FloridaFL 32754 Trail Association FloridaTrail.org discover simple.

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 7 Connecting the Trail by Shawn Thomas, Florida National Scenic Trail Administrator

JUST AROUND THE BEND courtesy of Jan Wells Photo Florida National Scenic Trail (FT) “Big Bend” Reroute Approved for Implementation

ver 1,100 miles of the FT have been successfully certified, Scenic Dallus Creek, one of many unique waterways highlighting some of the most scenic and diverse natural highlighted along the Big Bend route. Oareas found anywhere in the country. However, more than 300 miles of trail gaps remain in order to complete Florida’s own Na- tional Scenic Trail. Over the past several years, the US Forest Service’s have been working to obtain the necessary approvals for the Big Bend Florida National Scenic Trail Program has been working closely with reroute over the course of several years. partners from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, I am happy to announce that the long-awaited routing decision the Suwannee River Water Management District, Florida State Parks has recently been approved and signed by the US Forest Service’s and the Office of Greenways and Trails, the Florida Forest Service, Southern Regional Forester. The Forest Service and our partners at Taylor County, Four Rivers Land & Timber Company LLC, the Florida the Florida Trail Association have published print and digital articles Greenways and Trails Foundation, and the Florida Trail Association to over the past several years along with public surveys seeking public study and propose a solution to one of the largest gaps in the Florida input on the proposed reroute. We received tremendous support from Trail. The Forest Service convened a planning team to look at alterna- the public, FTA membership and land managers alike so I would like tives within the focus area that included state agencies and the Florida to thank you for your patience while we worked through the approval Trail Association. process. The US Forest Service will publish official mapping updates A viable public land route for this 50-mile gap between Twin and, in partnership with land management agencies and the Florida Rivers State Forest and the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area was Trail Association, we will begin the implementation of the routing identified by the planning team in 2016 but was slightly outside the adjustment over the next several months. The implementation phase 20 mile planning corridor as published in the 1986 Comprehensive of the project is anticipated to take two or more field seasons to Plan. This option has become known as the Big Bend Reroute and will accomplish and we will look for opportunities to close the remaining route hikers through some of the most scenic and undeveloped coastal gaps within the new routing. Our partner collaborative will work on areas in Florida. Together with our Florida Trail Coalition partners we best interim routing in gap areas for long distance hikers during the 8 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org 4 W 319 i A ¤£ th l

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Big Bend Reroute Map with Alternative Roadwalk Agency staff review maps of the proposed reroute.

FTA Board Members tour an FWC parcel along the reroute with our land management partners.

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 9 Steinhatchee Falls, a rare Florida waterfall located along the new Florida Trail route.

Photo courtesy of Jan Wells

10 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 11 Hikers will cross the remote Fenholloway River midway along the Big Bend route.

12 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org FTA Board Members hike along the Aucilla Sinks section. The Aucilla Section will remain an official designated spur trail of the Florida National Scenic Trail.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Wheeler

realignment of the Big Bend reroute. The Big Bend reroute will replace 50 miles of dangerous roadwalk with approximately 90 miles of trail along administrative roads within public land units, greatly increasing public safety by moving away from the road shoulder and enhancing opportunities for users to experience natural Florida. The reroute maximizes trail protection and permanency in this region and better aligns with the nature and purposes of the Florida National Scenic Trail, as defined in the National Trails System Act. Showcasing a diversity of landscapes and highlighting remarkable water features along the way, the Big Bend reroute will be a destination for those looking for a truly unique Florida Trail experience. Hikers will have the opportunity to rest their feet and take advantage of a paddling connection along the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail while still maintaining course along their Florida Trail journey. Connecting state forest lands, two state parks, and several state wildlife and water management units, hikers will enjoy world-class recreational and scenic opportunities and the FT will gain permanent protection on publicly owned lands. The reroute promotes an exciting opportunity to engage new volunteers and establish a Gateway Com- munity in the gulf coast town of Steinhatchee. The beloved, 13-mile Aucilla Wildlife Management Area segment will be retained as a designated spur trail of the Florida Trail as part of this routing improvement. Please reach out to Adam Fryska, Panhandle Trail Program Manager with the FTA if you have any questions and to see how you can help with the next phase of this exciting development. Thank you for your continued dedication and support of the Florida National Scenic Trail! Find Your Store | REI.com

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 13 The Big Bend reroute highlights the unique wetlands along Florida’s Gulf Coast, seen here at Keaton Beach.

Photo courtesy of Nature Coast Adventurer

14 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 15 Hikers will be able to access the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail from the Big Bend route at Lafayette Blue Springs State Park.

Photo courtesy of Jan Wells

16 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 17 FTA Board Members take in the view at Keaton Beach alongside FTA & USFS staff during a tour of the Big Bend Reroute FTA Board of Directors Nominations for the Florida Trail Association's 2021 Board of Directors are now being accepted

The call for FTA 2021 Board of Directors nominations is now open. We are seeking candidates for three officer and three at-large director positions. FTA has a 15-member Board. Nominations may be submitted for President, First Vice President Governance and Administration, Secretary and three at-large board members. The term for officers is two years, and three years for at-large positions, beginning after the annual meeting on Saturday, April 3rd, 2021. The Nominating Committee will select the slate based on nominations received. A slate of officers and at-large Board members for 2021 will be voted upon via electronic voting beginning January 2021. In addition to this, we will include a mail-in voting option in the Winter Footprint. The results of the election will be announced at the April 2021 Annual Meeting. Serving on FTA’s Board of Directors is a rare chance to help the organization face challenges, provide creative solutions, contribute to a fast-growing trail program, and affect long-term positive change. Board service also offers you the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, to develop valuable skills in non-profit governance, gain unique experience and make lasting connections with a team of other passionate and motivated professionals. Please consider serving on the Board and submit a nomination for the 2021 Florida Trail Association Board of Directors. For more information on our current Board of Directors as well as the general and specific responsibilities of our board members, visit: floridatrail.org/about-us/ourboard/.

Please send your nominations to Darryl Updegrove at [email protected]. Nominations should include the following information: 1. Name of Nominee, address and contact information (including email address); 2. Brief statement or cover letter outlining why the nominee would like to be a board member; 3. Resume or short background on the candidate in question (work history, non-profit experience, involvement with the FTA, interests etc.); and 4. Reference (optional).

Thank You, Darryl Updegrove FTA Nominating Committee Chair

 NOMINATIONS CLOSE MONDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, 2020  18 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Who’s Visiting the Florida Trail? by Kelly Van Patten, Trail Program Director

Kotryna Klizentyte of UF installing a counter at Apalachicola National Forest

hen I talk to Florida Trail thru- since 2003. The purpose of this research season. Staff from UF, the Forest Service, hikers about their experience on is to continuously monitor visitor counts or the FTA are assigned to visit each counter Wthe trail, many of them remi- throughout the trail each year, and to gather on a monthly basis to collect data and ensure nisce about long stretches of time that they trends in visitor characteristics. This research that the counter is functioning properly. never saw another person. For many, the represents one of the only holistic visitor This year, the trail counter program solitude of the Florida Trail is part of what assessments on a National Scenic Trail in the has been expanded to include more locations makes it an attractive hike. It allows hikers to country and is one of the longest running than ever before. This expansion was made escape and reflect while immersed in some visitor assessment studies at 17 years and possible by a grant from our partners at REI, of Florida’s most beautiful landscapes. Given counting. The research has been of benefit whose corporate leadership recognized the the solitude most hikers experience, you to recreation professionals across the coun- immense value of this research. REI’s Out- may be surprised to learn that over 337,000 try, resulting in numerous research publica- door Places grant program invested $4,000 people set foot on the Florida Trail every tions that help other institutions understand into the program, which allowed us to pur- year. When I share this information, the recreational visitor monitoring efforts on a chase and deploy three additional counters. next question one often asks is, “How do you large-scale trail. As always, we are incredibly thankful for calculate that!?” To conduct this research, the UF team our continued partnership with REI and for The Ecotourism and Recreation Lab installed infrared trail counters on trees or their strong commitment to supporting the at the University of Florida (UF), in part- posts along the Florida Trail. To help increase FTA and the Florida Trail. For the 2020- nership with the US Forest Service, has the accuracy of the numbers across the trail, 2021 season, counters will be placed at Gulf been studying visitation on the Florida Trail counter locations are changed each trail Islands National Seashore, Econfina WMA, Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 19 Taylor Henley of UF installing a counter at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve

