DOCSLIB.ORG

3.1 Wildlife Habitat

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
3.1 Wildlife Habitat 1 Acknowledgements The Conservancy of Southwest Florida gratefully acknowledges the Policy Division staff and interns for their help in compiling, drafting, and revising the first Estuaries Report Card , including Jennifer Hecker, the report’s primary author. In addition, the Conservancy’s Science Division is gratefully acknowledged for its thorough review and suggestions in producing the finished report. The Conservancy would also like to thank Joseph N. Boyer, Ph. D. (Associate Director and scientist from Florida International University – Southeast Environmental Research Center), Charles “Chuck” Jacoby, Ph. D. (Estuarine Ecology Specialist from the University of Florida), S. Gregory Tolley, Ph. D. (Professor of Marine Science and Director of the Coastal Watershed Institute from Florida Gulf Coast University) as well as Lisa Beever, Ph. D. (Director of the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program) for their review and/or support of this first edition of the Estuaries Report Card. In addition, special thanks goes to the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program for its generous financial contribution to the 2005 report. The Conservancy thanks the following for their generous financial support in making this report possible: Anonymous supporter (1); Banbury Fund; Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation; and The Stranahan Foundation Photo Credits: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce, cover image South Florida Water Management District, pages 4, 6, 23, 36, 41, 63, 105, 109, 117, 147, 166, 176 The recommendations listed herein are those of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and do not necessarily reflect the view of our report sponsors. © 2005 Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Inc. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a non-profit organization. Since 1964, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has provided education programs, scientific research, and policy advocacy to preserve Southwest Florida’s natural environment and our quality of life. Each and every citizen has the power to make a difference in his or her daily life and to get involved. To restore and protect the region’s estuaries, the Conservancy suggests the following actions: • make careful choices in everyday living to reduce the input of pollutants into our environment and waterways • encourage elected officials to implement water resource policy initiatives that will improve water quality in our region and ensure a sufficient supply of clean water for the environment as well as for anthropogenic needs The mission of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida: Preserving Southwest Florida’s natural environment… now and forever. For more information about the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, please visit our website at http://www.conservancy.org or write to us at: Conservancy of Southwest Florida – Policy Division 1450 Merrihue Drive Naples, FL 34102 i Table of Contents 1. Background .............................................................................................. 1 2. Estuaries Included in Estuaries Report Card ......................................... 3 3. Indicators of Estuarine Health .............................................................. 19 4. Methodology ............................................................................................ 31 5. Report Card Grades and Conclusions.................................................. 36 Appendices A. Summary of Data for Indicators of Estuarine Health Proposed for Future Estuaries Report Card............................................................ 58 B. Percentage of Wetland Remaining for each Estuary Watershed.......................................................................................... 105 C. Percentage of Conservation Lands in each Estuary Watershed ..... 108 D. Water Quality: Parameters of Impairment for each Estuary Watershed.......................................................................................... 115 E. Water Quality: Calculation of Percentage of Impairment for Each Estuary Watershed................................................................. 156 F. Hydrology Information for Each Estuary Watershed...................... 178 G. Scoring with Collier Estuaries Based on FDEP Basin Boundaries ....................................................................................... 187 Literature Cited ....................................................................................... 