Myakka River State Park Acquisition and Restoration Council Draft Unit Management Plan STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks June 2018 Executive Summary Lead Agency: Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks Common Name of Property: Myakka River State Park Location: Sarasota and Manatee counties Acreage: 37,198.91 Acres Acreage Breakdown Natural Communities Acres Mesic Flatwoods 3766.16 Dry Prairie 14771.03 Mesic Hammock 673.43 Scrubby Flatwoods 182.44 Sinkhole 1.98 Basin Swamp 994.75 Baygall 293.40 Depression Marsh 6788.86 Dome Swamp 8.91 Floodplain Marsh 1181.81 River Floodplain Lake 1218.09 Blackwater Stream 142.57 Developed 75.03 Canal/Ditch 7.70 Artificial Pond 27.00 Abandoned Field 48.96 Abandoned Pasture 565.73 Spoil Area 3.14 Utility Corridor 96.57 Lease/Management Agreement Number: 2324 Use: Single Use Management Responsibilities Agency: Dept. of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks Responsibility: Public Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Designated Land Use: Public outdoor recreation and conservation is the designated single use of the property. Sublease: None Encumbrances: None 1 Executive Summary Unique Features Overview: Myakka River State Park is located east of Sarasota in Sarasota and Manatee Counties Access to the park is from Interstate 75, exit 205 (State Road 72); the entrance is 9 miles east on State Road 72/Clark Rd. The park centers around Myakka River. The park was initially acquired in 1934. Currently, the park comprises 37,198.91 acres. The purpose of Myakka River State Park is to preserve the natural beauty, wildlife, and historical features of the property, to serve as an important link in the chain of protected lands in the southern portion of the state, and to provide outstanding outdoor recreation and natural resource interpretation for the benefit of the people of Florida. Myakka River State Park is one of the oldest and largest units in the Florida State Park system and is one of the nine ”New Deal” era parks constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Under the unit classification system, the park is classified as a state park. Natural: Thirty-four miles of the Myakka River, including all 12 miles within the state park boundaries, were designated by the Florida legislature in 1985 as a State Wild and Scenic River. The Myakka River is the only river in Florida to receive state recognition for its “outstandingly remarkable ecological, fish and wildlife, and recreational values.” The park protects nearly 15,000 acres of Florida dry prairie, a globally imperiled natural community endemic to the state. The park provides habitat for numerous imperiled wildlife species, including Audubon’s crested caracara, Sherman’s fox squirrel, the Florida black bear, and the Florida panther. Archaeological/Historic: Myakka River State Park contains recorded and unrecorded remnants of the early 20th century cattle ranching industry and features associated with CCC park development and occupation during the late 1930s to early 1940s. Management Goals, Objectives and Actions Measurable objectives and actions have been identified for each of the Division’s management goals for Myakka River State Park. Please refer to the Implementation Schedule and Cost Estimates in the Implementation Component of this plan for a consolidated spreadsheet of the recommended actions, measures of progress, target year for completion and estimated costs to fulfill the management goals and objectives of this park. While, the Division of Recreation and Parks utilizes the ten-year management plan to serve as the basic statement of policy and future direction for each park, a number of annual work plans provide more specific guidance for DRP staff to accomplish many of the resource management goals and objectives of the park. Where such detailed planning is appropriate to the character and scale of the park’s natural resources, annual work plans are developed for 2 Executive Summary prescribed fire management, exotic plant management and imperiled species management. Annual or longer-term work plans are developed for natural community restoration and hydrological restoration. The work plans provide the DRP with crucial flexibility in its efforts to generate and implement adaptive resource management practices in the state park system. The work plans are reviewed and updated annually. Through this process, the DRP’s resource management strategies are systematically evaluated to determine their effectiveness. The process and the information collected is used to refine techniques, methodologies and strategies, and ensures that each park’s prescribed management actions are monitored and reported as required by Chapters 253.034 and 259.037, Florida Statutes. The goals, objectives and actions identified in this management plan will serve as the basis for developing annual work plans for the park. Since the plan is based on conditions that exist at the time the plan is developed, the annual work plans will provide the flexibility needed to adapt to future conditions as they change during the ten-year management planning cycle. As the park’s annual work plans are implemented through the ten-year cycle, it may become necessary to adjust the management plan’s priority schedules and cost estimates to reflect these changing conditions. Natural Resource Management Hydrological Management Goal: Protect water quality and quantity in the park, restore hydrology to the extent feasible and maintain the restored condition. Objective: Conduct/obtain an assessment of the park’s hydrological restoration needs. Natural Communities Management Goal: Restore and maintain the natural communities/habitats of the park. Objective: Within 10 years, have 26,074 acres of the park maintained within the optimum fire return interval. Objective: Conduct upland habitat/natural community restoration activities on 2,000 acres of Florida dry prairie, mesic flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods communities over the next 10 years. Objective: Develop a plan for Florida dry prairie restoration of the abandoned pasture south of State Road 72 that identifies priorities, feasibility, and partnership/funding opportunities. Objective: Conduct aquatic habitat restoration activities on 880 acres of river floodplain lake. Objective: Develop a desired future conditions map using historical data including pre-settlement land survey plat maps and notes for the area and interpret 1940s aerial photography. 3 Executive Summary Imperiled Species Management Goal: Maintain, improve or restore imperiled species populations and habitats in the park. Objective: Periodically update imperiled species occurrence inventory lists for plants and animals. Objective: Monitor and document 55 selected imperiled animal species in the park. Objective: Monitor and document 17 selected imperiled plant species in the park. Exotic Species Management Goal: Remove exotic and invasive plants and animals from the park and conduct needed maintenance control. Objective: Annually treat a minimum of 45 infested acres (300 gross acres) of exotic plant species in the park. Objective: Implement control measures on three exotic animal species in the park. Cultural Resource Management Cultural Resource Management Goal: Protect, preserve and maintain the cultural resources of the park. Objective: Assess and evaluate 41 of 41 recorded cultural resources in the park. Objective: Compile reliable documentation for all recorded historic and archaeological sites. Objective: Bring 14 of 41 recorded cultural resources into good condition. Ten-Year Implementation Schedule and Cost Estimates: See Table 7, pages 145-149. Acquisition Needs/Acreage: Approximately 5,000 acres has been identified as desirable for addition to Myakka River State Park. These recommended additions will aid hydrologic restoration efforts and protect the Myakka Wild and Scenic River corridor. Identified property also includes the headwaters of both Deer Prairie Slough and Mossy Hammock Slough. Hydrological restoration of these wetlands is essential for successful restoration of thousands of acres of dry prairie in the park. Acquisition of the parcels would also provide a critical buffer from potential agricultural or urban development near the park. Surplus Lands/Acreage: No lands are considered surplus to the needs of the park. 4 Executive Summary Public Involvement: DRP provided an opportunity for public input by conducting a public workshop and an Advisory Group meeting to present the draft management plan to the public. These meetings were held on March 2 and 3, 2017 respectively. Meeting notices were published in the Florida Administrative Register [2/20/17, VOL 43/34], included on the Department Internet Calendar, posted in clear view at the park, and promoted locally. The purpose of the Advisory Group meeting is to provide the Advisory Group members an opportunity to discuss the draft management plan (see Appendix 2). Summary of Significant Changes in the Management Plan Update Change in Land Use and Recreation Goals: Myakka River State Park is truly one of the Florida State Park System’s flagship parks. Over the long-term gradual redevelopment of the park is needed. A series of public workshops and key stakeholder meetings will be held to develop a new conceptual master plan for the park. The conceptual master plan will be used to guide implementation of the proposed improvements and additions. New recreational opportunities and facilities