Lochloosa Connector Lybass- Longleaf Pine

ALACHUA COUNTY FOREVER PROJECT RANKING REPORT

DRAFT 1/8/02, 1/22/02

SITE NAME: Lochloosa Connector –Lybass-Longleaf Pine Tract

MATRIX SCORE: 7.89 of 10.00

SIZE: 1,389 acres

LOCATION / DESCRIPTION: The Lochloosa Connector Project is a combination of four sites from the Alachua County Ecological Inventory Project (KBN 1996) totaling approximately 8,577 acres. These sites are the Lochloosa Forest West, Lochloosa Forest Additions, Chacala Pond, and Prairie Creek. The Lochloosa Connector Project is located east of County Road 234 and Paynes Prairie, west of County Road 325, north of County Road 346, and south of and Hawthorne Road (Map 1). The Alachua County Ecological Inventory Project, also known as the “KBN Study”, respectively ranked the Lochloosa Forest West, Lochloosa Forest Additions, Prairie Creek, and Chacala Pond sites, fourth, ninth, sixth and fifteenth of 47 areas ranked in the county. Map 1 depicts the Lochloosa Connector Project boundary and the Lybass – Longleaf Pine Tract.

The Lybass - Longleaf Pine Tract is one of the keystone parcels in the Lochloosa Connector Project and lies in the ninth ranked KBN site, the Lochloosa Forest Additions. The KBN write-up for the Lochloosa Forest Additions site is provided as Attachment 1. The Lybass tract consists of four tax parcels totaling 1,389 acres or 16 % of the total Lochloosa Connector Project area, and is surrounded by St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) conservation easements. It contains some of the best longleaf pine flatwoods and sandhill habitat remaining on private land in Alachua County. While approximately 65% of the flatwoods were harvested due to a southern pine beetle infestation, the site has not been bedded and the understory will recover quickly. The subject property is part of an approved Forever acquisition project known as “Lochloosa Wildlife” (Attachment 2).

PROTECTING WATER RESOURCES: The Longleaf Pine Tract is located in the confined aquifer zone of Alachua County according to Florida Geologic Survey Open File Report 21 (Map 2). This zone of relative aquifer confinement stretches from north central Alachua County southeastward, comprising most of the eastern half of the county. This zone is characterized by generally higher elevations underlain by between 10 and 150 feet of phosphatic clayey sands, sandy clays, and carbonates of the Hawthorn group (Macesich, 1988). The St. Johns River Water Management District’s Aquifer Recharge Map for Alachua County shows that the site lies primarily in an area of relatively low aquifer recharge, between 0-4 inches per year, although approximately 178 acres fall within an area of 4-8 inches of recharge per year (Map 3). The USGS, Water Resources Investigation Report Number 88-4057 by Walter Aucott (1988), shows that the property lies in an area of 1-10 inches per year of recharge to the Floridan Aquifer System per year. The drainage is into the River Styx which drains into Orange Lake, where there is some interchange with the Floridan Aquifer and some flow into and the Basin (KBN 1996) (Map 4).

PROTECTING NATURAL COMMUNITIES AND LANDSCAPES: Natural Community Types Condition D o m e S w a m p Excellent Basin Swamp Good Depression marsh Excellent Flatwoods Prairie Lake Excellent Wet Prairie Excellent Wet Flatwoods Good - f a i r Mesic Flatwoods Excellent - f a i r Sandhill Very good - fair Xeric Hammock Good Baygall Excellent Old Field Pine Plantation (not a natural community)

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This site is known for the high quality of its flatwoods and sandhill communities however, a recent southern pine beetle infestation has resulted in harvesting of pines on approximately two-thirds of the pinelands. The loss of the +/- 60-year-old longleaf and slash pines, and the disturbance associated with the harvesting, has negatively affected the site. However, because the site has never been bedded and was in extraordinary condition prior to logging, the understory will recover quickly and the pines will regenerate given sufficient time. There are approximately 300 acres of sandhill and flatwoods that have not been harvested, in addition to approximately 350 acres of intact wetlands. The SJRWMD holds conservation easements on 16,994 acres of timberland surrounding the property, and owns in full fee an additional 10,400 acres around Lochloosa Lake. This area, known as the Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area, connects Lochloosa, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historical State Park, and Newnan’s Lake Conservation area.

PROTECTING PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES: Common Name Endemic Fed/State FCREPA/FNAI Observed Status Designation Birds Southern Bald Eagle T/T T/S3 S,F,C,N White Ibis -/SSC SSC/S4 F Tricolored Heron -/SSC SSC/S4 F Little Blue Heron -/SSC SSC/S4 F Limpkin -/SSC SSC/S3 F Snowy Egret -/SS SSC/S3 F Yellow Crowed Night Heron -/SSC SSC/S4 C Florida Sandhill X -/T T/S3 C,N Great Egret -/- SSC/S4 C,N Osprey -/- T/S3S4 C,N Wood E/E E/S2 F American Kestrel -/T T/S3 P Amphibians Florida Cricket Frog X -/- -/- P Striped Newt -/- R/S2S3 C,N Gopher Frog -/SSC T/S3 N,F,K Flatwoods Salamander T/- R/S2S3 P Reptiles T/SSC -/- F Florida Water Snake X -/- -/- P Eastern Indigo Snake T/T SSC/S3 C,N,K Gopher Tortoise -/SSC T/S3 C,N,K Short Tailed Snake X -/T R/S3 C Spotted Turtle -/- R / S 3 ? C Florida Pine Snake -/SSC SSC/S3 P Canebrake Rattle Snake -/- -/S3 K Mammals Fox Squirrel -/SSC T/S3 S Northern Yellow Bat -/- SU/S3 P Big Brown Bat -/- SU/S3 P Southern Weasel -/- R / S 3 ? C Florida Black Bear X -/T T/S3 C