194 ii Commonly Used Acronyms • ABM – Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management • CHNEP – Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program • CREW – Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed • CWA – Clean Water Act • DEP – Department of Environmental Protection • EPA – United States Environmental Protection Agency • FDEP – Florida Department of Environmental Protection • FLUCCS – Florida Land Use and Cover and Forms Classification System • FNAI – Florida Natural Areas Inventory • IWR – Impaired Waters Rule • MFLs – Minimum Flow Levels • OFW – Outstanding Florida Waters • RB NERR – Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve • SAV – Submerged Aquatic Vegetation • SFWMD – South Florida Water Management District • STORET – EPA’s Environmental Database for Water Quality • SWFFS – Southwest Florida Feasibility Study • SWIM – Surface Water Improvement and Management • SWFWMD – Southwest Florida Water Management District • TMDL – Total Maximum Daily Load • USACOE – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • WBID – Water Body Identification Number iii 1 BACKGROUND Southwest Florida is home to some of the most beautiful and productive estuaries in the world. Mangrove estuaries, which dominate this region, are nurseries of the sea, providing valuable habitat for juvenile fish and shellfish. Nowhere in the nation is the link between estuarine habitat and fish production more obvious than in the Gulf of Mexico: ninety-five percent of the commercially and recreationally important species that inhabit the Gulf of Mexico use estuaries or bays during some portion of their life cycle.1 Mangroves are an essential “Florida’s estuarine, coastal and marine systems produce over component of Florida’s estuaries. $5 billion in fisheries and wildlife resources each year, buffer They function as land stabilizers, coastal areas from storms, absorb pollutants and provide prevent coastal erosion, protect our homes from the winds that amenities for coastal settlement, trade and tourism, including accompany tropical storms and over 1 million boaters and divers per year. Hundreds of provide habitat for a variety of thousands of acres of seagrass meadows, salt marsh grasses organisms. These forests act as a and mangrove forests are critical habitats for sea trout, nursery and breeding ground for redfish, oysters and blue crabs, and a total of 80%–90% of the many organisms and serve as a 2 starting place on the food web as state’s commercial and recreational fishery species.” falling organic material creates a nutrient source for plankton and Each estuary is part of a larger watershed that encompasses algae. Most mangrove loss can be surrounding wetlands, rivers and streams that feed into that linked directly or indirectly to human estuary. For this reason, it is necessary to examine the entire impact, specifically the development watershed as a whole when analyzing the health of estuarine of coastal areas and hydrologic alteration as wetlands are dredged, systems. All of the sewage treatment plants, faulty septic filled, created and destroyed. tanks, and storm drains that discharge from these coastal -Odum and McIver, 1990; watersheds end up in estuarine systems and place critical Turner and Lewis, 1997 habitats and biological communities at risk. These critical estuarine habitats are rapidly being degraded as the coastal human population increases exponentially. Nationally, coastal counties are now home to more than half of the U.S. population, and it is predicted that another 15 million people will live along the U.S. coastline by 2015. This growth is dramatic in Southwest Florida, where the population of Collier County increased from approximately 16,000 in 1960 to more than 250,000 in 2000, with the Naples Metropolitan area having the second-fastest growth rate in the nation during the 1990s. Lee County’s population increased seven-fold from 1960 to 2000. 3 Extensive land development is the primary threat to estuarine systems in Southwest Florida, with impacts from direct 1 destruction of estuarine habitats as well as from upstream drainage projects that disrupt the timing and amount of freshwater flow into estuaries. Pollution is significantly degrading the water quality. The Pew Ocean Commission Report found that two-thirds of our estuaries and bays were moderately or severely degraded by nutrient run- off (nitrogen and phosphorous compounds) from lawns, golf courses, and farm fields. 4 Several Southwest Florida estuaries and their tributaries have been designated as “impaired” by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) as a result of nutrient pollution, meaning that they do not meet the water quality standard for them to maintain their basic designated use – whether that be fishing, swimming, or for shellfish harvesting.5 The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is dedicated to protecting and conserving the natural environment of Southwest Florida. One of our primary goals is the protection of estuaries and coastal waters through strategic advocacy, scientific research, and action-oriented public education. Creating a sustained public will to protect and restore these estuaries
