Approved Management Plan (April 18, 2003)

O’LENO STATE PARK AND RIVER RISE PRESERVE STATE PARK UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN APPROVED STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks APRIL 18, 2003 Department of Environmental Protection Jeb Bush Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Building David B. Struhs Governor 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 140 Secretary Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 April 18, 2003 Ms. BryAnne White Government Operations Consultant II Office of Park Planning Division of Recreation and Parks O’Leno State Park and River Rise Preserve State Park Lease Number: #3638 Dear Ms. White: On April 18, 2003, the Acquisition and Restoration Council recommended approval of the Land Management Plan for O’Leno and River Rise Preserve State Parks. Therefore, the Office of Environmental Services, acting as agent for the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund approves this plan. Pursuant to Section 253.034 and 259.032, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 18-2, Florida Administrative Code the plan’s five-year update will be due in April 2008. Approval of this land management plan does not waive the authority or jurisdiction of any governmental entity that may have an interest in this project. Implementation of any upland activities proposed by this management plan may require a permit or other authorization from federal and state agencies having regulatory jurisdiction over those particular activities. Sincerely, Delmas T. Barber Delmas T. Barber, OMC Manager Office of Environmental Services Division of State Lands “More Protection, Less Process” Printed on recycled paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF PLAN 1 MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW 3 Management Authority And Responsibility 3 Park Goals And Objectives 4 Management Coordination 8 Public Participation 8 Other Designations 8 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION 11 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT 11 Natural Resources 11 Cultural Resources 28 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 32 Special Management Considerations 32 Management Needs And Problems 33 Management Objectives 35 Management Measures For Natural Resources 38 Management Measures For Cultural Resources 42 Research Needs 43 Resource Management Schedule 44 Land Management Review 44 i LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION 45 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS 45 Existing Use Of Adjacent Lands 45 Planned Use Of Adjacent Lands 46 PROPERTY ANALYSIS 46 Recreation Resource Elements 46 Assessment Of Use 48 CONCEPTUAL LAND USE PLAN 53 Potential Uses And Proposed Facilities 53 Facilities Development 58 Existing Use And Optimum Carrying Capacity 58 Optimum Boundary 59 TABLE TABLE 1 - Existing Use And Optimum Carrying Capacity 59 LIST OF ADDENDA ADDENDUM 1 Acquisition History and Advisory Group Report A 1 - 1 ADDENDUM 2 References Cited A 2 - 1 ADDENDUM 3 Soil Descriptions A 3 - 1 ADDENDUM 4 Plant And Animal List A 4 - 1 iii ADDENDUM 5 Designated Species List A 5 - 1 ADDENDUM 6 Florida Master Site File List of Cultural Sites A 6 - 1 ADDENDUM 7 Timber Management Analysis A 7 - 1 ADDENDUM 8 Priority Schedule and Cost Estimates A 8 - 1 MAPS Vicinity Map 2 Soils Maps 14—15 Natural Communities Maps 18—19 Base Maps 49—50 Conceptual Land Use Plans 54—55 Optimum Boundary Maps 60—61 iii INTRODUCTION O’Leno State Park and River Rise Preserve State Park are located in northern Alachua County and southern Columbia County. The main entrance to the parks is about five miles north of High Springs on U.S. Highway 441 (see Vicinity Map). The Vicinity Map also reflects significant land and water resources existing near the parks. At O’Leno State Park and River Rise Preserve State Park, public outdoor recreation and conservation is the designated single use of these parks (see Addendum 1). There are no legislative or executive directives that constrain the use of these properties. The parks contain ± 6,212.28 acres. For this plan, park acreage has been calculated based on the composition of natural communities, in addition to ruderal and developed areas. O’Leno State Park is significant in the twentieth century history of Florida as one of nine elements of the New Deal-inspired Florida state park system and as one of the physical expressions of early-twentieth century recreation planning. In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was the first New Deal agency to begin operations in Florida. From 1933 to 1942, the CCC and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) programs constructed an impressive collection of facilities throughout Florida. A considerable portion of the public recreation facilities created by these programs is preserved in the state park system’s New Deal era parks: Florida Caverns State Park, Torreya State