TEN-YEAR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE TIGER BAY STATE FOREST VOLUSIA COUNTY PREPARED BY FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES DIVISION OF FORESTRY APPROVED ON OCTOBER 21, 2010 TEN-YEAR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN TIGER BAY STATE FOREST TABLE OF CONTENTS Land Management Plan Executive Summary ...............................................................................1 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................2 A. General Mission, Goals for Florida State Forests, and Management Plan Direction ...............................................................................................2 B. Overview of State Forest Management Program .............................................................2 C. Past Accomplishments .........................................................................................................3 D. Goals/Objectives for the Next Ten Year Period ................................................................6 E. Management Needs - Priority Schedule and Cost Estimates ...........................................11 II. Administration Section ..............................................................................................................15 A. Descriptive Information ......................................................................................................15 1. Common Name of Property .............................................................................................15 2. Location, Boundaries and Improvements ........................................................................15 3. Legal Description and Acreage ........................................................................................16 4. Degree of Title Interest Held by the Board ......................................................................16 5. Proximity to Other Public Resources ...............................................................................16 6. Aquatic Preserve/Area of Critical State Concern ............................................................17 B. Acquisition Information ......................................................................................................17 1. Land Acquisition Program ...............................................................................................17 2. Legislative or Executive Constraints ...............................................................................18 3. Purpose for Acquisition ...................................................................................................18 4. Designated Single or Multiple-Use Management ............................................................18 5. Alternate Uses Considered ...............................................................................................19 6. Additional Land Needs ....................................................................................................19 7. Adjacent Conflicting Uses ...............................................................................................19 8. Surplus Land Assessment ................................................................................................20 C. Agency & Public Involvement ............................................................................................20 1. Responsibilities of Managing Agencies...........................................................................20 2. Public and Local Government Involvement ....................................................................20 3. Compliance with Comprehensive Plan ............................................................................21 III. Resource Section .......................................................................................................................21 A. Past Uses ...............................................................................................................................21 B. Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources .......................................................................22 1. Soil Types ........................................................................................................................22 2. Archaeological and Historical Resources ........................................................................23 3. Water Resources ..............................................................................................................25 4. Fish and Wildlife..............................................................................................................25 5. Endangered or Threatened Species ..................................................................................25 6. Beaches and Dunes ..........................................................................................................28 7. Swamps, Marshes, or Other Wetlands .............................................................................28 8. Mineral Resources ...........................................................................................................28 9. Unique Natural Features ..................................................................................................28 10. Outstanding Native Landscapes .......................................................................................29 11. Timber Resources ............................................................................................................29 IV. Management Concepts by Natural Communities and Proposed Management Activities ..29 A. Existing and Planned Uses ..................................................................................................29 1. Property Boundaries Establishment and Preservation .....................................................30 2. Soil and Water Protection ................................................................................................30 3. Roads................................................................................................................................32 4. Recreation Management ..................................................................................................32 5. Fire Management .............................................................................................................37 6. Silvicultural Guidelines & Forest Resource Management Objectives ............................39 7. Research Projects/Specimen Collection ..........................................................................41 8. Law Enforcement .............................................................................................................42 9. Wildlife and Fish Management ........................................................................................42 10. Non-Native Invasive Species ...........................................................................................45 11. Insects, Disease and Forest Health ...................................................................................49 12. On-Site Housing...............................................................................................................50 13. Utility Corridors and Easements ......................................................................................50 14. Ground Disturbing Activities ...........................................................................................51 15. Apiaries ............................................................................................................................51 16. Cattle Grazing ..................................................................................................................51 17. Ground Cover ...................................................................................................................52 18. Restoration .......................................................................................................................52 B. Description of Natural Communities and Proposed Management Activities ................54 1. Basin Swamp ...................................................................................................................56 2. Mesic Flatwoods ..............................................................................................................57 3. Wet Flatwoods .................................................................................................................61 4. Dome Swamp ...................................................................................................................64 5. Depression Marsh ............................................................................................................65 6. Scrub ................................................................................................................................66 7. Baygall .............................................................................................................................69 8. Scrubby Flatwoods...........................................................................................................70 9. Sandhill ............................................................................................................................72 10. Basin Marsh .....................................................................................................................75 11. Wet Prairie .......................................................................................................................75