DOCSLIB.ORG

S West Coast

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
S West Coast Celebrating the Natural Wonders of Florida’s West Coast < Outdoors West Florida – Images by Lee Foster By Lee Foster Mesmerized by an anhinga bird spearing small fish with its beak, I let my kayak drift down the headwaters of the Hillsborough River, near Tampa. Gar fish lounged in the clear springs that formed the river. Turtles dozed on logs as I passed. Great blue herons lifted off majestically before me. While kayaking, I pondered the popular notion that Florida is all man-made theme parks, urban congestion, and development out of control. Maybe it wasn’t so, after all. On this trip, my personal quest was to find natural Florida preserved. I decided to begin in Tampa, searching for what satisfying eco-encounters I could find close to an urban area. Using Tampa as my fly-in gateway, I planned to start my nature activities with a tour of the Florida Aquarium, and then kayak two special environments, the Hillsborough River and the Gulf barrier islands near the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. After Tampa, I planned to drive 1-1/2 hours north to Citrus County, which I understood was one of the best-preserved areas in the state. With its enormous oak trees and wilderness waterways, Citrus County resembles what most of Florida must have been like 100 years ago. Even more impressive are the steps being taken to protect these natural resources in the County. Nearly half of the county has been designated as public parks and preserves destined to remain untouched. Citrus boasts a healthy 157-mile wilderness river ecosystem, the Withlacoochee, which forms the eastern and northern boundaries of the county. The state’s largest herd of endangered Florida manatees makes its annual migration to the county’s Homosassa and Crystal rivers. An average adult manatee may be 10 feet long and weigh 1,000 pounds. These large mammals can survive comfortably during the winter months in the natural warm springs that originate here and flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Citrus is a premier region for Florida ecotourism travel of any kind. Watching wildlife, from the huge and gentle “sea cow” manatees to the native and migrating birds, is a major nature-based activity. Hiking, biking, kayaking and canoeing are also popular. With much anticipation, I started my trip in Tampa, as a prelude to further outdoor adventures in Citrus County. The Florida Aquarium proved to be an excellent introduction to the state’s water- rich ecosystems. At the Aquarium I followed the life of a Florida river from its first formative bubbles, emerging as springs from the aquifers. Rivers in Florida then make circuitous treks through relatively flat terrain to the ocean. The Aquarium showcases the birds, fish, and reptiles of the state, many occupying its glass-domed aviary. I delighted in a close-up view of a roseate spoonbill bird, whose wide snout allows it to feed in the shallows, shoveling back and forth. Canoe Escape organizes kayak and canoe trips along pristine sections of the Hillsborough River. Trips range from a few hours to all-day, and transportation to and from the riverbanks is provided. The area is easy to explore alone or with a guide. I started at the springs that are the river’s source. The primitive surroundings provided an agreeable paddle, showing me abundant wildlife. Remarkably, I was only minutes away from crowded highways and congested commercial developments while I watched the anhinga bird spear its dinner. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium offers another type of kayak experience–a biologist-led trek across open-ocean water to observe a bird rookery. Stopping at a nearby barrier island, everyone in the group came ashore to assist with water- quality tests and to participate in a coastal clean-up, collecting trash while pondering man’s effect on the environment. I saw numerous osprey and pelicans that nest here successfully in increasing numbers, a hopeful sign that these fish-rich waters are relatively healthy. I delighted in dolphins disporting themselves before me. I gathered trash, especially plastic bags that pollute the island beaches and are often mistaken by sea turtles for jellyfish and consumed, with lethal effect. After these interludes, I headed for Citrus County. A rental car is necessary for this exploration because no public transportation is available. I took a scenic route, driving north and then west across the county, savoring the pine forests and rolling grasslands, as well as the lovely oak-lined streets of the small town of Floral City. Lodging is available in the town of Homosassa, immediately adjacent to the county’s main eco-attraction, the Homosassa State Wildlife Park. The joyous encounter possible here for any traveler is an up-close look at rehabilitated manatees, who were brought here with severe injuries, usually caused by boat collisions. Fully recovered manatees are returned to the wilds, but if the injuries make survival in the wilds chancy, the mammals are kept here for public