VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: ANGIE VASQUEZ FOOTPRINT Summer/Fall 2020 Volume 36 Issue 4 Magazine Zora Neale Hurston How Florida Almost Forgot "The Genius of the South" Who's Visiting The Florida Trail? Exploring The Bryd Hammock Archeological Site Florida Trail Association Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 1 FTA volunteers, Hannah Plate and Preston James, pass through a beautiful mixed pine forest and oak hammock while maintaining the western corridor of the Ocala National Forest in September of 2019. This work party was hosted in partnership with REI in celebration of National Public Lands Day. Photo courtesy of Van Tran 2 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org Contents Departments and Features 5 President's Message by David Waldrop 8 Florida National Scenic Trail (FT) “Big Bend” Reroute Approved for Implementation by Shawn Thomas 19 Who's Visiting The Florida Trail? by Kelly Van Patten 22 Gateway Communities Program 28 Gaining New Ground by Austin Tezak 33 Land Trusts and Their Role In 24 Florida Native American Completing The Florida Trail Heritage Trail Crossword Puzzle by Jeff Glenn by Van Tran 37 Native American History 28 Zora Neale Hurston Along The Florida Trail How Florida Almost Forgot Exploring the Byrd Hammock "The Genius of the South" Archeological Site by Adam Fryska by Jenna Taylor 37 40 Volunteer Spotlight Angie Vasquez 40 by Van Tran 49 The New Normal Changing Outdoor Representation and Narratives by Luz Lituma Cover photo: Girls Who Hike FL founder, Angie Vasquez, enjoying a moment with FT cheerleader and mascot, Ziggy. Photo courtesy of Van Tran, FTA Community Outreach Manager and Ziggy's mom. Our Mission The Florida Trail Association builds, maintains, protects, and promotes the unique Florida National Scenic Trail (Florida Trail), along with a network of hiking trails throughout the state of Florida. Together with our partners, the Association provides opportunities for the public to contribute to meaningful volunteer work, engage in outdoor recreation, and participate in environmental education. Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 3 About Us The Magazine of the Florida Trail Association FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION 1022 NW 2nd Street Gainesville, FL 32601 Toll-Free: 877-HIKE-FLA Tel: 352-378-8823 Email: [email protected] Website: FloridaTrail.org Facebook.com/FloridaTrailAssociation Digital Magazine: Issuu.com/FlaTrail BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: David Waldrop VP Trails: Tom Daniel VP Outreach/Development: Vacant VP Governance: Peter Durnell VP Membership: Bill Turman Secretary: Deborah Schroth Treasurer: Pam Hale Directors: Ralph Hancock • Amanda Kincaid Greg Knecht • Darryl Updegrove Jan Wells • Leslie Wheeler FLORIDA TRAIL STAFF Executive Director: Royce W. Gibson • 352-378-8823 Administrative Director: Janet Akerson • 352-378-8823 Membership and Store Coordinator: Diane Strong • 352-378-8823 Community Outreach Manager: Van Tran • 352-538-7639 Trail Program Director: Kelly Van Patten • 518-369-9057 Panhandle Regional Trail Program Manager: Adam Fryska • 812-325-3502 North Florida Regional Trail Program Manager: OUR MAGAZINE MEMBERSHIP Jeff Glenn • 352-514-1455 The Footprint is published by the Florida Trail As a Florida Trail member, you receive a Central and South Florida Trail Program Manager: Association, a volunteer-based nonprofit subscription to The Footprint magazine, mem- Jenna Taylor • 772-242-3665 organization focused on Florida hiking and bership in a local chapter, a local newsletter trail building. Since 1966, the primary mission with local activities, opportunities for outdoor Technical Assistant: of our organization has been the care and Abe Christian protection of the Florida Trail, a 1,500-mile skills training, participation in regional and Gateway Communities Coordinator: footpath across the Sunshine State - Florida’s annual conferences and more. To become a Austin Tezak • 239-288-9437 own National Scenic Trail. member, you can visit our website, mail in the form on the last page of this magazine, or call FLORIDA TRAIL FOOTPRINT OUR GOAL 352-378-8823. Editorial Team: Van Tran • Kelly Van Patten To provide outreach to our readers through Layout: Sean Lucas informative articles that express appreciation ADVERTISING for and conservation of the natural beauty of ©2020 Florida Trail Association Reach a highly targeted demographic of All rights reserved. Florida; to inform our readers of Florida Trail Association efforts; and to provide informa- Florida outdoor enthusiasts by advertising Contributors retain copyright to their work but tion on Florida hiking and outdoor recreation with us or becoming a regular sponsor. Your give the Florida Trail Association permission to use opportunities. advertising dollars directly support production to promote FTA and the Florida Trail. Articles are and publication of this magazine and assist subject to editing for clarity and space. Materials CONTRIBUTORS the Florida Trail Association in fulfilling its