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 2019 Preliminary Manatee Mortality Table with 5-Year Summary From: 01/01/2019 To: 11/22/2019
    FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION MARINE MAMMAL PATHOBIOLOGY LABORATORY 2019 Preliminary Manatee Mortality Table with 5-Year Summary From: 01/01/2019 To: 11/22/2019 County Date Field ID Sex Size Waterway City Probable Cause (cm) Nassau 01/01/2019 MNE19001 M 275 Nassau River Yulee Natural: Cold Stress Hillsborough 01/01/2019 MNW19001 M 221 Hillsborough Bay Apollo Beach Natural: Cold Stress Monroe 01/01/2019 MSW19001 M 275 Florida Bay Flamingo Undetermined: Other Lee 01/01/2019 MSW19002 M 170 Caloosahatchee River North Fort Myers Verified: Not Recovered Manatee 01/02/2019 MNW19002 M 213 Braden River Bradenton Natural: Cold Stress Putnam 01/03/2019 MNE19002 M 175 Lake Ocklawaha Palatka Undetermined: Too Decomposed Broward 01/03/2019 MSE19001 M 246 North Fork New River Fort Lauderdale Natural: Cold Stress Volusia 01/04/2019 MEC19002 U 275 Mosquito Lagoon Oak Hill Undetermined: Too Decomposed St. Lucie 01/04/2019 MSE19002 F 226 Indian River Fort Pierce Natural: Cold Stress Lee 01/04/2019 MSW19003 F 264 Whiskey Creek Fort Myers Human Related: Watercraft Collision Lee 01/04/2019 MSW19004 F 285 Mullock Creek Fort Myers Undetermined: Too Decomposed Citrus 01/07/2019 MNW19003 M 275 Gulf of Mexico Crystal River Verified: Not Recovered Collier 01/07/2019 MSW19005 M 270 Factory Bay Marco Island Natural: Other Lee 01/07/2019 MSW19006 U 245 Pine Island Sound Bokeelia Verified: Not Recovered Lee 01/08/2019 MSW19007 M 254 Matlacha Pass Matlacha Human Related: Watercraft Collision Citrus 01/09/2019 MNW19004 F 245 Homosassa River Homosassa
    [Show full text]
  • Collier Miami-Dade Palm Beach Hendry Broward Glades St
    Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission F L O R ID A 'S T U R N P IK E er iv R ee m Lakewood Park m !( si is O K L D INDRIO ROAD INDRIO RD D H I N COUNTY BCHS Y X I L A I E O W L H H O W G Y R I D H UCIE BLVD ST L / S FT PRCE ILT SRA N [h G Fort Pierce Inlet E 4 F N [h I 8 F AVE "Q" [h [h A K A V R PELICAN YACHT CLUB D E . FORT PIERCE CITY MARINA [h NGE AVE . OKEECHOBEE RA D O KISSIMMEE RIVER PUA NE 224 ST / CR 68 D R !( A D Fort Pierce E RD. OS O H PIC R V R T I L A N N A M T E W S H N T A E 3 O 9 K C A R-6 A 8 O / 1 N K 0 N C 6 W C W R 6 - HICKORY HAMMOCK WMA - K O R S 1 R L S 6 R N A E 0 E Lake T B P U Y H D A K D R is R /NW 160TH E si 68 ST. O m R H C A me MIDWAY RD. e D Ri Jernigans Pond Palm Lake FMA ver HUTCHINSON ISL . O VE S A t C . T I IA EASY S N E N L I u D A N.E. 120 ST G c I N R i A I e D South N U R V R S R iv I 9 I V 8 FLOR e V ESTA DR r E ST.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 6 City of North Port Comprehensive Plan ______Recreation & Open Space
    CHAPTER 6 CITY OF NORTH PORT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ____________________________________ RECREATION & OPEN SPACE Recreation and Open Space Element Table of Contents Chapter 6 Recreation & Open Space Page Introduction 6-3 Needs and Priorities 6-4 Relationship to the EAR 6-4 Parks and Recreation Master Plan 6-5 Parks and Recreation Division Recommendations 6-10 Local Option One Percent Infrastructure Surtax 6-11 Myakkahatchee Creek Greenway Master Plan 6-12 Other Recreational Opportunities 6-16 List of Illustrations TABLES 6-1 Parks Inventory 6-18 Goals, Objectives, & Policies 6-21 Maps follow GOP’s Map 6-1 Parks 6-2 Recreation and Open Space Element RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT Introduction The management of City-owned parks, recreational amenities and open space has undergone significant change since the 1997 10-year update of the City of North Port’s Comprehensive Plan. In 1997, the population of North Port was 16,708, by 2008, the City’s population had more than tripled to 56,316 (Bureau of Economic and Business Research estimate). The City’s explosive growth within that period of time is attributable to the large numbers of young families who moved to the City because of its affordable housing and good schools. As a consequence of this continuing trend, the average age of a typical resident has fallen from the 50s to the mid- to late 30s. Under the terms of the City’s 1993 Interlocal Agreement with Sarasota County Government, the City’s recreational programs, activities and facilities had been consolidated and placed under the direction of the County.
