Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park Unit Management Plan APPROVED STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks April 16, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................1 PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARK ...................................................1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN.....................................................................4 MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW...............................................................5 Management Authority and Responsibility.............................................................5 Park Management Goals .............................................................................................6 Management Coordination.........................................................................................7 Public Participation......................................................................................................7 Other Designations......................................................................................................7 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................9 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT................................................11 Natural Resources......................................................................................................11 Topography............................................................................................................11 Geology...................................................................................................................13 Soils..........................................................................................................................14 Minerals ..................................................................................................................16 Hydrology ..............................................................................................................16 Natural Communities (FNAI).....................................................................21—38 Desired Future Condition........................................................................21—38 Description and Assessment...................................................................21—38 General Management Measures.............................................................21—38 Imperiled Species..................................................................................................38 Inventory (Table 1)...................................................................................41—44 Management Actions (Table 1)...............................................................41—44 Monitoring Level (Table 1)......................................................................41—44 Exotic Species.........................................................................................................45 Inventory (Table 2)...........................................................................................46 FNAI Distribution Categories (Table 2) ........................................................46 Management Zones (Table 2)..........................................................................46 Special Natural Features.......................................................................................47 Cultural Resources.....................................................................................................48 Desired Future Condition................................................................................48 Description and Assessment...................................................................48—50 General Management Measures.....................................................................50 Florida Master Site File List of Sites (Table 3) ...........................................51—55 Culture/Period (Table 3)..............................................................................51—55 Description (Table 3).....................................................................................51—56 Significance (Table 3)....................................................................................51—55 i Condition (Table 3)........................................................................................51—55 Treatment (Table 3).......................................................................................51—55 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM .............................................................56 Management Goals, Objectives and Actions..........................................................56 Natural Resource Management ...............................................................................57 Hydrological Management ..................................................................................57 Goal.....................................................................................................................57 Objectives...........................................................................................................57 Natural Communities Management...................................................................58 Goal.....................................................................................................................58 Prescribed Fire Management.............................................................58—60 Objective...................................................................................................58 Acres (Table 4).........................................................................................60 Optimal Fire Return Interval (Table 4) ................................................60 Natural Community Restoration...............................................................61 Objective...................................................................................................62 Natural Communities Improvement........................................................62 Objective...................................................................................................62 Imperiled Species Management..................................................................63—65 Goal.....................................................................................................................63 Objectives...................................................................................................63—65 Exotic Species Management.......................................................................... 66- 67 Goal.....................................................................................................................66 Objectives...................................................................................................66—67 Special Management Considerations ......................................................................67 Timber Management Analysis............................................................................67 Additional Considerations...................................................................................68 Cultural Resource Management ......................................................................68—69 Cultural Resource Management..........................................................................68 Goal.....................................................................................................................68 Objectives...................................................................................................68—69 Research Needs...........................................................................................................69 Natural Resources.................................................................................................69 Cultural Resources................................................................................................70 Resource Management Schedule .............................................................................70 Land Management Review.......................................................................................70 LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................71 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS.........................................................................................71 Existing Use of Adjacent Lands ...............................................................................71 Planned Use of Adjacent Lands ...............................................................................72 ii PROPERTY ANALYSIS................................................................................................72 Recreation Resource Elements .................................................................................72 Land Area...............................................................................................................72 Water Area..............................................................................................................73 Natural Scenery.....................................................................................................73 Significant Wildlife Habitat.................................................................................73 Natural Features....................................................................................................73