Lake Talquin State Forest Brochure

STATE FOREST SPOTLIGHT Tings to Know When Visiting Florida Forest Service Slopes and Blufs Florida’s State Forests Lake Talquin State Forest covers approximately 19,400 acres in Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla and Te Florida Forest Service’s mission is to protect Liberty counties. The forest is composed of and manage Florida’s forest resources for the Lake Talquin many tracts of land, most of which are adjacent present and future enjoyment of all Floridians and to Lake Talquin and the Ochlockonee River. visitors. Tank you for helping to conserve our forests. Located in the southern extent of the State Forest Tallahassee Hills physiographic region of • Please take all garbage with you when you Florida, the topography at the forest can differ leave. as much as 100 feet, in some cases. The ravine • Overnight camping is allowed in designated slopes and high river bluffs at the Ft. Braden areas. Sites are available at High Bluf Tract provide some of Florida’s best trail campground, Ft. Braden, Bear Creek and Lines experiences. The Bear Creek Educational Center Tracts. Campsites can be reserved Trough and Forest provide an opportunity to learn Reserve America at FloridaStateForests. about the local natural resources including ReserveAmerica.com or by calling 877- plants and animals. 879-3859. Non-reserved campsites are also available at High Bluf Campground and Ft. Braden. • Hunting is permitted in Wildlife Management Areas with appropriate licenses and permits Love the state forests? So do we! during the designated hunting season. Hunting is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Te Friends of Florida State Forests is a direct- Conservation Commission. • All forest visitors are encouraged to contact support organization of the Florida Forest Service Lake Talquin State Forest headquarters dedicated to ensuring Florida’s state forests are for details on accessible trails, camping available for future generations to enjoy. Make a opportunities and for specifc Wildlife diference by joining today to help prtotect Florida’s Management Area regulations and season dates forests. before visiting any tract of Lake Talquin State Forest. Membership dues go to the forests for conservation • All Terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other and improvement projects. To join Friends or for unlicensed vehicles are not permitted on Lake more information, visit: Talquin State Forest. • Annual passes are available as an economical www.FloridaStateForests.org alternative to day use fees for frequent visitors. Passes may be obtained at your local forest ofce or online. For more information, visit: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE www.FDACS.gov/FLStateForests AND CONSUMER SERVICES DACS-P-00153 Rev. 10-2019 History Natural Resources Lake Talquin itself was created by the installation Lake Talquin State Forest contains a variety of a hydro-electric dam on the Ochlockonee of canopy cover types. More than 50 percent River. Te majority of Lake Talquin State Forest’s of the forest is made up of a mixture of pine/ 19,347 acres were conveyed by the Florida Power hardwood cover. Natural communities consist Corporation to the state of Florida in 1977. Te of pine fatwoods, upland pine forest, swamp 492-acre Bear Creek Tract was purchased from a bottomlands, sandhill and temperate hardwood private land owner with state funds. An additional forests. Outstanding examples of the unique slope 4,075 acres were purchased by the Florida Forest and ravine natural community can be found at the Service for and on behalf of the Board of Trustees Ft. Braden, Rocky Comfort, Joe Budd and Bear of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund using Creek tracts. Bear Creek Educational Center Preservation 2000 funds. Te variety of tree species on the forest is made Prior to state ownership, much of this land’s timber up of longleaf pine, slash pine, loblolly pine, laurel was removed in the mid-1970’s under a long-term oak, live oak, hickory, red maple, sweetbay, swamp timber contract. Afer taking over management, tupelo, bald cypress, fowering dogwood and turkey the Florida Forest Service’s reforestation and oak. Te forest is home to a diverse array of wildlife restoration eforts have focused on re-establishing including gopher tortoise, red shouldered hawk, the Longleaf pine forest and prescribed burning, an bobcat, bald eagle, coyote, osprey, white-tailed deer, essential component of forest health. fox squirrel, and morning dove. Te Ochlockonee River and Lake Talquin are both recognized as “Outstanding Florida Waters”. Both water bodies can be accessed from several locations Forestry Longleaf Pine and Wire Grass in Lake Talquin State Forest. Timber management practices on Lake Talquin State Forest provide a variety of socio-economic Recreation benefts for Floridians while enhancing, Lake Talquin State Forest ofers a variety of maintaining and restoring the ecosystems within recreational opportunities on its many diverse the forest. Reforestation eforts take place where tracts of land. Hiking, camping, horseback riding, the natural ecological communities have been biking, picnicking, birding and nature study can be historically manipulated from their original enjoyed using existing service roads, historic road state. Timber management activities adhere beds and established trails. All tracts along State to the Silviculture Best Management Practices Road 20 are a part of the Big Bend Scenic Byway. (BMPs) established by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Hunting and fshing on the forest are regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Prescribed fre is used as a tool by the Florida Forest Ravine view from Ft. Braden trail Commission. Lake Talquin State Forest is broken Service as the most economical and preferred For more information contact: down into three Wildlife Management Areas strategy to reduce the intensity and severity of Lake Talquin State Forest Headquarters (WMA): the Ochlockonee River, Talquin, and wildfres; to promote health in fre dependant 865 Geddie Road Tallahassee, FL 32304 Joe Budd Wildlife Management Areas. Fishing is ecosystems; and to increase the biodiversity of fora (850)681-5950 permitted in all waterways of Lake Talquin State and fauna. www.FDACS.gov/FLStateForests Forest, except for those on the Bear Creek Tract. .

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