20 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org St. Marks NWR, Triple N Ranch WMA, focus. Visitation data is presented bi-an- Split Oak Forest, Moss Park, Seminole State nually to the Florida National Scenic Trail Where Black People Forest, Withlacoochee State Forest and Coalition-- a diverse, representative sample Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. of land management and agency partners & Nature Meet The UF team also conducts exit sur- dedicated to the development, maintenance, veys with hikers along the Florida Trail. The and promotion of the Florida Trail. The purpose of these surveys is to understand variety of organizations helps to ensure that users in terms of their socio-demographic a wide spectrum of land owners’ needs and information, trip characteristics, motiva- recreationists' interests are considered in tions, and attitudes about management of management decisions affecting the Florida the trail. This information helps us in many National Scenic Trail. aspects of managing the trial, including Additionally, having accurate data targeting our marketing efforts, increasing about the number of visitors using the Flor- diversity of users, and making decisions on ida Trail is an important part of demonstrat- appropriate trail routing and infrastructure. ing the trail’s importance to the public. User Visitor assessment and monitoring is counts are a crucial component of FTA’s important for decision-making in natural outreach materials, and remain a key talking resource management, not only in terms of point referenced in congressional meet- ecological impacts, but to promote social ings during our “Hike the Hill” advocacy benefits related to outdoor recreation. week. Having hard data that shows how our Understanding the volume of users and their infrastructure, rehabilitation, and gap closure OutDoorAfro.com preferences allows land managers to better efforts have enabled access to outdoor manage public lands to balance conservation recreation in Florida will greatly strengthen of the ecosystem while managing for appro- our efforts to advocate for the trail and gain priate recreation use in the area. Visitation resources to do more of this important work. data is also useful in grant applications, As monitoring efforts continue over funding allocation documents, and similar the coming years, we look forward to review- documents, which can help land managers ing new data to assist in monitoring how FT obtain the resources they need to properly visitation is changing as well as how the char- manage recreation and ecological factors. acteristics of trail visitors are changing. As a The data also helps us focus on facility result, staff, land managers, and volunteers maintenance and trailhead development in will be provided with information to assist areas of most need or high use. Conversely, them in creating and enhancing recreation we can identify low use areas for enhanced along the Florida Trail.

INTERESTING HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2018-2019 FLORIDA TRAIL VISITOR ASSESSMENT INCLUDE:

 An estimated 337,753 people set foot on the trail each year  In the 2018-2019 season, the most popular sections of the trail by foot traffic included Lake Okeechobee, the Cross Florida Greenway, Gulf Islands National Seashore and Little Big Econ State Forest.  Florida Trail users were mostly married (56%), with no children (64%), had a Bach- elor’s degree (41%), were employed full time (60%), white (86%) and had an income between $30,000-60,000 (32%). The gender demographic was 49.6% split between male/female.  More than half of survey respondents (61%) were repeat visitors.  A majority of the respondents (81%) hiked one to five miles on the trail, and 6% of the respondents hiked five to ten miles on the trail.  About half of the respondents traveled in a group of two or three visitors, whereas 27% traveled alone and 10% traveled in a group of five or more visitors.  The top recreation motivation for users was experiencing nature and its aesthetics.  In choosing a place to hike, respondents overwhelmingly cited their desire for wilderness/undisturbed nature, and a location that is easy to access.  Users were most likely to know about the Florida Trail through word of mouth or living nearby.

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 21 Trail Program Highlight by Austin Tezak, Gateway Communities Coordinator

Our newest passport stamp located near the southern terminus of the Florida Trail

Our passport program features unique stamps housed at businesses and attractions along the Florida Trail and in established Gateway Communities. Hikers simply purchase a passport from the FTA store, then present it at participating locations. The lay- GATEWAY out of the passport is a simple accordion fold that will allow for easy display of the stamps. COMMUNITIES The stamp designs are created by the business owners and leaders in the communities hosting the stamps. The design of each stamp PROGRAM depicts an image or slogan that somehow represents the business, town, or section of trail where the stamp is available. A complet- Gaining New Ground ed passport makes an excellent souvenir after your hike! ello to all, my name is Austin Tezak close proximity to the trail, and market their Our newest stamp location is at the and I am the new Gateway Commu- resources to outdoor recreation enthusiasts. smallest post office in the nation. This quaint Hnities Coordinator for the Florida Examples of these resources include restau- post office is located 16 miles west of the Trail Association (FTA). I am a recent Wildlife rants, grocery stores, lodging, laundry, out- southern terminus of the Florida Trail, in the Ecology graduate from the University of Flor- fitters, local attractions and much more that town of Ochopee. This historic landmark is a ida (UF), and I’m excited to be back in my are of interest to hikers. You may be familiar fully functioning post office and a common college town with the opportunity to work on with similar programs on other national scenic stop for thru hikers arriving from out of expanding awareness of the Florida Trail and trails, such as the Appalachian Trail’s Trail town, starting their journey on the Florida its impact on local communities. My passion Towns program. Trail. We have also added four new stamp for outdoor recreation was kindled through- In 2017, the FTA received a grant locations around Lake Okeechobee— they out my youth while camping and hiking with from the Partnership for the National can be found in Moore Haven, Okeechobee, my dad in the swampy areas of Southwest Trails System to hire an intern dedicated to and two in Clewiston. You can visit floridatrail. Florida. In college, I worked for UF in two dif- launching the revitalization of its Gateway org/passport to learn more about the stamp ferent research labs, one working with tropical Communities program. This grant is designed locations and incorporate the Florida Trail lizards in Puerto Rico and the other work- to give young people, like me, an opportunity Gateway Communities into your next ing with blue crabs in a marine ecology lab. to gain professional development within the adventure. Whether hiking, swimming, or hammocking, I competitive outdoor recreation industry. In There are an abundance of opportu- try to be outside even when I am not working. just three years, having a dedicated Gateway nities to grow and strengthen the Gateway I look forward to working across the state in Communities intern has allowed FTA to Communities program. I am focusing on the the coming months to expand the Gateway designate 11 communities, partner with over reestablishment of the Gateway Communi- Communities program. 100 businesses, and create a companion ties that existed in the FTA’s original iteration The goal of the Gateway Communities Passport program with 30 stamp locations of the program from the early 2000’s. This program is to designate towns and cities in within the communities. was the goal of the recent visit I made to 22 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org The Florida Trail passes directly through the Gateway Community of St. Marks

the southern region of the Florida Trail. It was a pleasure to experience the charm, history and culture that the region has to offer. I visited Okeechobee, Moore Haven, and Clewiston to meet with community leaders and business owners, and have successfully added these cities back into the program. Other goals that I have for my time in the position include adding a local volunteer liaison for each Gateway Community, adding new signage, creating a toolkit to help participating businesses learn how to accommodate and incentivize visits from hikers, and more. One of our biggest projects planned for this fall is the installation of four Gateway Communities kiosks. These kiosks were funded through an REI grant and will be placed in four Gateway Communities along the Florida Trail in effort to spread awareness within these communities. These kiosks will provide information about the segment of trail that goes through that community and about the community itself. COVID-19" has changed our society for the forseeable future, making travel to communities to meet chapter members and community leaders challenging. However, I am eager to meet, whether in person or through a video conference. Our hope is the Gateway Communities program will increase foot traffic to small businesses who are increasingly under pressure due to the constraints of COVID-19. I look forward to sharing what the FTA and the members of its community have to offer everyone seeking a little more adventure. In Florida, outdoor recreation generates $58 billion dollars per year, so it's clear that Floridians and those who visit our state want to connect with the outdoors. The communities we designate play a crucial role Austin meeting with the Mayor of Moore Haven. in providing the gateway to Florida's wild, rural, historic and cultural

Photo courtesy of Jenna Taylor landscapes, via the Florida Trail. Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 23 CROSSWORD PUZZLE Florida Native American Heritage Trail The following information was sourced from https://dos.myflorida.com/ ACROSS: DOWN: 1. Federally recognized Native American groups with ties to Florida include the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, 1. The language spoken by the Miccosukees is also spoken the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Seminole Nation of by over half of the modern Seminole Tribe. This language is Oklahoma, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and the called . (Creek) Nation. 2. National Forest is named after a prominent 5. The believed that people had three souls: Seminole leader in the First Seminole War. His fierce resistance in the pupil of one's eye, in one's shadow, and in one's reflection. to removal and his leadership of an undefeated Seminole force led to great fame. 6. This term is used to describe the layer of soil where indigenous people lived, walked on, built houses, and threw 3. In the mid-1700s, two bands of Creek Indians in the out trash, including fragments of tools, charcoal, pieces of present-day towns of Micanopy and Tallahassee formed to pottery, and food remains such as animal bones and seeds. become known as the , a Creek pronunciation Decomposition of these food remains and artifacts usually of the Spanish word cimarrón or "wild one." makes this layer darker than surrounding layers of soil. 4. The Pond Site, situated between the Indian 8.Prehistoric “ ” canoes provide information and St. Johns Rivers, near modern day Titusville, contains one about Florida's past. The oldest canoes date to the Middle of the most important archaeological finds in the country and is Archaic Period, ca. 7,000 to 6,000 years ago. a National Historic Landmark. Over 120 individual burials were found within the peat deposits of the pond some 10 feet below 9. whose name in the Hitchiti language the pond surface. These burials occurred neady 8,000 years means “high chief” became hereditary leader of the Seminoles ago, long before the Egyptian mummies were entombed. in 1819, near the beginning of the American Territorial Period. He was a strong defender against white settlement of Indian 7. When the Seminole Tribe of Florida received federal lands. At the Treaty of Payne's Landing in 1832, other Semi- recognition in 1957, Betty Mae was on the first nole leaders agreed to relocate, but Micanopy refused, aligning Tribal Council and was elected Chairperson of the Seminole with younger leaders. Their bold attack on Major Dade's forces, Tribe of Florida in 1967, becoming the first woman to lead known as the Dade Massacre, and on troops under General the Seminoles. Clinch in 1835 ignited the seven-year Second Seminole War. 11. Occurring in deep marine deposits, this flintlike silica 10. The territory of this indigenous tribe was bounded in rock was commonly used by Native Americans in central and northwest Florida by the Aucilla and Ochlockonee rivers, and western Florida to make tools. included rich soils well suited to intensive agriculture.  Answer Key on page 26