Park, Fort Clinch State Park, O’Leno State Park, Gold Head Branch State Park, Ravine State Gardens, Hillsborough River State Park, Highlands Hammock State Park and Myakka River State Park. The site of O’Leno State Park was initially chosen as the location of a Florida Forestry Service Camp to provide forestry training and education. Development of the Camp started as a WPA project using unemployed labor from the High Springs area. In July 1935, the CCC installed workers from Company 418, Camp P-67, to assist WPA workers at O’Leno. Development of the site progressed rapidly, and between 1935 and 1936 the CCC cleared land, built roads, trails and constructed the dining hall, pavilion, Museum/Tower building and suspension bridge. In late 1936, the CCC enrollees were withdrawn as the project neared completion and WPA labor became available. Once completed, the Florida Forestry Service Camp at O’Leno operated for only two summers. In October 1940, the Camp was transferred to the park service for the purpose of public recreation and enjoyment. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN This plan serves as the basic statement of policy and direction for the management of O’Leno State Park and River Rise Preserve State Park as units of Florida's state park system. It identifies the objectives, criteria and standards that guide each aspect of park administration, and sets forth the specific measures that will be implemented to meet management objectives. The plan is intended to meet the requirements of Sections 253.034 and 259.032, Florida Statutes, Chapter 18-2, Florida Administrative Code, and intended to be consistent with the State Lands Management Plan. With approval, this management plan will replace the current approved plan of May 29, 1997. All development and resource alteration encompassed in this plan is subject to the granting of appropriate permits; easements, licenses, and other required legal instruments. Approval of the management plan does not constitute an exemption from complying with the appropriate local, state or federal agencies. This plan is also intended to meet the requirements for beach and shore preservation, as defined in Chapter 161, Florida Statutes and Chapters 62B-33, 62B-36 and 62R-49, Florida Administrative Code. The plan consists of two interrelated components. Each component corresponds to a particular aspect of the administration of the parks. The resource management component provides a 1 ÊÚ uwnnee2gounty nion2gounty shetuknee2prings2 tte2rk golumi2gounty G@RI DEFUS nt2pe iver2nh port2hite óôIV nt2pe2iver y9veno2 port2hite2witigtion2rk tte2rk ildlife2nd2invironmentl2ere elhu2gounty shetuknee2nd2nt2pe2 prings2gonservtion2ere iver2ise2reserve G@PU tte2rk nt2pe2iver wgll2rk righ2prings qilhrist2gounty oe2prings rk G@RI elhu n2pelso2rmmok2 vegend tte2reserve phy2vol2ods sntersttes phy2tte2outes phy2 2outes y9veno2tte2rk iver2ise2reserve tte2rk rivte2vnds heveloped ndeveloped uli2vnds hudley2prm2 pederl2wnged2eres tte2ristori2ite tte2wnged2eres vol2wnged2eres xewerry rivte2wnged2eres ouresX2plorid2xturl2eres2snventoryD2PHHI 222222222222222plorid2vnd2 seD2gover2nd2porms 222222222222222glssifition2ystemD2IWWS y9veno2tte2rk repred2fyX plorid2heprtment2yf2invironmentl2rotetion iver2ise2reserve2tte2rk x IHIPQRSwiles hivision2yf2eretion2end2rks iinity2wp yffie2yf2rk2lnning detailed inventory and assessment of the natural and cultural resources of the parks. Resource management problems and needs are identified, and specific management objectives are established for each resource type. This component provides guidance on the application of such measures as prescribed burning, exotic species removal, and restoration of natural conditions. The land use component is the recreational resource allocation plan for the units. Based on considerations such as access, population, and adjacent land uses, an optimum allocation of the physical space of the parks is made, locating use areas and proposing types of facilities and volume of use to be provided. In the development of this plan, the potential of the parks to accommodate secondary management purposes (“multiple uses”) was analyzed. These secondary purposes were considered within the context of the Division’s statutory responsibilities and an analysis of the resource needs and values of the park. This analysis considered natural and cultural resources, management needs, aesthetic values, visitation and visitor experiences. For these parks, it was determined that timber harvesting for the purpose of natural community restoration could be accommodated in a manner that would be compatible and not interfere with the primary purpose of resource-based outdoor recreation and conservation. This compatible secondary management purpose is addressed in the Resource Management Component of the plan. Uses such as, water resource development projects, water supply projects, stormwater

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