will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed Please contact the editor at communications@ stamped envelope. Opinions, observations, and en- mission. Call 877-HIKE-FLA or email floridatrail.org to discuss ideas for feature [email protected] for more dorsements made within the Florida Trail Footprint stories prior to submission. do not necessarily reflect those of the board or details. staff of the Florida Trail Association. Bulk rate postage paid at Gainesville, FL. Deadline for ads for the Winter 2021 issue of The Footprint is January 15. The Footprint (ISSN 1064-0681) is published Postmaster: quarterly by the Florida Trail Association Send change-of-address form 3597 to: Footprint, The Footprint is printed with 1022 NW 2nd Street 1022 NW 2nd Street soy-based inks on paper with Gainesville, FL 32601 Gainesville, FL 32601 post-consumer content 4 Florida Trail Association FloridaTrail.org President’s Message The FTA’s Membership & Retail Coordinator, Diane Strong, posing with our trail mascot, Ziggy, in front of the new headquarters office. ’m leading with the bad news first, but on public recreation. By maintaining our selected as the FTA’s new executive director. stay with me, because this letter has network of hiking trails we enable Floridians Royce brings 25 years of experience in Imuch more good news than bad! to exercise, socialize and immerse themselves fundraising, advocacy and outreach, including With the COVID-19 pandemic still in nature in a way that is safe and accessible. 11 years as the senior director of membership holding the world in its grip, we are slowly Despite these challenging times, I and development for the Appalachian Trail getting back to our new normal. The Florida am pleased to announce two momentous Conservancy(ATC). While there, he built Trail Association (FTA) will not be hosting achievements that were accomplished this a team and a program which significantly large group gatherings for the time being, so fall. improved and increased the organization’s many events that have become a tradition Earlier this year, the organization was fundraising program and revenue. Recently within our community are not able to happen fortunate to receive a generous bequest he has worked with the Friends of San this coming hiking season. Our annual Trail from an individual who saw the great value of Juan National Historic Site and at ATC in a Skills Training will not be held this year for investing in the work that we do to enhance consulting capacity. With Royce leading our the first time in 8 years, conferences have recreation and conservation across the organization, we are poised to expand our been canceled, and our multi-day volunteer state. The board decided that dedicating this capacity to raise funds, collaborate with new work parties will be scaled back and following funding toward leadership for the organization partners, advocate for the trail, and so much new operating procedures. Maintenance of would help the FTA meet its full potential, more in support of our mission. the trail is going to take longer because of and moved full steam ahead on an executive Our second big announcement is that this, but the work will get done through the director search. FTA headquarters has moved into a new and dedication of our amazing volunteers and I am thrilled to share with our improved building. When the organization staff. Now more than ever, people are relying community that Royce Gibson was recently had to move out of the office on Hwy 441 Footprint Summer/Fall 2020 5 in 2018, we were fortunate to find a newer building with great landlords right in the heart of Gainesville. While this location worked as a temporary solution, we quickly outgrew the space. The building lacked necessary amenities such as a confer- ence room, extra work areas for remote staff and interns, a sufficient workshop space, storage for the FTA store and other important features that enable us to do our best work. Royce at the Last year, the board San Juan National voted to enter into a lease Historic Site with our existing landlords for a new building that was planned for construction across the parking lot from the current office space. This new building is now complete and has been custom designed for us. It includes 7 offices, a conference room, warehouse space and a small kitchen area. We look forward to opening the space to the public and showing it off to our community as soon as it is safe to do so. Moving forward, the beginning of the Footprint magazine will be featuring a letter from our executive director rather than a president’s letter. It has been a pleasure contributing to this column over the years and I am so excited to see what the next chapter holds. I am proud that our organization has stayed undeterred by the challenges that 2020 has brought. As always, we are thankful for the members, volun- teers, donors, partners and everyone else who contributes to the FTA’s growth and success. Plan your next day hike or overnight trip on a Planhike your that next puts daythe “scenic”hike or overnight in Florida tripNational on a hikeScenic that Trail.