    [Show full text]
  • C-43 Caloosahatchee River Watershed Protection Plan
    Caloosahatchee River Watershed Protection Plan APPENDICES January 2009 APPENDICES A – Performance Measure and Performance Indicator Fact Sheets B – Management Measure Tool Box and Fact Sheets C – Northern Everglades Regional Simulation Model D – Nutrient Loading Rates, Reduction Factors and Implementation Costs Associated with BMPs and Technologies E – Caloosahatchee River Watershed Research and Water Quality Monitoring Program F – Plan Operations & Maintenance, Permitting, and Monitoring G – Potential Funding Sources H – Agency and Public Comments and Responses APPENDIX A PERFORMANCE MEASURE AND PERFORMANCE INDICATOR FACT SHEETS Appendix A Caloosahatchee River and Estuary Performance Measures Number of Times Caloosahatchee Estuary High Discharge Criteria Exceeded Performance Measure: Number of Times Caloosahatchee Estuary High Discharge Criteria Exceeded – Mean Monthly Flows >2,800 cfs and Mean Monthly Flows > 4,500 cfs Description – The Lake Okeechobee WSE Regulation Schedule is applied to regulate (flood control) discharges to the Caloosahatchee River, and subsequently to the Caloosahatchee Estuary, when lake stages are high. The Caloosahatchee River has primary capacity for local inflows and is only utilized for Caloosahatchee Estuary discharges when there is secondary capacity available. The number of times that the Caloosahatchee Estuary high discharge criterion is exceeded must be limited to prevent destructive impacts on the estuary. Rationale – Researchers have observed an increased rate of eutrophication in Lake Okeechobee from 1973 to the present. Symptoms of this eutrophication include the following: • increases in algal bloom frequency since the mid-1980s (with an algal bloom being defined as chlorophyll-a concentrations greater than 40 μg/L) (Maceina 1993, Carrick et al. 1994, Havens et al. 1995b), • increases in the dominance of blue-green algae following a shift in the TN:TP ratio (Smith et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Cvr B-I-B Annual Service 2019-20.Indd
    Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Service Budget Budget-In-Brief Pursuant to Section 373.536, Florida Statutes October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020 SWFWMD does not discriminate on the basis of disability. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of SWFWMD’S functions, including access to and participation in SWFWMD’s programs and activities. SWFWMD designates the Human Resources Office Chief as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance Coordinator. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the ADA should contact SWFWMD’S Human Resources Office Chief, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, Florida 34604-6899; telephone 352-796-7211, ext. 4701 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only), ext. 4701; TDD 1-800-231-6103 (FL only); or email to [email protected]. October 4, 2019 Subject: Fiscal Year 2020 Millage Rate and Annual Service Budget Dear Citizens: On behalf of the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board, I am pleased to present the District’s adopted budget for fiscal year (FY) 2020, which runs from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. The Annual Service Budget report has been prepared pursuant to section 373.536, Florida Statutes. The FY2020 budget emphasizes our commitment to protect Florida’s water and water-related resources while meeting Governing Board priorities, legislative directives and our Five-Year Strategic Plan, and ensuring the core mission of water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems is achieved. The budget is also consistent with the Governor’s Executive Order 19-12 (Achieving More Now for Florida’s Environment), including projects to restore springs, reduce pollution from stormwater runoff and develop alternative water supplies (AWS).