24 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org 1

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Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 25 ANSWER KEY 1MUSCOGEE I 2O K S A 3S 4W 5CALUSA E I E U 6MIDDEN 7 J 8 O K I DUGOUT L 9MI CANOPY O M A O V P 10 11 APALACHEE E E H R R S E R T CROSSWORD PUZZLE Florida Native American Heritage Trail

Discover the natural beauty of the Florida Trail through this pictorial journey of the trail, end to end.

With a Foreword by Jim Kern and photography by Sandra Friend and John Keatley, this keepsake book showcases the natural wonders and unique features of each section of the Florida Trail in moments captured by Sandra and John.

Mini coffee table book Hardcover 5x7” format $24.95 192 pages Short overviews of each trail section Available October 2020 Photograph locations identified at the end of the book Order at FloridaHikes.com

26 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org EXOS | EJA

Bridge crossings, sunsets with colors so rich it drips from the sky, dinner with chipmunks. The little things. The Exos/Eja features uncompromised durability in an ultralight package that defies belief. The only way to discover wondrous moments is to get out there and find them. So grab your friends, pack your gear and make it happen.

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 27 Zora Neale Hurston by Jenna Taylor, Central and South FL Trail Program Manager

Portrait of Zora Neale Hurston. April 3, 1938 by photographer, Van Vechten C. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

sensible for me to choose familiar ground,” she wrote in Mules and Men. Though largely overlooked as an environmentalist, Zora’s appreciation and care of the landscape shows through her writing. “I was only happy in the woods, and when the ecstatic Florida springtime came strolling from the sea, trance-glorifying the world with its aura.” (The Inside Light by Deborah Plant). Through her works, Zora shows the wildness of Florida and the ability to live off the land. She wrote about the migrant farm workers, lived on a shrimping boat, sailed her houseboats up and down the rivers all while inspiring and captivating others. Three Florida cities—Eatonville, Belle Glade and Fort Pierce, provided the back- drop of her life. Just miles from the Florida Trail, these locations offer unique historic value and trails of their own to remind us of Florida as it was through the eyes of Zora. Visiting those places today, whether while hiking on the Florida Trail, or by taking a day trip, one can ponder how we almost forgot Zora and the stories she tried to tell. EATONVILLE Just outside of Orlando and 15 miles from HOW FLORIDA ALMOST FORGOT “THE GENIUS OF THE SOUTH”

“Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, Florida Trail access points, quietly sits Eaton- things done and undone.” Their Eyes Were Watching God ville. A town of just over 2,400 residents, it holds a significant place in Florida history. Founded in 1887, Eatonville was the first he stands like a tree in Florida’s she left several times to fulfill her own town successfully established by African history. Sometimes seen, sometimes wish to, “have a busy life, a just mind and a American freedmen in the United States. forgotten. She bloomed, withered timely death,” she always found herself back According to the James Madison Institute, S while over 400 black towns had been es- and almost disappeared until her great roots on Florida soil. She spent time immersing in this state created a legacy that stands tall herself in the Harlem Renaissance, tablished, none were legally recognized until today. Zora Neale Hurston, author of tales experiencing and studying voodoo in Jamaica Eatonville and only about 150 communities full of Florida history and imagery such as, and Haiti on a Guggenheim Fellowship went on to receive the rights of a municipali- Their Eyes Were Watching God and Dirt Tracks or simply writing in and about Florida. ty. Of those, only 12 remain today. on a Dust Road, lived and died here. Though “I realized I was new myself, so it looked Zora considered this place home and 28 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org These locations in Fort Pierce, take visitors through the final two years of Zora’s life. wrote about it in Their Eyes Were Watching God and Mules and Men. In her autobiog- FOLKLORIST raphy, she claimed Eatonville to be her “There are years that ask questions and years birthplace. Both of her parents were former that answer.” slaves and moved to Eatonville when Zora - Their Eyes Were Watching God was very young. Her father, John Hurston, Zora knew that the only way to move became one of the first mayors of the city forward was to protect the past. She was and later the minister of Macedonia Mis- a folklorist. After studying at Barnard sionary Baptist Church, which still exists College in New York where she was today. While she moved to Jacksonville and their first black graduate under the the Northeast for school, it was Eatonville father of American anthropology, that was the inspiration for one of her first Frank Boass, she was dispatched works, How It Feels to Be Colored Me. into the field. She traveled By the time of her death, her fame throughout the 20s and 30s in had been forgotten by most the residents African American communities of Eatonville. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that throughout the Southern United she was brought back to the forefront of States and Caribbean collecting everyone in Eatonville’s minds. A five-lane stories, music and oral poetry. She highway was proposed to go straight through received a Guggenheim Fellowship the town, replacing the quiet two lane road. Elizabeth Barnicle scholarship/ As a response, the town rallied around award to document African American song traditions. As they Zora’s memory and planned the first “Zora!” visited turpentine, railroad and sawmill Festival. camps, they recorded in Belle Glade, Today, Zora! is a multi-day, multi-dis- Zora Neale Hurston and an Chosen and Eatonville. Some of this work unidentified man probably ciplinary, intergenerational event composed she published in “Mules and Men” and at a recording site, Belle Glade, of public talks, museum exhibitions, theatri- most of the work she helped collect, along Florida. Belle Glade Florida, 1935. cal productions, arts education programming with recordings of her own performances and a three-day outdoor festival of the arts. which can be found online through the Photo courtesy of the In 2021, this event will take place in person American Folklife Center. Library of Congress Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 29 Visit the mosaic that now covers Alfred Hair’s gravesite and more Alfred Hair’s grave as first discovered by Gary Monroe, on this tour of the Highwaymen’s story in Fort Pierce. author of The Highwaymen: Florida’s African American “They weren’t forgotten, they were invisible,” Landscape Painters. Photo provided by Monroe. Gary Monroe, Author and Highwaymen historian FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN The Florida Highwaymen share a common home with Zora— and virtually throughout the entire month of January, culminating on Fort Pierce. Less than a mile from where Zora has been laid January 30th and 31st with the outdoor festival. to rest, 26 names are inscribed on a wall. They represent the While in town, stroll down Kennedy Blvd. and be sure to visit names of another forgotten group of men and one woman who the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts in Eatonville until 2004, were only known by locals who remembered them which features artists of African descent. Stop at the St. Lawrence sitting along US-1, trunks open for business. African Methodist Episcopal Church where Zora attended and the According to Monroe, “After World War 2, people were Matilda Moseleye House Museum, her childhood best friend’s home. starting fresh. They (military members) remembered being in Walking tours and maps are available at the Zora Neale Hurston South Florida as 18 year olds and wanted to return.” These National Museum of Fine Arts. families were sold dreams of owning a “piece of paradise” BELLE GLADE Florida home by companies such as General Development Corporation and thereby, moved to the state, sight unseen. In “To Janie’s strange eyes, everything in the Everglades was big and new. their new homes, they needed art and the Highwaymen filled Big Lake Okeechobee, big beans, big cane, big weeds, big everything. that need. Going door to door, these self-taught artists sold Weeds that did well to grow waist high up the state were eight and often beautiful Florida landscape oil paintings, some with the paint ten feet tall down there. Ground so rich that everything went wild.” – still drying. For only $25, these young families could afford Their Eyes Were Watching God this beauty to remind them of the nature they longed to see Zora moved to Belle Glade, a stop along the Florida Trail in 1950. in moving to Florida. “It was God-given landscape and they There, she befriended Sarah Lee Creech, who served with her on sold paintings in astonishing numbers,” says Monroe, “They the Belle Glade Inter-Racial Council. Creech had noticed a lack of took extreme pride in their work. All of the art was done in the diverse toys for black children. With Zora’s guidance, Creech went moment and genuinely.” on to create the Sarah Lee doll. Zora championed it and garnered Monroe has spent decades studying the art and artists. support among the African American community and leaders. When asked about the most iconic site to see when visiting In 1951, Eleanor Roosevelt held a reception for the Sara Lee doll the Fort Pierce Highwaymen Trail, Monroe suggested Pine with prominent figures of the time. The Sara Lee became the first Grove Cemetery: the grave of Alfred Hair. Though it has black baby doll to be mass produced and marketed nationally and since been redone, when Monroe first found the maker, it was was featured in the 1951 Sears Christmas catalogue. Zora’s swift broken. Now Fort Pierce celebrates the Highway- influence was not uncommon and she used it throughout her career men with an annual festival in the spring and to advocate for other projects and causes she believed in. showcases their paintings at the A.E. Backus Museum and Gallery. If you drive through FORT PIERCE town, there is a strong chance you will Zora moved to Fort Pierce for the final two years of her life and little find artists who are still carrying on the is known about the time she spent along the coast. She taught at craft, painting Lincoln Park Academy, which was an all-black school at the time, but alongside her notoriety went undetected. It was recorded that she spent time the road. with the artist, A.E. “Beanie” Backus, mentor to the Highwaymen. Her final writing was done for the Fort Pierce Chronicle where she produced a column. At the time of her death, she was living in 30 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org FLORIDA’S FORGOTTEN HURRICANE Through the screaming wind they heard things crashing and things hurtling and dashing with unbelievable velocity…And the lake got madder and madder with only its dikes between them and him.- Their Eyes Were Watching God