education, display, and reproduction if possible. Outside the gated area of the wildlife park I spotted a dozen wild manatees. The calm, warm waters of this protected area attract manatees inland. It is also possible to snorkel with the manatees here on the Homosassa and on the adjacent Crystal River, something I enjoyed on an earlier trip. Organizers of the manatee snorkel trips instruct participants to remain still and not harass the animals. Stabilizing the wild manatee population at roughly 3,800 animals constitutes a major environmental success story, though the fate of the manatees remains tenuous. If public education of boaters can reduce collisions with manatees, the large, gentle vegetarians should survive. The next major environmental undertaking of the Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park will be to establish a whooping crane colony. Crane populations have climbed, up from the critically small number of only three reproducing females in the 1940s. Whooping cranes are the largest birds in North America. Schemes to establish this whooping colony are truly incredible and necessary. The plan calls for an ultra-light pilot to fly with a few of the cranes from the Midwest to Florida, leading them on a route that is an alternative to their Texas wintering grounds. The merit of the plan is that the greater number of habitats the cranes have, the less likely they are to be wiped out by a catastrophe. Imprinting the flight route on the cranes is critical. A stroll through the wildlife park acquainted me with many other Florida species, from alligators to deer. An underwater viewing area put me face-to-face with the many species of fish, such as jack caravelle, that inhabit the Homosassa River along with the manatees. For a traveler, the wonderful reality of the Homosassa State Wildlife Park is that manatees can be seen year round. Wild manatees spend the warm summer in the shallow gulf coastal waters and enter the rivers only in the cooler winter months, when the ocean water turns chilly. The perpetual relative warmth of the springs is necessary for the manatee survival. If your schedule allows, go on a guided kayak excursion on the Homosassa River. The trip takes travelers to the swamplands down river, where there is no human habitation, and where bird life is abundant. This is also where fly fishermen stalk their prey, such as the redfish, in the shallow salt water flats. The county’s eastern border features a long, flat bicycle ride along the Withlacoochee State Trail and an airboat excursion down the vast wild area known as the Withlacoochee River. With a rental from Suncoast Bicycles shop in Inverness, I enjoyed a half-day ride along the tree-lined, linear state park, the Withlacoochee Trail. The path is a rails-to- trails legacy, where the former rail bed has been paved over (with recycled tires) as part of the national conversion of obsolete rail right-of-ways to recreational use. The entire Withlacoochee Trail is 47 miles, 30 miles of which are in Citrus. Bikers, joggers, and skaters can rest and relax at benches and picnic tables scattered along the route. The popular path offers engaging side-trip access to the small towns, such as Inverness and Floral Park, with their historic homes and small-town feeling. Suncoast Bicycles equipped me with maps and plenty of tips about the trail. Paralleling the Withlacoochee Trail and slightly east is the Withlacoochee River and 22-mile-long Tsala Apopka Lake. Such a river must be seen to be believed if one thinks that Florida has been totally developed. This watery ecosystem remains relatively uncharted. Though I wished to avoid the noise of an airboat, plus the potential damage to plants and animals as the airboat skims across vegetation, I elected to do an outing with Wild Bill’s Airboat Tours. The airboat allowed me to see a large area of the river in a short time. I immersed myself in this lovely environment, inhabited by mature bald cypress trees, fecund number of alligators, and the full panorama of birds, from egrets to herons, for which Florida is noteworthy. Several rivers in Citrus have the special Florida legal designation of being “Outstanding Rivers,” meaning their natural environment is special and merits a higher level of preservation. When the time came to leave Citrus County, I vowed to come back, perhaps to canoe or kayak on the Withlacoochee or to snorkel with the manatees again on the Homosassa River. I had only begun my meditation on Florida’s natural legacy in Citrus. Ironically, I learned, much of the county had once been planted in citrus, but a frost in the 1890s killed most of the trees and diminished the will to continue citrus farming, allowing for preservation of the natural environment.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Recommended Minimum Flows for the Lower Peace River and Proposed Minimum Flows Lower Shell Creek, Draft Report
