Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park APPROVED Unit Management Plan STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks April 29, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................1 PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARK ....................................... 1 Park Significance ................................................................................2 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 ..............................................................................9 Other Designations ........................................................................... 10 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 11 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT..................................... 12 Natural Resources ............................................................................. 12 Topography .................................................................................. 12 Geology ....................................................................................... 15 Soils ............................................................................................ 16 Minerals ....................................................................................... 19 Hydrology .................................................................................... 19 Natural Communities (FNAI) ........................................................... 22 Imperiled Species ......................................................................... 34 Exotic and Nuisance Species ........................................................... 39 Cultural Resources ............................................................................ 44 Condition Assessment .................................................................... 44 Level of Significance ...................................................................... 44 Prehistoric and Historic Archaeological Sites ..................................... 45 Historic Structures ........................................................................ 48 Collections ................................................................................... 50 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ................................................. 51 Management Goals, Objectives and Actions .......................................... 51 Natural Resource Management ........................................................... 52 Hydrological Management .............................................................. 52 Natural Communities Management .................................................. 54 Imperiled Species Management ...................................................... 61 Exotic Species Management ........................................................... 62 Cultural Resource Management .......................................................... 63 Special Management Considerations .................................................... 65 Timber Management Analysis ......................................................... 65 Arthropod Control Plan ................................................................... 65 Sea Level Rise .............................................................................. 65 Resource Management Schedule ......................................................... 66 i Land Management Review ................................................................. 66 LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 67 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS .................................................................... 67 Existing Use of Adjacent Lands ........................................................... 68 Planned Use of Adjacent Lands ........................................................... 68 PROPERTY ANALYSIS ........................................................................ 68 Recreation Resource Elements ............................................................ 69 Land Area .................................................................................... 69 Water Area ................................................................................... 70 Shoreline ..................................................................................... 70 Natural Scenery ............................................................................ 70 Significant Habitat ......................................................................... 70 Archaeological and Historic Features ................................................ 70 Assessment of Use ............................................................................ 70 Past Uses ..................................................................................... 73 Future Land Use and Zoning ........................................................... 73 Current Recreation Use and Visitor Programs .................................... 74 Other Uses ................................................................................... 74 Protected Zones ............................................................................ 74 Existing Facilities .............................................................................. 74 Recreation Facilities ....................................................................... 74 Support Facilities .......................................................................... 75 CONCEPTUAL LAND USE PLAN ........................................................... 75 Potential Uses .................................................................................. 76 Public Access and Recreational Opportunities .................................... 76 Proposed Facilities ............................................................................ 79 Capital Facilities and Infrastructure ................................................. 79 Facilities Development ....................................................................... 80 Recreational Carrying Capacity ........................................................... 81 Optimum Boundary ........................................................................... 82 IMPLEMENTATION COMPONENT MANAGEMENT PROGRESS .................................................................. 87 Park Administration and Operations .................................................... 87 Resource Management ...................................................................... 87 Natural Resources ..................................................................... 87 Park Facilities ................................................................................... 87 MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................ 87 ii TABLES TABLE 1 – Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park Management Zones .... 12 TABLE 2 – Imperiled Species Inventory .................................................. 37 TABLE 3 – Inventory of FLEPPC Category I and II Exotic Plant Species ....... 41 TABLE 4 – Cultural Sites Listed in the Florida Master Site File ................... 50 TABLE 5 – Recreational Carrying Capacity .............................................. 82 TABLE 6 – Implementation Schedule and Cost Estimates.......................... 89 MAPS Vicinity Map ...........................................................................................3 Reference Map .......................................................................................5 Management Zones Map........................................................................ 13 Soils Map ............................................................................................ 17 Natural Communities Map – Existing Conditions ....................................... 25 Natural Communities Map – Desired Future Conditions .............................. 57 Base Map ............................................................................................ 71 Conceptual Land Use Plan ...................................................................... 77 Optimum Boundary Map ........................................................................ 85 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 ........................................... A 6 - 1 ADDENDUM 7 Cultural Information .................................................................... A 7 - 1 iii iv INTRODUCTION Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park is located