The hurricane described in “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” was a true event in 1928. Though she was not there at the time, Zora used the stories she collected to create Janie’s memories of the event. An estimated 12,000 were injured, 32,414 buildings were destroyed or damaged and 2,500 Floridians died University of Florida Archives. Severe flooding at the in the storm, long before warning systems were in place. Nearly Everglades Experiment Station at Belle Glade, Florida, 700 of those victims were black residents. Their remains were caused by the 1928 hurricane. 1928. Sept. 9. placed in an unmarked mass grave in West Palm Beach that was Photo Courtesy of the University Archives Photograph Collection forgotten for many years. A historical marker was finally added at http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00034353/00001 in 2003. Prior to the storm, a small dike had been built at the south end of Lake Okeechobee but it failed to hold back the In that storm, oh in that storm; waters and many homes simply floated away. As a result, in Lord, somebody got drownded in the storm. 1929 President Hoover visited the community and construction Oh, in that storm, in that storm, oh, in that storm, on the dike currently hosting the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Lord, somebody got drownded in that storm. Trail, a part of the Florida Trail, began. Over in Pahokee, During her anthropological recording trips, Zora record- Families rushed out at the door, ed, “God Rode on a Mighty Storm.” The lines of this haunting Sombody’s poor mother song tell us what it might have been like that day. Have never been seen anymore

social service housing. In 1960, she died penniless, with her name spelled wrong on her death certificate. Residents of the Lincoln Park Community took up a collection to have her buried at the Garden of Heavenly Rest Cemetery. It sat unmarked until 1972, when Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, found where Zora had been buried and had a marker made that reads, “A Genius of the South.” A week after her death, a fire burned at the 648 square Florida Trail Association is a foot home Zora had lived in. A deputy, Patrick Duval, stopped and realized the fire seemed to have been intentional, as it was Zora’s Proud Partner with Warrior Expeditions work fueling the flames. He acted quickly, trying to save as much as he could. Duval had met Zora when his class traveled to Daytona to Bethune-Cookman college. She briefly taught there while living aboard her houseboat, Wanago, purchased with her Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winnings for Dust Tracks on a Dirt Road. Despite his efforts, much of her work was lost. The documents that were salvaged have been used to piece together some of Zora’s final years and understand the final piece she was working on, Herold the Great, which remains unpublished. Zora’s gravesite and 7 other locations can be visited on the Fort Pierce, “Dust Tracks Heritage Trail.” In 1991, a St. Lucie County library was named in her honor and houses a collection of her works and eight portraits by Ade Rossman entitled the “Zora Art Series.”

CLOSING Warrior Expeditions supports combat veterans transitioning from Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy is just one story with which the Florida their military service by thru-hiking America’s National Scenic Trails. Trail intersects as it winds through the state. As a National Scenic Trail, our responsibilities extend beyond trail maintenance. We must Visit WarriorExpeditions.org shine the light on the historical and cultural significance of the communities that the trail passes through and nearby. for more information Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 31 32 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Land Conservation by Jeff Glenn, North FL Trail Program Manager

ing, logging, drilling, or development rights on the land. Trusts also provide funding to assist like-minded private buyers or government organizations to purchase and protect the land forever. Easements can also grant access only and provide zero conservation value. An example of this is the trail section through Weyerhaeuser lands north of the city of Lake Butler. The trail is permanently protected where it is, meaning that it can never be forced out of that location, but the timber farm it passes through could be sold for development purposes all the same. A conservation easement is a legally binding agreement that halts the development rights on a property. The trust is tasked with ensuring the easement is enforced and, in some cases, managing the property. Con- servation easements can be tailored so that the landowner retains ownership and usage rights—such as the right to continue farming or raising livestock—while still ensuring that the land remains undeveloped in perpetuity, which means that the terms of the easement remain in force even if the land is sold or Photo courtesy of Emily Griffith passed to heirs. As non-profit organizations, land trusts rely on donations, grants and public Land Trusts and Their Role in land acquisition programs for operating ex- penses and for acquiring land and easements. Completing the Florida Trail Donors often provide monetary support, but it is common for conservation-minded he Florida Trail is diverse in many maintain natural resources, historical sites, landowners to donate an easement on their ways, and one of those is the and public recreational areas for future land, or the land itself. Some land trusts also Tbreakdown and complexity of land generations. They may require that property receive funds from government programs to ownership along the trail. Unlike many of our owners give up some rights over land use and acquire, protect, and manage land. Altruistic sister National Scenic Trails, the The Florida development since their goal is to protect donors do exist along the Florida Trail! A Trail (FT) crosses through dozens of land these resources from development or other great example of this is along the Suwannee management units and even more private activities that may lead to disruption or pol- River near Bell Springs. The Opgenorth parcels. This ownership, while making the lution. Land trusts conserve all types of land: family donated a trail easement to the route unique, also poses a challenge: how to farmland or ranchland, forests, mountains, Florida Trail Association (FTA) many years protect the trail in such a fragmented land- prairies, deserts, wildlife habitat, cultural ago, preserving a trail route connecting the scape. This is neither exclusive to the Florida resources such as archaeological sites or trailhead to nearby Suwannee River Water Trail, nor to the rest of Florida in general, but battlefields, urban parks, scenic corridors, Management District Lands. Another major something that is applicable to the country, coastlines, wetlands or waterways. It is up example of government land acquisition pro- if not the world. How is land protected, to each organization to decide what type of grams is discussed in the following section preserved, sustainably used, and treated with land to protect according to its mission. about Camp Blanding. respect for future generations? One way is Many different strategies are used to According to The Land Trust Alliance, through organizations called land trusts. provide this protection, including outright a national organization that supports land Land trusts are organizations that donation or acquisition of the land by the trusts across the nation, there are more than take legal ownership, stewardship, or partial trust. In other cases, the land will remain in 1,667 land trusts operating in every state of control over property at the behest of the private hands, but the trust will purchase a the United States with 29 accredited trusts landowner. Conservation land trusts are conservation easement on the property to operating in Florida. While there are many tasked with the management of land to prevent development, or purchase any min- land trusts working hard to protect wild Flor-

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 33 ida, there are a few standout organizations that work closely with the FTA and US For- est Service. Here are some of our partners:

NORTH FLORIDA LAND TRUST The North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) seeks to preserve the natural resources, historic places, and working lands of North Florida. Since 1999 the NFLT has protected over 20,000 acres of wild spaces spread across 12 counties in the state. Recently FTA, in partnership with the US Forest service, created a proposal for a future collaboration with the NFLT on one of their recent acquisitions in Clay Coun- ty. This acquisition is part of the Ocala to Osceola Conservation Corridor, or O2O for short. The O2O is a network of forested and rural lands that make up a 1.6-million-acre wildlife corridor connecting Ocala Nation- al Forest to Osceola National Forest. The O2O is part of the larger Florida Wildlife Corridor, which is a network of connected lands throughout the State that serves as Florida’s “conservation blueprint” for optimal protection of natural resources, wildlife habitat, agriculture and open space. The O2O Partnership, of which the FTA and the US Forest Service are members, is a coalition of 16 public agencies and private organizations to protect land through direct acquisition and conservation management. The Florida Trail is the preeminent recreational feature PUTNAM LAND MI, MA, TX, MS, WI, and so on. that ties the O2O corridor together and is a CONSERVANCY Whether lots were purchased as proud member of this group. Putnam Land Conser- investment properties or a space Camp Blanding Joint Training Cen- vancy (PLC) is a regional, to retire, they sit abandoned. ter is the primary military reservation and nonprofit Florida land trust Unfortunately, this large area has training base for the Florida National Guard. dedicated to working coop- become a playground, party spot, and It is located in the heart of O2O, and is a eratively with landowners and public and dumping ground, and the environmental prominent partner in the effort to build the private conservation partners to preserve toll is evident. Fortunately, through the work O2O Corridor. Camp Blanding helps fund and protect important natural areas and of PLC and their partners, the dynamic is acquisition of land and conservation ease- open spaces– including wetlands,waterways, changing and the land is being purchased for ments to protect wildlife habitat and military forests, farmlands, and environmentally conservation. Up until 2018, the FT navi- training, while deterring incompatible land significant habitats. PLC focuses on Putnam gated through the heart of Mondex, passing development surrounding the installation. County, but their range of activity compris- through many PLC protected properties Since 2016, this partnership has enabled the es the tri-county (Putnam-Alachua-Clay) on dirt roads. Unfortunately the route was acquisition of over 7,000 acres of conserva- region. never fully protected-- parts of the trail had tion land, which are managed and protected An area of focus just north of the to remain on roads rather than in the forest. by NFLT. As Camp Blanding works to en- Ocala National Forest is known locally as Around that time, an opportunity large its footprint through land conservation Mondex, a classic undeveloped north Florida presented itself to relocate the trail onto an the Florida Trail will be able to move off of subdivision that was sold off to out-of-state adjacent land parcel that was permanently connecting roadwalks in the vicinity of the buyers, many of whom have never seen their protected by an access easement. While the base. Our latest proposed routing change property. This was a common scheme, where easement is for access only, the property is will remove 1.6 miles of road walk in the vacant lots were advertised in out of state also protected by a conservation easement vicinity of Goldhead Branch State Park and areas offering Florida land on the cheap. held by the State of Florida. The deal was a there will potentially be more opportunities According to the property appraiser data, very good opportunity for the permanent in the future to continue this work. current owners live in states such as NJ, protection of the FT and the trail was moved 34 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org tion and the Murray family, the beautifully wooded 470-acre site is located 25 miles Mondex northeast of Orlando in Seminole County. Once a family farm with orange groves and grazing cattle, the site also features a small creek and undisturbed woodlands. Once acquired, TPL immediately sold this property to the USFS. This is a common practice in the land trust world in which land trusts assist with the purchase of a property but are either unable or unwilling to manage the land in perpetuity. Another land trust that has partnered with the FTA is the Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT). While their lands do not touch the FT, they now operate in counties where the trail lies, which opens up the possibility of future partnership. Our friendship may not yet be trail related, but ACT has gener- ously donated the use of their Prairie Creek Lodge to the FTA in the past. This standout organization deserves high accolades for their amazing conservation work!

NOKUSE Twenty years ago, entrepreneur and conservation- ist M.C. Davis purchased more than 54,000 acres of Florida’s Panhandle. He had a dream of restoring what had become pine plantations and sod farms back to the sweep- ing longleaf pine forests that once dominat- ed the Southeast. He called it Nokuse (black bear in the Muscogee language) Plantation, which is the largest privately owned nature to the property boundary of Mondex and the owned by the Robinson family for the pur- preserve in the Southeastern United States. neighboring land. Currently, the FT crosses pose of conservation. In total, 550 acres out The plantation worked with the US Forest only a single PLC property at the south end of a possible 980 acres have been protected Service and the Florida Trail Association of Mondex. with many more to be added in the future. soon after purchasing the land to establish The USFS is currently in the midst a permanent conservation easement across of signing a partnership agreement with OTHER LAND TRUSTS the landscape. This easement will forever the PLC. This will solidify the partnership Throughout its history, the Florida Trail has protect the Florida Trail corridor through the between PLC, the USFS, and the FTA. The benefited from the partnership and generos- region. partnership is currently based on recognition ity of several other land trusts and organiza- Using that conservation easement as only which carries a mutual understanding tions, some of them operating on a national well as adjacent public lands in the North- of what the values of each organization are. scale. The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is one west Florida Water Management District, While the trail only crosses one property, of the largest and oldest conservation land the Nokuse section of the Florida Trail PLC continues to work hard to protect the trusts in the United States with more than spans 27.7 miles, all roadless, from the land in this area which has a direct impact on 5,000 successful projects under its belt. Choctawhatchee River to US 331 north the scenic quality of the FT route. TThe pro- In 2002, TPL successfully purchased of Freeport. Sections of Nokuse include: tection of land adjacent to the trail ensures Mills Creek Woodlands, which protects a Lafayette Creek, Forgotten Creek, and the no nearby development and protects the two-mile section of the trail that links the Choctawhatchee River. viewshed, or what can be seen from the trail. Little Big Econ State Forest to the north- As an entrepreneur, but also a con- To date, PLC has protected 284 parcels, west and Seminole County's Chuluota Wil- servationist, Davis saw the opportunity to totaling 300 acres in Mondex. This is in derness to the southeast. Formerly jointly fund his restoration efforts on his massive addition to 233 parcels totaling 250 acres owned by Pineloch Management Corpora- landscape. Davis sold a 9-mile conservation Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 35 Protection Program of the FTA. Over the course of approximately 5 years, the USFS received and spent 17 million dollars! The end of the Trust also meant simplified administration for an already small FTA staff and the elimination of one 501c3 designation. Complete with a Trail Protection Committee and designated land acquisition fund, the goals and central ideas of the land trust became absorbed into the FTA’s general operating procedures. The land acquisition fund and trail protection committee still exist today, and were recently tapped into for the first time in many years for the purchase of a trail easement along the Withlacoochee River in Hamilton County. As federal funds are not always readily available for Florida Trail land acquisition, the future of trail gap closure and trail protection will lean heavily on financial self-reliance on the part of the FTA but also partnerships with private organizations such as land trusts. The good and bad news is that with every passing year, the relevance and importance of the trail grows as the state becomes evermore fragmented and developed. As time moves on, it will become increasingly difficult to purchase land for the trail as acquisition dollars are needed all over the state to protect conservation based resources from rampant development. There is a lot of reason for optimism though! We can celebrate the recent pas- sage of the Great American Outdoors Act which fully and permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and provided nearly $10 billion dollars to cover backlogged maintenance in the National Park System. The Land and Water Conser- vation Fund is a federal program that was established by an Act of Congress in 1965 easement to the US Forest Service on the Florida Trail Land Trust’s work was to serve as to provide funds and matching grants to Lafayette Creek and Choctawhatchee sec- a lobbying organization that researched and federal, state and local governments for the tions for over $4 million dollars and donated put forward proposals to state and federal acquisition of land and water, and easements an 8.25-mile easement at the same time. bodies that had the funds to purchase and on land and water, for the benefit of all His idea was to take advantage of the cash protect the trail corridor. The Land Trust was Americans. The main emphases of the fund value of recreational opportunities on his never well suited for raising its own funds. are recreation and the national protection of land and immediately redirect it towards the During its tenure, the Trust negotiated land natural treasures in the forms of parks, pro- betterment of that very land. sales in St. Marks, the Apalachicola National tected forest and wildlife areas. The Great Forest, and in Hamilton County near Bell American Outdoors Act is a major accom- FLORIDA TRAIL Springs. Only one time in its history did the plishment, years in the making, and creates LAND TRUST Florida Trail Land Trust purchase property a new environment where conservation and From the early using its own funds; a small parcel adjacent recreation are seen as something that needs 1990s to 2000, to the TPL purchased Mill Creek property. to be funded wholly. The Florida Trail This was transferred to USFS ownership Your tax-deductible donations to the Land Trust existed from the FTA. Florida Trail Associaton allow us to be ready as a separate Beginning around 2000, the USFS when opportunities arise to secure additional 501c3 non-profit started receiving earmarked acquisition lands and easments. Your donations allow organization working funds for land along the Florida Trail. And us to travel and lobby at both the state and alongside and within the so, the trust slowly dissolved back into the federal level for the FTA's priority landscapes Florida Trail Association. The focus of the parent organization and into an official Trail and these newly available funds. 36 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Historical Byrd Hammock by Adam Fryska, Panhandle Trail Program Manager