    Recommended Minimum Flows for the Lower Peace River and Proposed Minimum Flows Lower Shell Creek, Draft Report November 30, 2020 Recommended Minimum Flows for the Lower Peace River and Proposed Minimum Flows for Lower Shell Creek, Draft Report November 30, 2020 Yonas Ghile, PhD, PH, Lead Hydrologist XinJian Chen, PhD, PE, Chief Professional Engineer Douglas A. Leeper, MFLs Program Lead Chris Anastasiou, PhD, Chief Water Quality Scientist Kristina Deak, PhD, Staff Environmental Scientist Southwest Florida Water Management District 2379 Broad Street Brooksville, Florida 34604-6899 The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) does not discriminate on the basis of disability. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions, including access to and participation in the District’s programs, services, and activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation, or who would like information as to the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and facilities, as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act, should contact Donna Eisenbeis, Sr. Performance Management Professional, at 2379 Broad St., Brooksville, FL 34604-6899; telephone (352) 796-7211 or 1-800- 423-1476 (FL only), ext. 4706; or email [email protected]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice). If requested, appropriate auxiliary aids and services will be provided at any public meeting, forum, or event of the District. In the event of a complaint, please follow the grievance procedure located at WaterMatters.org/ADA. i Table of Contents Acronym List Table......................................................................................................... vii Conversion Unit Table ..................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 Annual Report
    2018 ANNUAL REPORT Fish &Wildlife Foundation SECURING FLORIDA’S NATURAL FUTURE of FloridaT TM MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN Since our founding in 1994, the Fish & Wildlife and other gamefish populations are healthy. New we’re able to leverage your gifts many times Foundation of Florida has worked to ensure Florida wildlife preserves have been created statewide to over. From gopher tortoises and Osceola turkeys remains a place of unparalleled natural beauty, protect terns, plovers, egrets and other colonial to loggerhead turtles and snook, there are few iconic wildlife, world-famous ecosystems and nesting birds. Since 2010, more than 2.3 million native fish, land animals and habitats that aren’t unbounded outdoor recreational experiences. Florida children have participated in outdoor benefiting from your support. programs, thanks to the 350 private and public We’ve raised and given away more than $32 Please enjoy this annual report and visit our members of the Florida Youth Conservation million over that time, mostly to the Florida Fish website at www.wildlifeflorida.org. For 25 years, Centers Network, which includes FWC’s new and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for we’ve worked quietly behind the scenes to make Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Table of Contents which we are a Citizens Support Organization. good things happen. With your continued help, Beach and the Everglades Youth Conservation But we are also Florida’s largest private funder of we’ll do so much more. WHO WE ARE 3 Camp in Palm Beach County. outdoor education and camps for youth, and we’re WHAT WE DO 9 one of the most important funders of freshwater Our Foundation supports all of this.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Meindl Homosassa Springs: Canaries in the Coal Mine? Christopher F. Meindl University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Introduction The community of Homosassa, Florida is barely above sea level and just a handful of miles from the Gulf of Mexico, so it is on the front lines of the nation’s flood insurance crisis and will likely face problems associated with future sea level rise. The Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is now known more for its collection of mostly native Florida animals and the annual, cold season invasion of dozens of manatees to its life saving 72-degree (F) waters. Indeed, the community’s centerpiece is its springs, which empty into a common pool that forms the head of the Homosassa River. Homosassa’s Springs have been a roadside attraction for nearly a century, and like other Florida springs, they are sending warning signs regarding the condition of the Floridan aquifer that supplies them; as such they serve as “canaries in the coal mine.” This paper situates Homosassa’s springs within the constellation of Florida’s more than 1,000 springs as well as recent challenges and efforts to better manage and conserve these impressive water resources. Morris (1995, p.121) cites a Great Depression Era scholar, who defined Homosassa as a combination of Seminole-Creek words meaning “a place where wild pepper grows.” Morris (p.121) then claims that others (whom he does not cite) contend that the word Homosassa “means smoking creek—from the dense vapor that on cool days envelops the warm springs and river.” Whatever its name means, Homosassa’s springs are located in the small town of the same name in Citrus County, Florida—about 75 miles north of Tampa Bay.
