St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park Advisory Group Draft Unit Management Plan STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks June 2018 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 .................................................. 8 Management Authority and Responsibility ............................................. 8 Park Management Goals ..................................................................... 9 Management Coordination .................................................................. 9 Public Participation .......................................................................... 10 Other Designations .......................................................................... 10 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 11 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT .................................... 16 Natural Resources ........................................................................... 16 Topography ................................................................................. 16 Geology ...................................................................................... 19 Soils .......................................................................................... 19 Minerals ..................................................................................... 19 Hydrology ................................................................................... 19 Natural Communities (FNAI) .......................................................... 26 Imperiled Species ........................................................................ 48 Exotic and Nuisance Species .......................................................... 66 Special Natural Features ............................................................... 79 Cultural Resources ........................................................................... 80 Condition Assessment ................................................................... 80 Level of Significance ..................................................................... 81 Prehistoric and Historic Archaeological Sites ..................................... 81 Historic Structures ....................................................................... 85 Collections .................................................................................. 86 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ................................................ 90 Management Goals, Objectives and Actions ......................................... 90 Natural Resource Management .......................................................... 91 Hydrological Management ............................................................. 91 Natural Communities Management ................................................. 93 Imperiled Species Management ...................................................... 99 Exotic Species Management ........................................................ 102 Cultural Resource Management ....................................................... 104 Special Management Considerations ................................................. 106 i Timber Management Analysis ...................................................... 106 Arthropod Control Plan ............................................................... 107 Sea Level Rise ........................................................................... 107 Resource Management Schedule ......................................................... 107 Land Management Review .................................................................. 107 LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 109 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS ................................................................. 109 Existing Use of Adjacent Lands ........................................................ 111 Planned Use of Adjacent Lands ........................................................ 111 PROPERTY ANALYSIS ..................................................................... 112 Recreation Resource Elements ......................................................... 112 Land Area ................................................................................. 112 Water Area ............................................................................... 113 Shoreline .................................................................................. 113 Natural Scenery ......................................................................... 113 Significant Habitat ...................................................................... 113 Archaeological and Historic Features ............................................. 114 Assessment of Use......................................................................... 114 Past Uses .................................................................................. 114 Future Land Use and Zoning ........................................................ 114 Current Recreation Use and Visitor Programs ................................. 115 Protected Zones ......................................................................... 115 Existing Facilities ........................................................................... 116 Recreation Facilities ................................................................... 118 Support Facilities ....................................................................... 118 CONCEPTUAL LAND USE PLAN ........................................................ 119 Potential Uses ............................................................................... 119 Public Access and Recreational Opportunities ................................. 119 Proposed Facilities ......................................................................... 123 Capital Facilities and Infrastructure ............................................... 123 Facilities Development ................................................................... 124 Recreational Carrying Capacity ........................................................ 126 Optimum Boundary ........................................................................ 128 IMPLEMENTATION COMPONENT MANAGEMENT PROGRESS ............................................................... 131 Park Administration and Operations ................................................. 131 Resource Management ................................................................... 131 Natural Resources ...................................................................... 131 ii Cultural Resources ..................................................................... 131 Recreation and Visitor Services ........................................................ 131 Park Facilities ................................................................................ 131 MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .......................................... 132 TABLES TABLE 1 – St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park Management Zones ..... 12 TABLE 2 – Imperiled Species Inventory ................................................. 58 TABLE 3 – Exotic Invasive Plant Removal Completed ............................... 68 TABLE 4 – Inventory of FLEPPC Category I and II Exotic Plant Species ....... 70 TABLE 5 – Feral Hog Removal .............................................................. 79 TABLE 6 – Cultural Sites Listed in the Florida Master Site File ................... 88 TABLE 7 – Prescribed Fire Management ................................................. 94 TABLE 8 – Completed Prescribed Fire Management Activities .................... 97 TABLE 9 – Resource-Based Recreational Opportunities .......................... 110 TABLE 10 – Recreational Carrying Capacity ......................................... 126 TABLE 11 – Implementation Schedule and Cost Estimates ..................... 135 MAPS Vicinity Map ......................................................................................... 3 Reference Map ...................................................................................... 5 Management Zones Map ...................................................................... 17 Soils Map ........................................................................................... 21 Natural Communities Map .................................................................... 27 Base Map ......................................................................................... 117 Conceptual Land Use Plan .................................................................. 121 Optimum Boundary Map ..................................................................... 129 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 .......................................................................