Potsherd from the Byrd Hammock site

and plaza. Even after a village was abandoned and its structures had decomposed, the midden rings and burial mound would remain. Over time they would slowly be covered by vegetation and soil, and then weathered by wind and rain. From an onlooker's perspective today, the Byrd Hammock site appears as a series of low scattered humps of earth within a hardwood hammock. On an otherwise flat forest floor, these mounds offer the first clues that this landscape has been impacted by human activity. Looking closer, one can see other signs: rich, dark soil stands out from the surrounding white sand, a sign of decomposed organic materi- al. Within the soil are accumulated bits of shell, bones, and pottery fragments. These fragments provide hints about what the lives of these people were like; what they ate, the tools they used, even their Photo courtesy of the National Park Service religious and cultural practices. NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY ALONG THE FLORIDA TRAIL Exploring the Byrd Hammock Archeological Site he Florida Trail is well known for its unique natural environments and subtropical scenery. No other National TScenic Trail offers anything like it; hikers encounter cypress domes and moss-draped live oaks, rolling wiregrass savannah and pine flatwoods, dark swamps and emerald gulf waters. Hiking along the FT, it's easy to imagine that you’re exploring a landscape untouched by people, and a key part of our mission is protecting these places from further human development. But the idea of a primitive Florida, a wilderness without people, is a myth. For thousands of years before European colonization, the Native people of Florida lived in these environments. They built their homes and villages, hunted and fished, and practiced their religions. While the history of these civilizations can be difficult to trace—we have no written record or oral history to rely on—the archaeological record can be surprisingly illuminating. A key to understanding this history has been the excavation of Native American villages. One area in particular—the Byrd Hammock site near Wakulla Beach in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge—has emerged as an important place along the Florida Trail to highlight this history. The Byrd Hammock site consists of two adjacent villages dating back to 400-850 AD. Both villages were laid out with a large central plaza surrounded by wooden shelters, with ring middens encircling the living areas and a burial mound nearby. A midden is the accumulated

debris left behind by human activity. The inhabitants of these pre- Photo courtesy of the National Park Service historic villages would carry out shells, bones, pottery fragments, and other waste to pile up along the outskirts of the village. These dumping sites would eventually take the form of a ring surrounding the homes SEAC Excavations of the Byrd Hammock Site Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 37 Photos courtesy of the National Park Service

Layout of the Byrd Hammock Archaeological Site Stone tools recovered from Byrd Hammock

By examining the artifacts found within the Byrd Hammock the 40s and 50s, making discoveries about the middens and their mounds and other sites throughout the Southeast, archaeologists have significance. Unfortunately, these early excavations also helped to concluded that they actually belonged to two separate cultural groups, popularize the location of these sites to people less interested in the Swift Creek People and the Weeden Island People. One seems academic discovery and more invested in making a profit. Over the to have superseded the other, although for a time the villages existed last hundred years, looters and pothunters have repeatedly pillaged the side-by-side. The Swift Creek people came first; their pottery features site, searching for burial pottery and stone tools such as arrowheads. a prominent stamped pattern created by repeatedly pressing a carved Without protection by state or federal authorities, the site was wide wooden paddle into wet clay. In contrast, the Weeden Island people open for exploitation. would directly inscribe their pottery, creating more intricate designs. To safeguard the future of the Byrd Hammock mounds, the The burial mounds of the Weeden Island people also suggest a change FTA has partnered with the US Forest Service, the St. Marks National in religious practices. Their mounds have a solar alignment; a person Wildlife Refuge, and the U.S. National Park Service's Southeast standing within the plaza of a Weeden Island village would see the Archeological Center (SEAC) to develop a plan to protect and share sun set directly over the mound on the winter solstice. While there’s this site with the public. This is an exciting development for the much we don’t know, these clues hint at social changes within these Florida Trail; in St. Marks alone, there are four prehistoric village sites communities, as one village was abandoned and new cultural practices directly along the FT, none of which have been opened for public emerged. interpretation. Like any large conservation effort, the project has The Byrd Hammock site was first excavated in 1918 by an taken many years and the combined efforts of many partner groups. explorer named Clarence B. Moore. Moore traveled throughout the In 2013, SEAC first began working with county officials and local southeast on a mission to document and excavate prehistoric Native partners to acquire the land containing the Byrd Hammock site. The American villages. He correctly theorized that many of the structures land was ultimately purchased and then donated to the U.S. Fish and he found were burial mounds. Archaeologists built upon his work in Wildlife Service to become part of the St. Marks Refuge. 38 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Photos courtesy of the National Park Service

Close View of some Byrd Hammock Pottery

As a first step in developing this site for interpretation, the FTA was awarded a grant from the State of Florida’s Division of Historical Resources to coordinate the creation of an interpretive website about Examples of Swift Creek Pottery the Byrd Hammock site. SEAC collaborated with the Florida Center for Interactive Media to create the website. This portion of the project was recently published and can be viewed at byrdhammock.floridatrail. ensure future protection of the resource and to maximize visibility of org. SEAC also created 3-D scans of many artifacts recovered from the mounds and middens. Some of the trees and undergrowth from the site, along with a virtual reality artifact explorer program to allow the plaza sites will be cleared, allowing visitors to imagine the scale of users to interact with the models. Owners of virtual reality (VR) head- the vanished settlements. We'll also work to create signage, kiosks, sets can download this software from the Byrd Hammock website, and and other interpretive tools to help tell the story of the people who the FTA will be showcasing a VR headset with this software at future lived here. Once all of the improvements are complete, the FTA is outreach and tabling events. looking forward to collaborating with SEAC and the St. Marks Refuge Of course, these digital resources are only the first step in a on school programs and educational trips to the site. With its close larger plan to open this historical site for public access. Our next step proximity to the Wakulla Beach Trailhead, we anticipate that Byrd will be working with the St. Marks Refuge to build a short spur trail Hammock will become a popular landmark along this section of the that will connect the Florida Trail to the village site. National Park Florida Trail. Service (NPS) archeologists will help us to prepare the site, both to Stay tuned to our Eblaze newsletter for further developments! Leave No Trace TM Center for Outdoor Ethics | LNT.org

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 39 Volunteer Spotlight: Angie Vasquez By Community Outreach Manager, Van Tran

Volunteer Spotlight by Van Tran, Community Outreach Manager

ANGIE VASQUEZ

Angie volunteering with the FTA for her first time during the first Girls Who Hike FL work party in Green Swamp West.

ur experiences in nature build management and later, a graduate degree In 2017, after moving back to Florida on themselves—each adventure in business. Prior to moving to Florida, she and settling in Deland, Angie created contributing to more lessons learned served three years in the army before she was the Meetup group, Girls Who Hike FL O (GWHFL), to get more women out on the and each immersive experience feeding a medically discharged due to a meniscus injury. growing curiosity and sense of wonder. As we After completing her MBA at the University trails in Florida. The goal of Girls Who Hike set off on adventures, some of us carry with of Phoenix, she briefly pursued a career in FL (meetup.com/GirlsWhoHikeFl/) is to unite us distant memories of being introduced to hospitality management in Las Vegas. It was women of all ages and backgrounds who love the outdoors from a young age. Glimmers there in Nevada that Angie began actively to hike and explore. of the past enter our minds like dappled hiking. She explored Red Rock Canyon and light shimmering through tree canopies. other trails outside of Las Vegas as a mental “We believe each member has something to Those who have identified with being in the and physical escape and form of exercise for offer the group; whether it’s your first time or outdoors for a lifetime often walk these her and her dog. As a novice hiker, Angie did hundredth on the trail. Together we can show natural paths with confidence and ease. While not hesitate to form a hiking community, one another how to face our fears regardless of many are bestowed an early gift of familiarity seek out advice and learn from others. To what the fear may be. Our community is more and belonging to outdoor spaces, there are accomplish this, she started a Meetup group than a Meetup group, we are family.” many who are bravely working to blaze those called Angel’s Excursions. paths and shed that light for themselves and In the initial months of the group’s formation, for others. Angie Vasquez is one of these “It was great because I was able to learn a Angie led all of the GWHFL events on her trailblazers. lot from many of the seasoned hikers who own. The events were based throughout A California native who grew up in joined the group, but I was disappointed Central Florida, spanning from Ocala San Diego, Angie relocated to Florida as an that it was mostly men and barely any National Forest down to Blowing Rocks in adult to attend culinary school for restaurant women who participated.” Jupiter. What started as group sizes of just 40 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Volunteer Spotlight: Angie Vasquez By Community Outreach Manager, Van Tran

Hiking the loop trail in Blackbear Wilderness Area. Sanford, FL.

a handful of women has now grown into a community of roughly 20 to 25 regular participants, some of whom have stepped into leadership roles to coordinate and host trips alongside Angie. In 2019, GWHFL hosted a total of over 120 Meetup events. In addition to hiking trips, the events also included camping trips, kayaking tours and even participation in a 5k run. In response to COVID-19 this year, Angie and the other group leaders have been holding many Zoom calls to brainstorm how to continue staying active as a group while navigating COVID-19 concerns. She was relieved that COVID-19 arose in late spring at a time when their trips were starting to wind down in frequency. This allowed the group time to rethink and revise their safety protocols to prevent exposure and spread of the virus during their Meetup events. Angie is grateful she can refer to the FTA and other organizations as resources for developing these new COVID protocols. Beyond bringing together hikers of all skill levels, Angie also felt inspired to form Girls Who Hike FL as a way for women to help each other overcome any anxiety or fear they may have of the outdoors. Liz “Snorkel” Thomas, a Japanese American long-distance hiker who held the unsupported speed record for the Appalachian Trail from 2011-2015, wrote in an article published in Adventure Journal: “Real change happens when women go out and take that first step in the woods. The real empowering education and confidence comes from showing yourself that you can do something that previously seemed impossible.”