    [Show full text]
  • Joint Public Workshop for Minimum Flows and Levels Priority Lists and Schedules for the CFWI Area
    Joint Public Workshop for Minimum Flows and Levels Priority Lists and Schedules for the CFWI Area St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) September 5, 2019 St. Cloud, Florida 1 Agenda 1. Introductions and Background……... Don Medellin, SFWMD 2. SJRWMD MFLs Priority List……Andrew Sutherland, SJRWMD 3. SWFWMD MFLs Priority List..Doug Leeper, SWFWMD 4. SFWMD MFLs Priority List……Don Medellin, SFWMD 5. Stakeholder comments 6. Adjourn 2 Statutory Directive for MFLs Water management districts or DEP must establish MFLs that set the limit or level… “…at which further withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area.” Section 373.042(1), Florida Statutes 3 Statutory Directive for Reservations Water management districts may… “…reserve from use by permit applicants, water in such locations and quantities, and for such seasons of the year, as in its judgment may be required for the protection of fish and wildlife or the public health and safety.” Section 373.223(4), Florida Statutes 4 District Priority Lists and Schedules Meet Statutory and Rule Requirements ▪ Prioritization is based on the importance of waters to the State or region, and the existence of or potential for significant harm ▪ Includes waters experiencing or reasonably expected to experience adverse impacts ▪ MFLs the districts will voluntarily subject to independent scientific peer review are identified ▪ Proposed reservations are identified ▪ Listed water bodies that have the potential to be affected by withdrawals in an adjacent water management district are identified 5 2019 Draft Priority List and Schedule ▪ Annual priority list and schedule required by statute for each district ▪ Presented to respective District Governing Boards for approval ▪ Submitted to DEP for review by Nov.
    [Show full text]
  • Homosassa River SWIM Plan
    Homosassa River Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan A Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan August 2017 Homosassa River SWIM Plan Homosassa River SWIM Plan Springs Coast Steering Committee Members Each spring system in the Springs Coast region is a unique, complex system with different sets of challenges. To address these issues, the Springs Coast Steering Committee (SCSC) was formed of local, regional and state agencies. The first goal of the SCSC is to develop management plans tailored for each spring system to identify issues, objectives, projects and responsibilities. This document serves as satisfaction of that first goal for the Homosassa River. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) does not discriminate on the basis of disability. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions, including access to and participation in the District’s programs and activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact the District’s Human Resources Bureau Chief, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34604-6899; telephone (352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only), ext. 4703; or email [email protected]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice). i Homosassa River SWIM Plan Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Status of the Aquatic Plant Maintenance Program in Florida Public Waters
    Status of the Aquatic Plant Maintenance Program in Florida Public Waters Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2006 - 2007 Executive Summary This report was prepared in accordance with §369.22 (7), Florida Statutes, to provide an annual assessment of the control achieved and funding necessary to manage nonindigenous aquatic plants in intercounty waters. The authority of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as addressed in §369.20 (5), Florida Statutes, extends to the management of nuisance populations of all aquatic plants, both indigenous and nonindigenous, and in all waters accessible to the general public. The aquatic plant management program in Florida’s public waters involves complex operational and financial interactions between state, federal and local governments as well as private sector compa- nies. A summary of plant acres controlled in sovereignty public waters and associated expenditures contracted or monitored by the DEP during Fiscal Year 2006-2007 is presented in the tables on page 42 of this report. Florida’s aquatic plant management program mission is to reduce negative impacts from invasive nonindigenous plants like water hyacinth, water lettuce and hydrilla to conserve the multiple uses and functions of public lakes and rivers. Invasive plants infest 95 percent of the 437 public waters inventoried in 2007 that comprise 1.25 million acres of fresh water where fishing alone is valued at more than $1.5 billion annually. Once established, eradicating invasive plants is difficult or impossible and very expensive; therefore, continuous maintenance is critical to sustaining navigation, flood control and recreation while conserving native plant habitat on sovereignty state lands at the lowest feasible cost.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Action Plans – June 2018 Prepared by the Howard T