X=Endemic, S=observed by Alachua Co. EPD staff and/or an LCB subcommittee member, F=documented as potential habitat by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 1995 Alachua County, Habitat Distribution Maps, C=Closing the Gaps in Florida’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation System, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, 1994, N=Florida Natural Areas Inventory Element Occurrence, P=potential for species based on habitat types.

Animals with large home ranges Wild Turkey Bobcat Black Bear

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The site is an inholding within the Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area and provides excellent wildlife habitat. Pond spice, listed by the state as endangered, was found on the site by staff and a member of the LCB subcommittee. The KBN Study lists yellow-fringed orchid for the site and Catesby’s lily nearby.

Staff found the exotic giant elephant ear, bahia and centipede grass on the site, however the KBN study lists alligator weed and a few camphor trees.

ACHIEVING SOCIAL/HUMAN VALUES: The property provides great opportunities for wildlife and nature viewing, and is part of the conceptual plan for the Florida Greenways and Trails ecological greenways project. It is also part of the Emerald Necklace Land Conservation Initiative – A publicly accessible, connected and protected network of trails, greenways, open space and waterfronts surrounding the Gainesville urban area. It will provide good opportunities for compatible resource-based recreation.

MANAGEMENT ISSUES: The property could readily be managed to preserve and enhance its natural resource values in a cost-effective manner. The site needs time to allow the understory to regenerate, and the implementation of a prescribed fire program. The pines could be allowed to regenerate, or the site could be planted. The decision to plant or allow for natural pine regeneration is dependent on whether or not an economic return is desired from the property.

The Lybass tract is part of the Florida Forever Lochloosa Wildlife acquisition project (see below). Other properties acquired as part of this project are managed jointly by the SJRWMD and the FFWCC. The SJRWMD is responsible for land management and conservation easement oversight, and the FFWCC manages the hunting. Both agencies are probable management partners.

ECONOMIC/ ACQUISITION ISSUES: The subject property is part of the Florida Forever Lochloosa Wildlife Project (Attachment 2). It is on the “B” List under the “Small Parcels Projects” heading. This is defined as those acquisition projects that are important, but not of the highest priority, which are made up predominantly of small ownerships with individual values not exceeding one million dollars each, or individual acquisitions that are determined to achieve the Florida Forever goals, measures and criteria enough to qualify for acquisition, but are valued at less than one million dollars. The SJRWMD is listed as an acquisition partner on the project. Discussions with Florida Forever staff indicate that they are willing to contribute 45% of the purchase price. The SJRWMD is interested in the project, but will not pursue it without the county’s assistance. The county and the SJRWMD would then be responsible for the remaining 55%.

The owners are interested in selling the property fee simple. There is a hunting lease on the property. The Alachua County Property Appraiser’s 2000 Just Value for the subject parcels is $1,621,500 or $1,168 per acre. [Parcel 18245-000-000 (34.51 acres) = $48,300; Parcel 16320-000-000 (80 acres) = $44,400; Parcel 18251-000-000 (634 acres) = $760,800; Parcel 18239-000-000 (640 acres) = $768,000] This figure is for comparative purposes between nominated properties, and is not necessarily an accurate reflection of the true cost of the property if acquired by the Alachua County Forever Program.

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW Factor Finding Location Between Micanopy and , southern Alachua County. Market Conditions Supply of available land and housing exceeds demand for single-f a m i l y residential use. Land Use Current: Vacant, agricultural. FLU Map: Rural/Agriculture (1 unit per 5 acres); Conservation (1 unit per 10 acres) on approx. 72 acres of parcel 18239-000-000. Zoning A (Agriculture, 1 DU per 5 acres). Parcel Subdivision Possibly up to 270 lots. More than 24 lots on either of the two largest parent tracts will require rezoning to PUD. Owner Intent Fee simple sale.

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DEVELOPMENT The site contains a variety of mixed-forested areas and wetland types. Natural SUMMARY features and resources (wetlands, flood prone areas, hydric soils) affect development potential and indicate that clustering units, especially on parcel 18251-000-000 would be appropriate. The two largest parcels of this project site have frontage on a paved county road (CR 325), but are distant from other infrastructure. Access to the two smaller parcels is limited. Within these constraints and limitations, the project site has development potential for single- family detached residential use (including manufactured or mobile homes). This project is within an area that has experienced very little residential development compared to other areas in the county. That trend would be expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

REFERENCES CITED: KBN, A Golder Associates Company, 1996. Alachua County Ecological Inventory Project. Prepared for the Alachua County Department of Growth Management, Gainesville, Florida.

Macesich, M., 1988. Geologic Interpretation of the Aquifer Pollution Potential in Alachua County, Florida. Open File Report – 21. Florida Geological Survey, Tallahassee, Florida.

Aucott, W., 1988. Water Resources Investigation Report 88-4057. USGS.

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