Hiking the Trillium Falls Trail in Cali- fornia Redwoods National Park. Photo courtesy of Angels_Excursions Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 41 Angie and GWHFL group members standing among the beautiful oak hammocks in Green Swamp West.

42 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 43 44 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Group photo at the end of a successful collaborative work party with Girls Who Hike FL and Outdoor Afro. Ocala National Forest Western Corridor.

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 45 Assisting previous GWHFL co-leader, Eva Algermissen, in sawing and removing a downed limb from the trail in Green Swamp West.

In creating a welcoming environment and Through her learning experiences and an empathetic community that embraces development as a hiker, Angie has felt vulnerability as one of the first steps to inspired to teach outdoor skills to others as overcoming obstacles, the women of well as share the joy of discovering Florida’s GWHFL are encouraged to push outside diverse and abundant public lands. In 2018, their limits, defy stereotypes and reclaim a REI Winter Park outreach coordinator the outdoors as a space where women reached out to Angie and invited her to a can be as equally competent and capable tabling event at the store where she shared as anyone else. She recognizes that her hiking information and ways to get involved organization is among a vast network of with GWHFL. After that, she was asked to others that are working to close the gender begin teaching workshops for REI Winter gap and bolster equity and inclusion in the Park. Since then, Angie has been teaching outdoors, and encourages the members monthly workshops at the store and in of GWHFL to join other groups including outdoor settings. The topics have included: Women Who Hike and Hike Like a Girl. hiking basics, how to plan and lead hikes, and top hiking destinations and trails in Florida to Photo courtesy of Angie Vasquez “It is so fulfilling to me to be able to support explore. Although she was initially intimidated and groom these women to become more by the task, Angie has discovered a newfound comfortable and confident with being on trails passion as an outdoor educator and has Hiking in Tongass National Forest, and in the outdoors. I love seeing them continue formed meaningful connections with many Ketchikan, Alaska. to hike, even if it’s not with the group.” participants who have attended her classes.

46 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Her classes through REI Winter Park have been on pause this year due to COVID, but she hopes to soon start back up with teaching once new safety guidelines are established at the store. When Florida Trail Association (FTA) staff heard about the Hiking 101 workshops Angie was instructing at REI, we invited Girls Who Hike FL to host a series of similar workshops at the National Trails Festival in October of 2018 in DeLand. The FTA hosted this three-day event in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System. Angie and two other GWHFL co-leaders, Eva Algermissen and Summer Elcock, led their classes with sincere and welcoming energy throughout the weekend of the festival. Since then, GWHFL has gone on to table and speak at our past three annual Wild & Scenic Film Festivals. Our partnership with Girls Who Hike FL continues to blossom. In addition to GWHFL’s dynamic participation in the FTA’s outreach events, we have also hosted two collaborative work parties with the group. Our first work party with them was in March of 2019 in Green Swamp West. It was a fun and successful maintenance event and a new volunteer experience for many of the members of GWHFL who were able to gain a sense of ownership and responsibility for the land after taking part in maintaining it.

“I love volunteering with the FTA. I try to encourage people to volunteer with the FTA as often as I can and enjoy sharing how great it is that you get to gain new skills, learn how to use different equipment, camp out, discover new places... and get fed good food! I didn’t know before how much work it took to maintain a trail and I think it’s important that other people realize that as well and take part in giving back to the trail.”

Last December, we hosted a joint work party in the Western Corridor of Ocala National Forest with both GWHFL and Outdoor Afro, another tremendously valuable partner organization we have worked closely with over the past few years. Outdoor Afro (outdoorafro.com) is one of the nation’s leading networks that celebrates and inspires African American connections and leadership in nature. Both of these partner organizations help us to introduce new users and stewards of the Florida Trail and bridge gaps for greater representation and inclusion on the trail and in Florida’s public lands.

Exploring the Horseshoe Lake Trail in Denali National Park, Alaska.

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 47 away in 2017) and set off at the beginning of “I feel there is a need for more representation August on a cross-country tour. Currently, of brown people in the outdoors. I’m usually one her van-life adventures are being spotlighted of the only people of color on the trail or at a on the Youtube channel for Black Nomads park. I’m a Black Puerto Rican American and Meet (blacknomadsmeetup.org), a project can identify with so many others who have felt designed to connect Black van-lifers and marginalized in different landscapes and parts welcome black people to learn more about of society. I can see how people of color would the nomadic lifestyle. feel intimidated about being in the outdoors However exceptionally isolating this because they don’t feel like they belong. I think year has been for many across the globe, there needs to be more education to encourage Angie has continued to build community and more underrepresented groups to explore the expand her influence by becoming active outdoors. For me, being able to teach first hand with virtual networks that work to build has been one of the ways I’ve felt I can help representation and amplify the narratives of to promote change and more inclusiveness people of color in the outdoors. She recently within the outdoor community.” joined Latinxhikers (latinxhikers.com) and participated as a panelist in a Latinxhikers For Angie, finding healing and a sense of Fireside Chat that Florida Trail Association identity in nature has steered her to new (FTA) and Appalachian Trail Conservancy horizons. Last summer, she served as a hiking (ATC) Latinx Partnerships Coordinator, guide in Ketchikan, Alaska where she led an Luz Lituma, hosted in October in honor of array of tours in Tongass National Forest, the Hispanic Heritage Month. She also partnered second largest rainforest in the world next to with Luz and others in developing a virtual the Amazon. From leading bear tours along toolkit, “Solo Road Trip Safety Tips for Black the salmon run to guiding an interpretive & Indigenous Women of Color .” Angie is forest walk for a group of sight-impaired dedicated to making the outdoors a safe friends, Angie felt continually affirmed that space for all to enjoy and thrive in. If we want connecting people from all walks of life to future stewards to be moved to protect our nature was her calling. She had originally public lands, we need to ensure that they can planned to return to Ketchikan this summer see themselves reflected in that landscape. as a tour manager, but the tours were Whether it be helping a new hiker overcome canceled due to COVID-19. Disappointed their fear of banana spiders by encouraging but steadfast with ambition and a thirst for them to take photos of their intricate webs, adventure, she saw this as an opportunity to or guiding a blind person to touch moss and Hiking to a waterfall in pursue another dream. This summer, Angie lichen as a way of “seeing” a rainforest, Angie Ketchikan, Alaska. retrofitted a camper van (which she named is continually showing people that they are a after her pitbull, Peter Parker, who passed part of the landscape.

Girls Who Hike FL & Outdoor Afro FT Maintenance Weekened. Ocala National Forest Western Corridor.

48 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org The New Normal by Luz Lituma, Latinxhikers Cofounder & ATC/FTA Latinx Partnerships Coordinator

CHANGING OUTDOOR REPRESENTATION AND NARRATIVES

Luz coordinated the first ever Latinx Trail Crew on the AT as a part of Latino Conservation Week, July 2019. Luz was awarded a 2020 National Trail Intern Grant from the Partnership for the National Trails System to advance the work of the dual Latinx Partnership Coordinator role with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Florida Trail Association.

s cofounder of Latinxhikers, a community created to bring for us. This meant our vacations were usually staycations and we’d do more diversity to trails, I am interested in addressing and pig roasts at the lake or throw big outside parties with a lot of food. Achanging the lack of diversity in outdoor recreation. Two This was our way of being outdoorsy, and a lot of the Latinx commu- major factors holding back progress are lack of access to public lands nity resonates with that version. and lack of representation in the outdoor recreation industry. Julia It wasn’t until 2016—after I unexpectedly summited Vini- Hartz, CEO of Eventbrite, once said, "If you can’t see it, you can’t cunca, Rainbow Mountain in Peru, a 17,000-foot mountain—that be it," when speaking of women role models in the media. You must I started hiking. I say unexpected because I honestly didn’t know be able to see others who look like you to feel inspired and empow- what I was signing up for. The guide told us to "just wear comfortable ered. Representation matters. Representation is crucial. shoes." It was one of the hardest hikes I've ever done. After doing Latinxhikers began as an Instagram account where cofounder that, I felt like I could do anything. I switched up my way of travel Adriana Garcia and I would share personal experiences of being out and started visiting as many national parks as possible. on the trails. We wanted to create a space where we could share our As the Latinxhikers community grew, so did our access to stories as two Latinx women and provide advice for other Latinxs recreational opportunities. One of the best has been working with to go outdoors. I wasn’t always what one would typically consider the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and the Florida Trail Asso- "outdoorsy." I am a first-generation daughter of two immigrants from ciation (FTA) as a Latinx Partnership Coordinator. This position was Ecuador. Leisure time and family vacations were few and far between created almost two years ago to bring more diversity to the outdoors Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 49 Luz Lituma leads a group hike in Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area for a Latinxhikers event.