    Summary of Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Action Plans – June 2018 Prepared by the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI) Background The Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act (Chapter 373, Part VIII, Florida Statutes [F.S.]), provides for the protection and restoration of 30 Outstanding Florida Springs (OFS), which comprise 24 first magnitude springs, 6 additional named springs, and their associated spring runs. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has assessed water quality in each OFS and determined that 24 of the 30 OFS are impaired for the nitrate form of nitrogen. Table 1 provides a list of all 30 OFS and indicates which are currently impaired by nitrate nitrogen concentrations above the state’s Numeric Nutrient Criterion (NNC) for nitrate. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) have been issued for all 24 of the impaired springs. The Springs Protection Act requires that FDEP adopt Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) for each of the impaired OFS by July 1, 2018. BMAPs describe the State’s efforts to achieve water quality standards in impaired waters within a 20-year time frame. Table 1. Outstanding Florida Springs. PLANNING_UNIT TITLE IMPAIRED? Withlacoochee River Madison Blue Spring Yes Lake Woodruff Unit Volusia Blue Spring Yes Homosassa River Planning Unit Homosassa Spring Group Yes Lake Woodruff Unit DeLeon Spring Yes Rainbow River Rainbow Spring Group Yes Middle Suwannee Falmouth Spring Yes Chipola River Jackson Blue Spring Yes Lake George Unit Silver Glen Springs No Wekiva River
    [Show full text]
  • Paddling Trails Leave No Trace Principles 5
    This brochure made possible by: Florida Paddling Trails Leave No Trace Principles 5. Watch for motorboats. Stay to the right and turn the When you paddle, please observe these principles of Leave bow into their wake. Respect anglers. Paddle to the No Trace. For more information, log on to Leave No Trace shore opposite their lines. at www.lnt.org. 6. Respect wildlife. Do not approach or harass wildlife, as they can be dangerous. It’s illegal to feed them. q Plan Ahead and Prepare q Camp on Durable Surfaces 7. Bring a cell phone in case of an emergency. Cell q Dispose of Waste Properly phone coverage can be sporadic, so careful preparation q Leave What You Find and contingency plans should be made in lieu of relying on q Minimize Campfire Impacts cell phone reception. q Respect Wildlife FloridaPaddling Trails q Be Considerate of Other Visitors 8. If you are paddling on your own, give a reliable A Guide to Florida’s Top person your float plan before you leave and www.FloridaGreenwaysAndTrails.com leave a copy on the dash of your car. A float Canoeing & Kayaking Trails Trail Tips plan contains information about your trip in the event that When you paddle, please follow these tips. Water you do not return as scheduled. Don’t forget to contact the conditions vary and it will be up to you to be person you left the float plan with when you return. You can prepared for them. download a sample float plan at http://www.floridastateparks.org/wilderness/docs/FloatPlan.pdf.
    [Show full text]
  • Amended Decision Document Regarding Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Section 303(D)
    AMENDED DECISION DOCUMENT REGARDING FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION’S SECTION 303(d) LIST AMENDMENTS FOR BASIN GROUPS 1, 2, AND 5 Prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Water Management Division September 2, 2009 Florida §303(d) List Amended Decision Document September 2, 2009 Table of Contents I. Executive Summary 3 II. Statutory and Regulatory Background 6 A. Identification of Water Quality Limited Segments (WQLSs) for Inclusion on the section 303(d) list 6 B. Consideration of Existing and Readily Available Water Quality-Related Data and Information 6 C. Priority Ranking 7 II. Analysis of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Submission 7 A. Florida’s 2009 Update 8 1. Florida’s Water Quality Standards and Section 303(d) list Development 9 2. List Development Methodology and Data Assessment 10 3. Public Participation Process 12 4. Consideration of Existing and Readily Available Water Quality-Related Data and Information 13 B. Review of FDEP’s Identification of Waters 15 1. Review of FDEP’s Data Guidelines 16 2. Minimum Sample Size 17 3. No Pollutant Identified for Impairment 17 4. Aquatic Life Use Impairment 18 5. Primary and Secondary Recreational Use Support 23 6. Fish and Shellfish Consumption Use Support 23 1 Florida §303(d) List Amended Decision Document September 2, 2009 7. Drinking Water Use Support and Protection of Human Health 25 C. 303(d) List of Impaired Waters 25 1. FDEP’s Addition of Water Quality Limited Segments 26 2. Section 303(d) Delistings 26 3. Other Pollution Control Requirements 26 4. EPA Identified Waters 28 5.
