9651001C ALACHUA COUNTY ECOLOGICAL INVENTORY PROJECT Prepared For: Alachua County Department of Growth Management Office of Planning & Development 10 SW Second Avenue, Third Floor Gainesville, Florida 32601 Prepared By: KBN, A Golder Associates Company 6241 NW 23rd Street, Suite 500 Gainesville, Florida 32653-1500 ___________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1-1 2.0 SCOPE OF WORK AND METHODOLOGY 2-1 2.1 SPECIFIC SCOPE OF WORK 2-1 2.2 SPECIFIC METHODOLOGIES 2-1 2.2.1 SITE IDENTIFICATION 2-3 1 9651001C 2.2.2 BOUNDARY IDENTIFICATION 2-3 2.2.3 LISTED SPECIES IDENTIFICATION 2-4 2.2.4 INVENTORYING 2-4 2.2.5 COMPILING SITE SUMMARY DATA 2-5 2.2.6 ECOLOGICAL MAPPING 2-7 2.2.7 MAP DIGITIZATION 2-8 2.2.8 SITE RANKING 2-8 3.0 NATURAL AREAS DESCRIPTIONS 3-1 4.0 RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS 4-1 4.1 SITE RANKINGS 4-1 4.2 SITE SUMMARIES 4-5 5.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 5-1 LITERATURE REVIEW REF-1 APPENDICES A LIST OF USGS QUADRANGLE MAPS OF THE INVENTORIES SITES A-1 B BIOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY TO RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY B-1 C ALACHUA COUNTY RESOURCE AREAS THAT WERE NOT INVENTORIED C-1 D MINUTES OF THE PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS D-1 E EXAMPLES OF FIELD DATA SHEETS E-1 LIST OF TABLES 2-1 List of Parameters/Subparameters and Scoring Used for Site Rankings 2-9 4-1 Summary of Individual Subparameter Scores for Each Site 4-2 4-2 Site Rankings Based on Subparameter Scores 4-3 4-3 Site Rankings Based on Parameter Scores 4-4 LIST OF FIGURES 1-1 Location of Alachua County 1-2 1-2 Alachua County Ecological Inventories Site Boundaries 1-3 2 9651001C _________________________________________________________________________________ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this ecological inventory is to identify, inventory, map, describe, and evaluate the most significant natural biological communities, both upland and wetland, that remain in private ownership in Alachua County and make recommendations for protecting these natural resources. This study does not focus on the public water bodies and publicly owned lands in the county, as stated in our agreed- upon contract. Guidance for identifying the sites to inventory was obtained from the upland inventory of Alachua County that was prepared by KBN Engineering and Applied Sciences, Inc. (KBN) in 1987, interviews with regional experts, and published and unpublished reports. However, most sites were selected through reviews of aerial photographs of the entire County. Three sets of aerial photographs were used: a 1986 set of infrared photographs (provided by the Alachua County Department of Environmental Services), a 1994 set of black and white photographs which included ownership information (located at the Alachua County Property Appraiser's Office), and a 1995 set of infrared photographs (located at the St. Johns River Water Management District Office). The information obtained for each site was drawn on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic quadrangle maps, including existing public conservation lands. Additional sites were identified to connect the larger areas and provide corridors for wildlife species that need large territories to maintain viable populations. In order to allow wildlife and surface water connections, site boundaries were drawn to include streams and drainage systems. A total of 47 sites were identified and mapped. Property ownership information sufficient to obtain permission for access and for boundary delineation was obtained from the Property Appraiser's Office. Field work on the sites was initiated as soon as access permission was obtained. In cases where access permission was not obtained, these areas were inventoried by sampling and observing the area from outer boundaries or from roads that crossed the area, and by the use of the aerial photographs. Some stream and river sites were accessed by canoe. Standardized forms were used to record information on 3 9651001C the ecological communities present and their quality, the species of plants and animals present in these communities, the presence of endangered species or habitat for endangered species, the presence of exotic species, and the condition of the wildlife habitats. Definitions of ecological communities from the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) 1990 publication were supplemented so that all of the biological communities of Alachua County, whether natural or human created, could be placed in a category that accurately described them. Mapping of all of the biological communities on each site was done using field generated information, the sets of aerial photographs, and additional field checks as needed. Once completed, the total acreage of the site and the total acreage of each community