Photo courtesy of Christian Restrepo and within environmental conservation or- which is how we’ve engaged with outdoor which have kept the Latinx community from ganizations. My job is to create stewardship spaces in the past—are out of the picture. building a relationship with the outdoors. and volunteer opportunities for the Latinx With that in mind, I wanted to make sure By hosting a virtual hike during LCW, community. But, my personal goal is to help people were still motivated to go outside and I encouraged people to get on a trail in their people gain a greater appreciation for trails explore their own backyard. One way we’ve area and become aware of who maintains so we can establish a deeper connection to invited the community to participate was by the trails they’re enjoying. I think there’s a the lands and in return, create more lifelong hosting a virtual hike for Latino Conservation common misconception that people get paid stewards of these spaces. Week (LCW) in July. LCW was founded in to do this work. Not many people know that 2014 by the Hispanic Access Foundation to the trails they recreate on are maintained by CREATING AFFINITY SPACES encourage the Latinx community to access people like us—volunteers who help main- Creating affinity spaces is critical when nature and build a connection to outdoor tain and protect the paths which everyone introducing the Latinx community to the recreation and environmental stewardship. can walk on. My hope was to inspire others trails. It helps our community feel safe and By engaging with the outdoors among a to volunteer with the conservation orga- welcomed in places that have historically group with shared identities, one of LCW’s nizations in their area—when it’s safe. The oppressed many people of color. During the goals is to change the shape and narrative of feedback and participation were tremendous. COVID-19 pandemic, group gatherings— outdoor recreation and dissolve the barriers People did their homework by finding out 50 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org who maintains their trails! ness to their small group, but they also post- hosting women’s workdays, while responding Here’s part of a post Kassandra Del- ed about it on social media which spread the to COVID-19’s impact. Like the virtual hike gado, a fellow Latinxhiker from California, word to their networks, families, and friends for LWC, WEW hosted a women’s walkabout shared on her Instagram: "To be honest, as well. for National Public Lands Day that invited all I’m always so eager to lace up my hiking to get out for a walk, stroll, or trek nearby in boots and add another summit to my hiking SHARING WOMEN'S STORIES September. Participants were encouraged to resume that I never stop to think about who Another way we’ve been engaging our incorporate a service component, if possible. is maintaining these trails. In honor of LCW, Appalachian Trail and Florida Trail lovers is A virtual happy hour was also planned to I decided to do some digging and found out by creating opportunities to share stories bring everyone together to share the stories that volunteers from The Mountaineers of amazing women on the trail. Wild East of the day and connect the community paint, repair, and clean the lookout year Women (WEW) is an affinity group created despite our current social distances. after year so that hikers like us can continue to help and encourage women to engage Sharing volunteer stories is a way to to visit." with the trail in meaningful ways. The group’s inspire other women to attend future events. We had over 80 mini-groups all over goal is to create future women adventur- Experiences shared by first-timers on volun- the United States join and become informed. ers, stewards, and leaders in the outdoor teer trail crews, especially, show others that Not only did those individuals bring aware- community. The group has been focused on everyone is a beginner at one point. We’re Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 51 Introducing the Florida Trail Passport

Luz adapts to the times by wearing a mask and hosting a virtual hike during Latino Conservation Week.

also sharing stories through different mediums like podcasts. The WEW group is working with She Explores to develop a podcast series called Where We Walk. This six-part series highlights trails through both the women who helped to build them as well as those who continue to make it what it is today. The series will tell a multi-di- mensional story through a range of voices from diverse backgrounds, hoping to engage a wider audience and encourage more folks to embark on their first volunteer journey. There has been a greater appreciation for the outdoors during this pandemic. It is so inspiring to see people who previously had hardly ever gone outside now hit the trails and love it. With this new appreciation, we hope we can inform these newer hikers to join and to engage with organizations like the FTA and the ATC, and to learn their efforts and hard work. Continuing with our focus to enhance representation, we have also coordinated a Latinxhikers Fireside Chat/ Discussion Panel and a cooking series in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep. 15 - Oct. 15). We hope to inspire many new first-time volunteers in the near future. Even if we can’t be together, we’ll find ways to make it work. When it comes to the outdoors, let’s work together to change the stories, the connections, and the perspectives of the great outdoors.

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A collaborative FTA volunteer work party with Girls Who Hike FL on the Florida National Scenic Trail in Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area.

52 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Revealed along its trails A footstep at a time A paddlestroke away A ride into the unknown: Florida, naturally.

FloridaHikes.com Trail information, how-to, reviews, guidebooks & more

Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 53 FTA Chapters List of Florida Trail Association Chapters

ALLIGATOR AMBLERS CHAPTER When you join the state-wide Florida Trail Association you automatically become a member Charlotte, Collier, and Lee of your local chapter based upon your zip code. However, members may attend the activi- Carl Kepford 239-253-4255 ties of any chapter and may transfer to any chapter they wish simply by informing the FTA Office. APALACHEE CHAPTER Florida Trail activities are organized by our local chapters and are led by authorized vol- Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, unteer activity leaders. Many of our activities are open to the general public so you can get Liberty, and Wakulla to know us before you join. Activities can be found online at floridatrail.org. Click on “About Elwood McElhaney 850-878-4389 Us” then click on the “Upcoming Events” button on the left. Local activities are usually also BIG CYPRESS CHAPTER listed on the chapter websites, Facebook pages and Meetups. Click on “About Us” then “Our Miami-Dade and Monroe Chapters” for links to local chapter sites. Ernie Lynk 305-495-4007 Participants in activities must sign an Assumption of Risk form and agree to accept Eve Cater 305-331-5047 personal responsibility for their safety and the safety of accompanying minors. Always contact the activity leader in advance for more information, to let them know you are attending, BLACK BEAR CHAPTER to find out any special requirements or equipment for the activity, and to check for any last Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia minute changes. Ed Riskosky 315-374-6500 CENTRAL FLORIDA CHAPTER For more information about chapters and links to websites/meetups/photos Orange, Seminole, and Osceola go online to FloridaTrail.org/about-us/chapters/ then select the chapter Bill Turman 407-413-2950 CHOCTAWHATCHEE CHAPTER Walton and Okaloosa Tim Crews 850-826-3605 FISHEATING CREEK CHAPTER Hendry and Glades Deanna Filkins 863-234-8181 HAPPY HOOFERS CHAPTER Broward Kay Ferrara 954-609-4727 HEARTLAND CHAPTER DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Jan Wells 863-608-2046 HIGHLANDERS CHAPTER Lake and Sumter Mike Tamburrino 303-809-3284 INDIAN RIVER CHAPTER Brevard and Indian River Bill Alexander 321-693-7369 LOXAHATCHEE CHAPTER Palm Beach Roy Moore 561-422-2189 SANDHILL CHAPTER SUWANNEE CHAPTER NORTH FL TRAILBLAZERS Alachua, Levy, Gilcrist, Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, and Marion Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor CHAPTER 352-378-8823 Norm McDonald 386-776-1920 Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Karen Garren 352-316-3453 St. Johns, and Union TROPICAL TREKKERS CHAPTER Ron Fish 904-612-5468 SUNCOAST CHAPTER Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie PANHANDLE CHAPTER Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Rick Deluga 772-781-7881 Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota WESTERN GATE CHAPTER and Washington Sue Bunge 727-504-8574 Escambia and Santa Rosa Darryl Updegrove 850-819-0414 Helen Wigersma 850-484-0528 54 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND GIFT FORM

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To order merchandise from the Florida Trail Store, visit www.FloridaTrail.org or call the Florida Trail office at 1-877-HIKE-FLA. Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 55 FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION Gainesville, FL 32601 Gainesville, 1022 NW 2nd Street The FTA Board of Directors visited St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge during a Board of Directors tour of the Big Bend Reroute in October of 2017. Each fall, St. Marks NWR is a stopping point for monarch Northern to the mountains of central Mexico. American boundary butterflies along their incredible 2,000 mile migration from the NON-PROFIT ORG Permit No. 592 PRSRT STD U S Postage Pontiac, IL PAID

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