    [Show full text]
  • Your Guide to Eating Fish Caught in Florida
    Fish Consumption Advisories are published periodically by the Your Guide State of Florida to alert consumers about the possibility of chemically contaminated fish in Florida waters. To Eating The advisories are meant to inform the public of potential health risks of specific fish species from specific Fish Caught water bodies. In Florida Florida Department of Health Prepared in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 2016 Florida Fish Advisories • Table 1: Eating Guidelines for Fresh Water Fish from Florida Waters page 1-33 • Table 2: Eating Guidelines for Marine and Estuarine Fish from Florida Waters page 34-35 • Table 3: Eating Guidelines for species from Florida Waters with Heavy Metals, Dioxin, Pesticides, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or Saxitoxin Contamination page 36 Eating Fish is an important part of a healthy diet. Rich in vitamins and low in fat, fish contains protein we need for strong bodies. It is also an excellent source of nutrition for proper growth and development. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends that you eat two meals of fish or seafood every week. At the same time, most Florida seafood has low to medium levels of mercury. Depending on the age of the fish, the type of fish, and the condition of the water the fish lives in, the levels of mercury found in fish are different. While mercury in rivers, creeks, ponds, and lakes can build up in some fish to levels that can be harmful, most fish caught in Florida can be eaten without harm.
    [Show full text]
  • (EA) for Manatee Viewing in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
    Draft Environmental Assessment Manatee Wildlife Viewing on CRYSTAL RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE THREE SISTERS SPRINGS Citrus County, Florida For Further Information, Contact: Refuge Manager U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge 1502 SE Kings Bay Drive Crystal River, Florida 34429 Prepared by: U. S. Department of the Interior U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Crystal River, Florida December 2014 Public Review Draft TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION…………………………………..………5 Chapter 2 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION…………………..8 Chapter 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT………………………………………………….11 Chapter 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES………………………………………18 Literature Cited……………………………….………………………………………………….23 RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS Appendix Appendix A Management Agreement and Management Plan Appendix B Florida Communities Trust Declaration of Restrictive Covenants Appendix C Intra-Service Section 7 Appendix D Passive Wildlife Observation/Photography Guidelines and Kings Bay Manatee Protection Area Rule Appendix E Manatee Population Aerial Surveys and Visitor Use Reports Appendix F Inventory and Monitoring Plan Appendix G Kings Bay Area Map Appendix H Increases in Seasonal Manatee Abundance within Citrus County, Florida 2 Public Review Draft This Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) addresses a recreational wildlife viewing activity where large numbers of snorkelers and boaters are crowded into a relatively small aquatic space to view a protected species, the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). This activity is occurring in shallow, warm water springs (1.5 acres), known as Three Sisters Springs, which is situated on a larger property (57.1 acres) also known as Three Sisters Springs. For the purpose of this EA, we are only addressing the recreational viewing activity which occurs in the confined 1.5 acres of fresh water springs.
    [Show full text]
  • HOMOSA SSA SPRINGS and RIVER
    The River and Waterfront of Old Homosassa is much the same as coastal Florida in its pioneer days. Today “The River” is my home. I am enchanted by the daily changing of the tide, the voices of the ever-moving wind, the grace of the birds, and the scheduled rounds of the feeding dolphin. I point in sheer delight at the arrival of the new osprey chicks every spring. I have named the Great Blue Heron and the feathery White Egret that predictably share my morning coffee on the dock. I miss the manatee, the white pelican and others when they leave every year. I know when the trout move in and the blue crabs move out that the seasons have changed and will change again. I watch the family boaters and fishermen return from a day of fun. Then shrimp boats start gliding out to the Gulf of Mexico for another night's work. And I wonder in amazement at the miracle of our common interests, “The River”. Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is at the headwaters of the Homosassa River that flows nine miles west to the Gulf of Mexico. A 45-foot deep, first-magnitude, SPRINGS HOMOSASSA and RIVER natural spring is the centerpiece of the park and pumps millions of gallons of water every PHOTO BY: KAYLEIGH POLLERT hour. The park serves as a rehabilitation center and refuge for endangered West Indian manatees that have been orphaned or injured in the wild and also for manatees that have been born in captivity. Visitors to the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park can stroll along unspoiled nature trails and also Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Homosassa River Alliance Southwest Florida Water Management District see deer, bear, bobcats, otters, cougars and 4150 S.
    [Show full text]