on each site were calculated and added to the reports. A numerical scoring and ranking system was developed to determine the relative importance of all the sites based on their ecological, hydrological, and management characteristics. Each site was evaluated and ranked for six parameters by consensus of three scientists familiar with the site. Sites were ranked by comparing their total scores (see Section 2.2.8 and Table 2-1). The quality of the communities was found to be quite variable. Wetlands and hardwood forests were most often of good quality, whereas the fire-adapted communities such as sandhill and pine flatwoods were mostly of only fair or poor quality. This was usually due to two factors. The fire-adapted communities were usually not burned with prescribed fires often enough to maintain the native flora and fauna of the community or to maintain good-quality wildlife habitat, and these communities were often intentionally cleared of most native flora and fauna during the establishment of pine plantations. Lists of species found on each site can be found in KBN's field reports (provided under separate cover to Alachua County). Information on the quality of the hydrological and wildlife connections between sites and/or public conservation lands was obtained from both the aerial photographs and from field observations. Most connections between sites were impacted negatively by paved roads. The type of stream crossing used when building roads and the amount of clearing at stream crossings could be altered to greatly improve the connectivity for wildlife. A brief description of the geologic and hydrologic features of each site was prepared based on various published reports, maps, and personal knowledge. A type of hydrologic alteration frequently noticed 4 9651001C was small ditches constructed throughout most of the pine flatwoods areas of the County to enhance the drainage of isolated wetlands. Information on rare, threatened, and endangered species was obtained from Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (FGFWFC) publications, maps, and personnel. Information on wildlife habitat was obtained from the field visits and field reports, from personal knowledge based on previous field visits, from interviews with regional experts, and from published reports. The information was summarized in the individual reports for each site. Information on exotic species was obtained during the field inventories and from interviews. Exotic species of plants are reported in the site reports. Exotic plants are rapidly becoming a much greater threat to the biological resources of this and all other counties in North Florida. Exotic animals are not generally mentioned, except where they are especially common or are causing a unique problem. Unlike plants, the exotic animals are not in discrete, stationary patches. Exotic animals are often highly mobile and tend to be spread throughout the county. Exotic animals already are well established in Alachua County. Examples of exotic animals already well established in Alachua County are armadillos ( Dasypus novemcinctus ), starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ), Asian tiger mosquitoes, and South American fire ants. An evaluation of the restoration and management potential of each site was made. This often involved evaluating the feasibility of increasing the use of prescribed fire. Significant damage is being caused by the lack of prescribed burning. A public assistance program is recommended to aid and promote prescribed burning in fire-adapted ecological communities on private lands. Threats to the continued existence of the natural resources of each site were reported, and conservation strategies were recommended. These strategies included purchase, purchase of conservation easements, cooperative efforts and programs, enforcement of dredge and fill regulations and wetlands regulations, use of planning and zoning strategies and regulations, adherence to the Forestry Best Management Practices, and public education. Some loss of the resources found in this inventory is inevitable with the continued growth in human population that is projected to occur. However, the use of these strategies on some of the sites can greatly affect the resulting condition of the natural resources of Alachua County. 5 9651001C ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people and agencies aided in the preparation of this study and report. We would particularly like to thank Alice Reuman, Cathrin Smith, Kenneth Berk, and Michael Drummond for the long hours they spent and the constructive criticism they provided while serving on the steering committee. Michael Drummond was especially helpful in supplying aerial photographs, maps, and his own personal knowledge of Alachua County. We also want especially to thank the many private and corporate landowners