St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park APPROVED Unit Management Plan STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks April 21, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARK ....................................... 1 Park Significance ............................................................................... 1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN .................................................... 2 MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW .................................................. 7 Management Authority and Responsibility ............................................. 7 Park Management Goals ..................................................................... 8 Management Coordination .................................................................. 9 Public Participation ............................................................................ 9 Other Designations ............................................................................ 9 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 11 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT .................................... 12 Natural Resources ........................................................................... 12 Topography ................................................................................. 12 Geology ...................................................................................... 15 Soils .......................................................................................... 16 Minerals ..................................................................................... 19 Hydrology ................................................................................... 20 Natural Communities (FNAI) .......................................................... 23 Imperiled Species ........................................................................ 40 Exotic and Nuisance Species .......................................................... 47 Special Natural Features ............................................................... 50 Cultural Resources ........................................................................... 52 Condition Assessment ................................................................... 52 Level of Significance ..................................................................... 52 Prehistoric and Historic Archaeological Sites ..................................... 53 Historic Structures ....................................................................... 54 Collections .................................................................................. 54 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ................................................ 54 Management Goals, Objectives and Actions ......................................... 54 Natural Resource Management .......................................................... 55 Hydrological Management ............................................................. 55 Natural Communities Management ................................................. 56 Imperiled Species Management ......................................................... 58 Exotic Species Management .............................................................. 61 Special Management Considerations ...................................................... 63 Timber Management Analysis ............................................................ 63 Coastal/Beach Management .............................................................. 63 Arthropod Control Plan ..................................................................... 65 i Sea Level Rise................................................................................. 65 Additional Considerations .................................................................. 66 Resource Management Schedule ........................................................... 66 Land Management Review .................................................................... 66 LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 67 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS ................................................................... 67 Existing Use of Adjacent Lands .......................................................... 69 Planned Use of Adjacent Lands .......................................................... 69 PROPERTY ANALYSIS ....................................................................... 70 Recreation Resource Elements ........................................................... 70 Land Area ................................................................................... 71 Water Area ................................................................................. 71 Shoreline .................................................................................... 71 Natural Scenery ........................................................................... 71 Significant Habitat ........................................................................ 72 Natural Features .......................................................................... 72 Archaeological and Historic Features .................................................. 72 Assessment of Use........................................................................... 72 Past Uses .................................................................................... 72 Future Land Use and Zoning .......................................................... 72 Current Recreational Use and Visitor Programs ................................. 73 Other Uses .................................................................................. 73 Protected Zones ........................................................................... 73 Existing Facilities ............................................................................. 74 Recreation Facilities ..................................................................... 74 Support Facilities ......................................................................... 74 CONCEPTUAL LAND USE PLAN .......................................................... 77 Potential Uses ................................................................................. 78 Public Access and Recreational Opportunities ................................... 78 Proposed Facilities ........................................................................... 79 Capital Facilities and Infrastructure ................................................. 79 Facilities Development ..................................................................... 84 Recreational Carrying Capacity .......................................................... 85 Optimum Boundary .......................................................................... 86 IMPLEMENTATION COMPONENT MANAGEMENT PROGRESS ................................................................. 87 Management Progress ...................................................................... 87 Park Administration and Operations ................................................ 87 Resource Management .................................................................. 87 Natural Resources .................................................................... 87 Cultural Resources .................................................................... 89 ii Recreation and Visitor Services ...................................................... 89 Park Facilities .............................................................................. 89 MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ............................................ 90 TABLES TABLE 1 – Management Zones Acreage ................................................. 12 TABLE 2 – Imperiled Species Inventory ................................................. 43 TABLE 3 – Inventory of FLEPPC Category I and II Exotic Plant Species ....... 48 TABLE 4 – Recreational Carrying Capacity ............................................. 86 TABLE 5 – Implementation Schedule and Cost Estimates ......................... 91 MAPS Vicinity Map ......................................................................................... 3 Reference Map ...................................................................................... 5 Management Zones Map ...................................................................... 13 Soils Map ........................................................................................... 17 Natural Communities Map .................................................................... 25 Base Map ........................................................................................... 75 Conceptual Land Use Plan .................................................................... 81 LIST OF ADDENDA ADDENDUM 1 Acquisition History ........................................................................ A 1 - 1 ADDENDUM 2 Advisory Group List and Report ....................................................... A 2 - 1 ADDENDUM 3 References Cited ........................................................................... A 3 - 1 ADDENDUM 4 Soil Descriptions ........................................................................... A 4 - 1 ADDENDUM 5 Plant and Animal List ..................................................................... A 5 - 1 ADDENDUM 6 Imperiled Species Ranking Definitions ............................................. A 6 - 1 ADDENDUM