    [Show full text]
  • Florida's Environment - Central West Region1
    Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. WEC233 Florida's Environment - Central West Region1 Martin B. Main and Ginger M. Allen2 Florida's Environment Series Introduction Central west Florida (Fig. 1) is a region characterized by numerous spring-fed rivers and streams that flow westward to the Gulf of Mexico. Large swamps and marshes associated with lakes form headwaters to many rivers in the region. Longleaf pine sandhill habitat was historically the region's major forest type, although intensely-managed pine plantations now predominate. Hardwood hammocks occur as scattered "islands" within pine flatwoods. DeSoto County harbors large tracts of dry prairie, scrubby flatwoods, rangeland, and sandhill communities. Despite rapid growth, conservation lands constitute roughly 20 percent of the central west Figure 1. Central west Florida region with counties. region (Table 1) and include a variety of natural areas Credits: UF/IFAS and parks for outdoor recreation and wildlife viewing. seven regional profiles available online This document summarizes major rivers, lakes (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu). and springs, featured natural areas, and cultural aspects of Florida's central west region. For information on other regions in Florida, refer to "The Florida Environment: An Overview" and the other 1. This document is Fact Sheet WEC 233, one of the Florida's Environment series of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: July 2007. Revised October 2007. Reviewed November 2010. Please visit the Edis website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
    [Show full text]
  • Habitat Use by and Dispersal of Snail Kites in Florida During Drought Conditions
    HABITAT USE BY AND DISPERSAL OF SNAIL KITES IN FLORIDA DURING DROUGHT CONDITIONS STEVENR. BEISSINGERAND JEANE. TAKEKAWA School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 and Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Rt. 1, Box 278, Boynton Beach, Florida 33437. Although originally ranging over most of peninsular Florida (Howell 1932), Snail (Everglade) Kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) have been restricted in recent years mostly to three areas in southern Florida: the western marshes of Lake Okeecho- bee; Conservation Area (CA) 3A; and CA2 (Sykes 1978, 1979, 1983). Severe drought in southern Florida in 1981 dried nearly all wetlands inhabited by kites. Water levels at Lake Okeechobee were at record lows (2.9 m msl) in July and August, drying 99% of the wetland area. Water remained about 1.5 m below scheduled levels until June 1982 when it quickly rose as a result of heavy summer rains. Only perimeter canals contained surface water from May- August 1981 in CA3A and March-August 1981 in CA2 when Tropi- cal Storm Dennis (16-19 August) replenished surface water sup- plies. After reaching scheduled levels in September 1981, water de- creased again until CA2 dried out in February and CA3A in early May 1982. In late May 1982, surface water rose quickly again to near normal levels. As a result of habitat unavailability caused by this drought, Snail Kites dispersed throughout the Florida peninsula in search of foraging habitats with apple snails (Ponzacea paludosa) , practically their sole source of food (for exceptions see Sykes and Kale 1974, Woodin and Woodin 1981, Takekawa and Beissinger 1983, Beis- singer in prep.).
    [Show full text]
  • Groundwater Contamination and Impacts to Water Supply
    SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT March 2007 Final Draft CCoonnssoolliiddaatteedd WWaatteerr SSuuppppllyy PPllaann SSUUPPPPOORRTT DDOOCCUUMMEENNTT Water Supply Department South Florida Water Managemment District TTaabbllee ooff CCoonntteennttss List of Tables and Figures................................................................................v Acronyms and Abbreviations........................................................................... vii Chapter 1: Introduction..................................................................................1 Basis of Water Supply Planning.....................................................................1 Legal Authority and Requirements ................................................................1 Water Supply Planning Initiative...................................................................4 Water Supply Planning History .....................................................................4 Districtwide Water Supply Assessment............................................................5 Regional Water Supply Plans .......................................................................6 Chapter 2: Natural Systems .............................................................................7 Overview...............................................................................................7 Major Surface Water Features.................................................................... 13 Kissimmee Basin and Chain of Lakes ...........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Okeechobee Waterway Master Plan Update and Integrated
    Okeechobee Waterway Project Master Plan Update DRAFT Draft Okeechobee Waterway Master Plan Update and Integrated Environmental Assessment 23 July 2018 Okeechobee Waterway Project Master Plan Update DRAFT This page intentionally left blank. Okeechobee Waterway Project Master Plan Update DRAFT Okeechobee Waterway Project Master Plan DRAFT 23 July 2018 The attached Master Plan for the Okeechobee Waterway Project is in compliance with ER 1130-2-550 Project Operations RECREATION OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE GUIDANCE AND PROCEDURES and EP 1130-2-550 Project Operations RECREATION OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE POLICIES and no further action is required. Master Plan is approved. Jason A. Kirk, P.E. Colonel, U.S. Army District Commander i Okeechobee Waterway Project Master Plan Update DRAFT [This page intentionally left blank] ii Okeechobee Waterway Project Master Plan Update DRAFT Okeechobee Waterway Master Plan Update PROPOSED FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY MASTER PLAN UPDATE GLADES, HENDRY, MARTIN, LEE, OKEECHOBEE, AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES 1. PROPOSED ACTION: The proposed Master Plan Update documents current improvements and stewardship of natural resources in the project area. The proposed Master Plan Update includes current recreational features and land use within the project area, while also including the following additions to the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW) Project: a. Conversion of the abandoned campground at Moore Haven West to a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) with access to the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) and day use area. b. Closure of the W.P. Franklin swim beach, while maintaining the picnic and fishing recreational areas with potential addition of canoe/kayak access. This would entail removing buoys and swimming signs and discontinuing sand renourishment.
