MYAKKA RIVER STATE PARK UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN APPROVED STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks December 7, 2004 Department of Environmental Protection Marjory Stoneman Douglas Building Jeb Bush 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 140 Colleen Castille Governor Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 Secretary Phone: (850) 245-2784 Fax: (850) 245-2786 December 7, 2004 Ms. BryAnne White Office of Park Planning Division of Recreation and Parks 3900 Commonwealth Blvd.; M.S. 525 Tallahassee, Florida 32399 Re: Myakka River State Park Lease # 3636 Ms. White: On October 15, 2004, the Acquisition and Restoration Council recommended approval of theMyakka River State Park management plan. On December 7, 2004, the Office of Environmental Services, acting as agent for the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, approved the management plan for the Myakka River State Park. Pursuant to Section 253.034, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 18-2, Florida Administrative Code this plan’s ten-year update will be due on December 7, 2014. Approval of this land management plan does not waive the authority or jurisdiction of any governmental entity that may have an interest in this project. Implementation of any upland activities proposed by this management plan may require a permit or other authorization from federal and state agencies having regulatory jurisdiction over those particular activities. Pursuant to the conditions of your lease, please forward copies of all permits to this office upon issuance. Sincerely, Paula L. Allen Office of Environmental Services Division of State Lands Department of Environmental Protection "More Protection, Less Process” Printed on recycled paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF PLAN .................................................................................... 3 MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW...................................................................... 4 Management Authority And Responsibility.......................................................................... 4 Park Goals And Objectives ................................................................................................... 4 Management Coordination.................................................................................................... 8 Public Participation............................................................................................................... 8 Other Designations................................................................................................................ 8 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 11 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT ....................................................... 11 Natural Resources................................................................................................................ 11 Cultural Resources............................................................................................................... 23 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.................................................................... 27 Special Management Considerations.................................................................................. 27 Management Needs And Problems ..................................................................................... 28 Management Objectives...................................................................................................... 30 Management Measures For Natural Resources................................................................... 31 Management Measures For Cultural Resources.................................................................. 36 Research Needs................................................................................................................... 38 Resource Management Schedule......................................................................................... 39 Land Management Review.................................................................................................. 39 i LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 41 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS............................................................................................... 41 Existing and Planned Uses Of Adjacent Lands................................................................... 42 PROPERTY ANALYSIS .................................................................................................... 43 Recreation Resource Elements ............................................................................................ 43 Assessment Of Use.............................................................................................................. 44 CONCEPTUAL LAND USE PLAN................................................................................... 48 Potential Uses And Proposed Facilities............................................................................... 48 Facilities Development........................................................................................................ 53 Existing Use And Optimum Carrying Capacity.................................................................. 53 Optimum Boundary............................................................................................................. 54 TABLE TABLE 1 - Existing Use And Optimum Carrying Capacity ................................................ 54 LIST OF ADDENDA ADDENDUM 1 Acquisition History .................................................................................................. A 1 - 1 ADDENDUM 2 References Cited........................................................................................................ A 2 - 1 ADDENDUM 3 Soil Descriptions ....................................................................................................... A 3 - 1 ii ADDENDUM 4 Plant And Animal List............................................................................................... A 4 - 1 ADDENDUM 5 Designated Species List............................................................................................. A 5 - 1 ADDENDUM 6 Timber Management Analysis .................................................................................. A 6 - 1 ADDENDUM 7 Priority Schedule and Cost Estimates........................................................................ A 7 - 1 MAPS Vicinity Map ............................................................................................................................ 2 Soils Map ............................................................................................................................... 13 Natural Communities Map..................................................................................................... 17 Burn Zones Map .................................................................................................................... 33 Base Map ............................................................................................................................... 45 Conceptual Land Use Plans ........................................................................................... 49—50 Optimum Boundary Map ....................................................................................................... 55 iii INTRODUCTION Myakka River State Park is located in Sarasota and Manatee counties (see Vicinity Map), nine miles east of Interstate Highway 75 and State Road 72. Access to the south park entrance is from State Road 72 (Clark Road), and to the north entrance from County Road 780 (Fruitville/Myakka Road). The Vicinity Map also reflects significant land and water resources existing near the park. Myakka River State Park currently contains 37,198.89 acres. For this plan, park acreage is calculated on the composition of natural communities, in addition to ruderal and developed areas. Lands managed as part of the park include those parcels held in fee simple title by the Trustees in addition to the Myakka Prairie or Ringling MacArthur Tract. A management agreement between the Division of Recreation and Parks and Southwest Florida Water Management District was executed for the latter area in 1997. Myakka Prairie comprises approximately 8,249 acres south of State Road 72. At Myakka River State Park, public outdoor recreation and conservation is the designated single use of the property. There are no legislative or executive directives that constrain the use of this property. Acquisition of the park began in 1934 during the Great Depression using “Old Money” (see Addendum 1). Myakka River State Park contains cultural resources that span Florida’s history from prehistoric times through the period of the original development of a state park system in Florida, during the Depression Era. These cultural resources include aboriginal sites and a significant example of early Florida cattle ranching in the Meadow Sweet Pastures area. The park’s best-known cultural resources stem from its development as one of the New Deal Era parks in the Florida state park system. In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was the first New Deal agency to begin operations in Florida. From 1933 to