Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway Management Plan Managed by Florida Department of Environmental Protection Office of Greenways and Trails June 2007 – June 2017 Prepared by Muller and Associates, Inc. with the Office of Greenways and Trails June 15, 2007 Cover: Regional map of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway (dark green) in relation to conservation lands (light green) and Florida Forever projects (light purple) The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Office of Greenways and Trails Working to establish a statewide system of greenways and trails for recreation, conservation and alternative transportation purposes. This page intentionally left blank DSL Approval Letter This page intentionally left blank Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway Land Management Plan Executive Summary Lead Agency: Florida Department of Environmental Protection/Office of Greenways and Trails Common Name of the Property: Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway Location: Citrus, Levy, Marion and Putnam Counties Acreage: 78,946 lease acres Acreage Breakdown: (based on the 2003 UF study; GIS acreage calculation) Natural Community Acreage Natural Community Acreage sandhill 5,622 floodplain forest 3,224 scrub 113 basin marsh/marsh lake 4,593 xeric hammock 97 depression marsh 2,611 upland mixed forest 9,536 dome swamp 664 mesic flatwoods 13,542 tidal marsh 1,454 flatwoods 375 herbaceous 108 wet flatwoods 10,012 water 10,822 baygall 782 disturbed 8,029 bottomland 8,922 Total 80,506 (blackwater stream included in water) Lease: #4013 of October 27, 2003, with 20 amendments from 1993 through 2006 Use: Multiple use area or for such other purposes as authorized by the provisions of the Greenways Bill; Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever legislation applies to Greenway lands acquired through these programs. Management Responsibilities: Agency – FDEP, Office of Greenways and Trails Responsibilities – Lessee, lead manager (greenways and trails) Agency – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Responsibilities – management of hunting operations Designated Land Use: Greenway and Trails Subleases: Twenty-nine subleases to various entities Encumbrances: Mineral rights retained by private owner on approximately 16-acre parcel; timber rights retained until 2011 on a 703-acre parcel, Holnam donation; numerous transportation and power rights-of- way possibly exist. Also, a variety of easement interests. Type Acquisition: Fee simple Barge Canal lands and fee simple through CARL-Preservation 2000, Florida Forever-Board of Trustees, Florida Forever-Greenways and Trails Program, fee simple donations and fee simple mitigation donation with timber rights reserved until 2011. Unique Features: Scrub, sandhill, blackwater streams, springs, rare/endangered plants and animals, cultural sites Archaeological/Historical: 202 archeological and historical sites representing at least 25 archaeological cultures with potentially 16 sites eligible for the National Register of Historic Sites (in DHR Florida Master Site File) Management Needs: Increased staff and equipment; natural community maps of current and historical coverage; development and implementation of a comprehensive restoration plan, including hydrology and shoreline management plan Acquisition Needs: Acquire gaps in the Greenway and inholdings; acquisition of additional lands, some within Florida Forever projects, for management purposes, to connect to other conservation lands and trail systems and to cure easement lands Surplus Lands: 10 tracts totaling 325 acres managed by CFG and within the Ocala National Forest Public Involvement: Public meetings on October 22 and 25, November 5 and December 11, 2001 and November 21, 2002 in association with development of the 2003 UF study. Public meetings were also held May 20, 21, 22, 2003. Management advisory group meeting and a series of public hearings March 27-29, 2007 DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE (FOR DIVISION OF STATE LANDS USE ONLY) ARC Approval Date BTIITF Approval Date: Comments: Table of Contents I. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................15 Purpose and Scope of Plan........................................................................................................................................2 Location ....................................................................................................................................................................2 Regional Significance...............................................................................................................................................2 Land Acquisition.......................................................................................................................................................3 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................................3 Land Acquisition History ......................................................................................................................................4 Nearby Public Lands and Designated Water Resources ...........................................................................................5 Management Authority.............................................................................................................................................6 Public Involvement...................................................................................................................................................7 II. Natural and Cultural Resources.........................................................................................................................9 Physiography ............................................................................................................................................................9 Topography and Geomorphology..........................................................................................................................9 Geology .................................................................................................................................................................9 Soils .....................................................................................................................................................................10 Hydrology/Water Management ...........................................................................................................................11 Climate....................................................................................................................................................................14 Natural Communities..............................................................................................................................................15 Native Species ........................................................................................................................................................25 Listed Species .........................................................................................................................................................26 Listed Plant Species.............................................................................................................................................28 Listed Animal Species .........................................................................................................................................29 Invasive Non-native Species...................................................................................................................................30 Invasive Non-native Plant Species ......................................................................................................................30 Invasive Non-native Animal Species...................................................................................................................32 Problem Native Species..........................................................................................................................................32 Forest Resources.....................................................................................................................................................33 Mineral Resources ..................................................................................................................................................33 Cultural, Archaeological, and Historical Resources ...............................................................................................34 Scenic Resources ....................................................................................................................................................34 III. Use of the Property............................................................................................................................................35 Previous Use and Development..............................................................................................................................35 Current Public Use and Land Uses .........................................................................................................................35 Multiple-Use Trails..............................................................................................................................................36