    [Show full text]
  • Everglades to Okeefenokee – a Thousand Miles Through the Heart of Florida
    FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR EXPEDITION: EVERGLADES TO OKEEFENOKEE – A THOUSAND MILES THROUGH THE HEART OF FLORIDA The vision of the Florida Wildlife Corridor is to connect natural lands and waters throughout peninsular Florida, from the Everglades to Okeefenokee in southeast Georgia. Despite extensive fragmentation of the landscape in recent decades, a statewide network of connected natural areas is still possible. The first step is raising awareness about the fleeting opportunity we have to connect natural and rural landscapes in order to protect the waters that sustain us, the working farms and ranches that feed us, the forests that clean our air, and the combined habitat these lands provide for Florida’s diverse wildlife, including panthers and black bears. Our goal is to increase public awareness for the Corridor idea through a broad-reaching media campaign, with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition as the center of the outreach strategy. January 17, 2012 marks the kick off the 1000 mile expedition over a 100 day period to increase public awareness and generate support for the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Photographer Carlton Ward Jr, bear biologist Joe Guthrie, conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt and filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus will trek from the Everglades National Park toward Okefenokee National Forest in southern Georgia. They will traverse the wildlife FLORIDA WILDLIFE habitats, watersheds and participating working farms and ranches, which comprise CORRIDOR the Florida Wildlife Corridor opportunity area. KEY ISSUES: The team will document the corridor through photography, video, radio reports, • Protecting and restoring dispersal and daily updates on social media networks, and a host of activities for reporters, migration corridors essential for the landowners, celebrities, conservationists, politicians and other guests.
    [Show full text]
  • Oscar Scherer State Park Approved Plan
    OSCAR SCHERER STATE PARK APPROVED UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks April 15, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 1 PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARK................................................. 1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN.................................................................. 2 MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW............................................................ 6 Management Authority and Responsibility............................................................ 6 Park Management Goals ........................................................................................... 6 Management Coordination....................................................................................... 7 Public Participation.................................................................................................... 8 Other Designations.................................................................................................... 8 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 9 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT............................................. 10 Natural Resources.................................................................................................... 10 Topography...........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ellen Peterson December 5, 1923 - October 14, 2011
    Ellen Peterson December 5, 1923 - October 14, 2011 Ellen Peterson nee Salisbury 87, of Estero, Florida passed away on October 14th, 2011. She was born in Georgia on December 5, 1923. She is survived by a niece, Rhonda Romano (Thomas) of St. Petersburg, Florida, a nephew, James Davis (Barb) of Grand Rapids Michigan, and Grand nieces Megan and Michelle. She was predeceased by a sister Mary Alice Davis. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 1945 with a degree in Chemistry and she received her Masters in counseling in 1963 from Appalachia State. She c ame to Southwest Florida shortly afterwards, and served as the Director of the Counseling Center at Edison College for many years. She also became a fierce advocate for our wildlife and wild places. Ellen was a warrior when it came to the environment; she cared deeply and devoted her life to saving the planet and protecting Mother Earth. She served on many boards and advisory committees such as: the Agency for Bay Management, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida, Save Our Creeks, the Responsible Growth Management Coalition, The Everglades Committee, the Environmental Peace and Education Center and the Sierra Club's Calusa Group. Ellen founded the Calusa group over 30 years ago and remained the chairperson until her death. The Agency for Bay Management was formed as a result of a lawsuit about where FGCU would be built; Ellen was the only member who refused to sign off on the settlement agreement. Ellen spoke at countless county commission hearings, and her presence was powerful, always intelligently informed, and unrelenting.
    [Show full text]