Little Manatee River State Park Approved Plan Unit Management Plan STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks December 16, 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................1 PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARK ....................................... 1 Park Significance ................................................................................1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN..................................................... 2 MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW ................................................... 7 Management Authority and Responsibility .............................................. 7 Park Management Goals ...................................................................... 8 Management Coordination ................................................................... 8 Public Participation ..............................................................................9 Other Designations .............................................................................9 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 11 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT..................................... 13 Natural Resources ............................................................................. 13 Topography .................................................................................. 13 Geology ....................................................................................... 13 Soils ............................................................................................ 14 Minerals ....................................................................................... 14 Hydrology .................................................................................... 14 Natural Communities (FNAI) ........................................................... 19 Imperiled Species ......................................................................... 34 Exotic and Nuisance Species ........................................................... 42 Special Natural Features ................................................................ 48 Cultural Resources ............................................................................ 49 Condition Assessment .................................................................... 49 Level of Significance ...................................................................... 49 Prehistoric and Historic Archaeological Sites ..................................... 50 Historic Structures ........................................................................ 51 Collections ................................................................................... 51 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ................................................. 54 Management Goals, Objectives and Actions .......................................... 54 Natural Resource Management ........................................................... 55 Hydrological Management .............................................................. 55 Natural Communities Management .................................................. 57 Imperiled Species Management ...................................................... 62 Exotic Species Management ........................................................... 66 Special Management Considerations .................................................... 68 Timber Management Analysis ......................................................... 68 Arthropod Control Plan ................................................................... 68 Sea Level Rise .............................................................................. 68 i Cultural Resource Management .......................................................... 68 Resource Management Schedule ......................................................... 71 Land Management Review ................................................................. 71 LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 73 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS .................................................................... 73 Existing Use of Adjacent Lands ........................................................... 74 Planned Use of Adjacent Lands ........................................................... 74 PROPERTY ANALYSIS ........................................................................ 75 Recreation Resource Elements ............................................................ 75 Land Area .................................................................................... 75 Water Area ................................................................................... 75 Shoreline ..................................................................................... 76 Natural Scenery ............................................................................ 76 Significant Habitat ......................................................................... 76 Natural Features ........................................................................... 76 Archaeological and Historic Features ................................................ 77 Assessment of Use ............................................................................ 77 Past Uses ..................................................................................... 77 Future Land Use and Zoning ........................................................... 77 Current Recreation Use and Visitor Programs .................................... 77 Other Uses ................................................................................... 78 Protected Zones ............................................................................ 78 Existing Facilities .............................................................................. 78 Recreation Facilities ....................................................................... 81 Support Facilities .......................................................................... 81 CONCEPTUAL LAND USE PLAN ........................................................... 81 Potential Uses .................................................................................. 82 Public Access and Recreational Opportunities .................................... 82 Proposed Facilities ............................................................................ 86 Capital Facilities and Infrastructure ................................................. 86 Facilities Development ....................................................................... 88 Recreational Carrying Capacity ........................................................... 89 Optimum Boundary ........................................................................... 90 IMPLEMENTATION COMPONENT MANAGEMENT PROGRESS .................................................................. 93 Resource Management ...................................................................... 93 Natural Resources ..................................................................... 93 Park Facilities ................................................................................... 93 MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................ 93 ii TABLES TABLE 1 – Little Manatee River State Park Management Zones ................. 12 TABLE 2 – Imperiled Species Inventory .................................................. 38 TABLE 3 – Inventory of FLEPPC Category I and II Exotic Plant Species ....... 44 TABLE 4 – Cultural Sites Listed in the Florida Master Site File ................... 53 TABLE 5 – Prescribed Fire Management .................................................. 58 TABLE 6 – Recreational Carrying Capacity .............................................. 89 TABLE 7 – Implementation Schedule and Cost Estimates.......................... 95 MAPS Vicinity Map ...........................................................................................3 Reference Map .......................................................................................5 Management Zones Map........................................................................ 15 Soils Map ............................................................................................ 17 Natural Communities Map ...................................................................... 21 Desired Future Conditions Map ............................................................... 63 Base Map ............................................................................................ 79 Conceptual Land Use Plan ...................................................................... 83 Optimum Boundary Map ........................................................................ 91 LIST OF ADDENDA ADDENDUM 1 Acquisition History ....................................................................... A 1 - 1 ADDENDUM 2 Advisory Group Members and Report ............................................. A 2 - 1 ADDENDUM 3 References Cited ......................................................................... A 3 - 1 ADDENDUM 4 Soil Descriptions ......................................................................... A 4 - 1 ADDENDUM 5 Plant and Animal List ................................................................... A 5 - 1 ADDENDUM 6 Imperiled Species Ranking Definitions ..........................................