44 focal species44 focal species and rare natural and rare natural communitiescommunities

Florida Natural Areas Inventory, the Florida Natural Areas Inventory, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish CommissionCommission

boundaries of public landsboundaries of public lands

EXISTING CONSERVATION AREAS

))

Sherman’s Fox SquirrelSherman’s Fox Squirrel((Sciurus niger shermaniSciurus niger shermani

The Gopher TortoiseThe Gopher Tortoise

((Gopherus polyphemusGopherus polyphemus))

Gopher FrogGopher Frog((Rana capitoRana capito))

Sand Skink Sand Skink

((Neoseps reynoldsiNeoseps reynoldsi))

Florida MouseFlorida Mouse((Podomys floridanaPodomys floridana

Eastern Indigo SnakeEastern Indigo Snake((Drymarchon corais couperiDrymarchon corais couperi

                                                                                                            

                                                                    

               

Of the 40 focal species subjected to this analysis, 30 were found not to have this

minimum level of protection on public

lands.

So they then determined those lands that are essential

to providing some of thestate’s rarest animals, plants, and natural communities withthe land base necessary to sustain populations into the

future.

STRATEGIC HABITAT CONSERVATION

AREAS

Remaining Stable Black Bear Remaining Stable Black Bear PopulationsPopulations

Potential black bear habitat within 50 km of existing conservation areas with stable black bear populations.

Potential Black Bear HabitatPotential Black Bear Habitatin this Areain this Area

Bear Habitat in Entonia Greenway

USE OF THESE MAPSUSE OF THESE MAPS

Project maps are intended to help guide land acquisition, land conservation, land-use planning, and regulatory programs at many levels. The maps represent our best estimate of those Florida lands that require some form of conservation to ensure that biodiversity is maintained for future generations.

Landscape approachLandscape approach

vsvs

Site-specific approachSite-specific approach

Traditional Land Use Planning:Traditional Land Use Planning:

concentrates on the characteristics of the concentrates on the characteristics of the particular site under study, with little or no particular site under study, with little or no consideration of surrounding features or consideration of surrounding features or impactsimpacts

System wide FocusSystem wide Focus

It is felt by many that the failure over the past decades to adequately protect native ecosystems and landscapes was largely due to site-specific approach to environmental review and permitting. To that end, many of today’s environmental planning and design programs emphasize and incorporate a system-wide focus to ensure that all characteristics and potential ramifications are considered.

FragmentationFragmentation

Fragmentation is the separation of habitat in a landscape. It means chopping a wild place into pieces by putting a road , fence, house, building, powerline, etc. through it. Some species will refuse to cross even a dirt road. Some species will cross a road to their demise.

                                                                                                    

                 

Statewide Ecological NetworkStatewide Ecological Network

Greenways System Planning Project developed the

“Statewide Ecological Network.”

“Connecting Florida’s Communities withGreenways and Trails.”

The Executive Summary recommended: “It is essential that the Ecological Network be incorporated into the planning process....” pp. 12-13.

“It is essential that the Ecological Network be

incorporated into the planning process…”

What is aWhat is a Statewide Greenways System Statewide Greenways System Purpose?Purpose?

maintenance and restoration of maintenance and restoration of connectivityconnectivity, , of ecological systemsof ecological systems

It is also intended to create the It is also intended to create the opportunity opportunity forfor trail userstrail users

It is further intended to It is further intended to protect sites and protect sites and landscapes of landscapes of cultural and historic cultural and historic significance.significance.

Identification of Critical Linkages Within the Florida Ecological Greenways

Network

A report prepared by the University of Florida, GeoPlan Center

for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Greenways &

Trails July, 2002

For more information, contact: Dr. Tom Hoctor

University of Florida, GeoPlan Center P.O. Box 115704

Gainesville, FL 32611-5704 Phone: 352-392-50374

Or Jim Wood, Assistant Director Office of Greenways & Trails

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

3900 Commonwealth Blvd., MS 795 Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000

Phone: 850-245-2052

2

Ocala National Forest to Camp Blanding Critical Linkage

Gaps Study 1994

Strategic Habitat Conservation Areas

Greenways System Planning Project

Florida Ecological Greenways Network

Critical Linkages Within the Florida Ecological Greenways

What does this have to do with What does this have to do with this site?this site?

At least 23 species of great At least 23 species of great conservation interestconservation interest

Florida ForeverFlorida Forever

Group A Projects

Project Name County

Apalachicola River (FF/LTF) Liberty / Gadsden / Calhoun / Jackson

Babcock Ranch (LTF) Charlotte / Lee

Bear Creek (FF / LTF) Calhoun / Bay / Gulf

Big Bend Swamp/ Holopaw Ranch (LTF) Osceola

Bombing Range Ridge (FF / LTF) Polk / Osceola

Brevard Coastal Scrub Ecosystem (FF/ SH) Brevard

Caber Coastal Connector Tract (FF) Levy

Camp Blanding - Osceola Greenway (FF/ LTF) Baker / Union / Bradford / Clay

Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (FF) Collier / Lee

Coupon Bight / Key Deer (SH) Monroe

Devil’s Garden (FF) Hendry / Collier

Escribano Point (FF) Santa Rosa

Etoniah / Cross Fla. Greenway (LTF / FF) Putnam / Marion / Clay / Levy / Citrus

Fisheating Creek (LTF) Glades / Highlands

Flagler County Blueway (FF) Flagler

Florida Keys Ecosystem (FF) Monroe

Florida Springs Coastal Greenway (FF) Citrus

Florida's First Magnitude Springs (FF)Bay/ Hernando/ Jackson/ Lafayette/ Leon/ Levy/ Madison/ Marion/ Wakulla/ Suwannee/ Washington/ Walton

Garcon Ecosystem (FF) Santa Rosa

Green Swamp (LTF) Lake / Polk

Indian River Lagoon Blueway (FF) Volusia / Brevard / Indian River / St. Lucie/ Martin

Lafayette Forest (FF / LTF) Lafayette

Lake Santa Fe (FF) Alachua / Bradford

Lake Wales Ridge Ecosystem (FF/ LTF/ SH) Highlands / Polk / Lake / Osceola

Letchworth Mounds (FF) Jefferson / Leon

Nokuse Plantation (LTF) Walton / Washington

North Key Largo Hammocks (SH) Monroe

Northeast Florida Blueway (FF) Duval / St Johns / Flagler

Okeechobee Battlefield (FF) Okeechobee

Osceola Pine Savannas (FF) Osceola

Panther Glades (FF/ LTF) Hendry

Perdido Pitcher Plant Prairie (FF) Escambia

Pine Island Slough (FF) Osceola / Indian River

Promise Ranch (LTF) Lake

Spruce Creek (SH) Volusia

St. Joe Timberland (FF)

Gadsden / Gulf / Franklin / Leon / Wakulla / Liberty / Walton/ Bay / Jefferson / Taylor / Washington

Terra Ceia (FF) Manatee

Tiger Island / Little Tiger Island (FF) Nassau

Upper St. Marks River Corridor (FF) Leon / Jefferson / Wakulla

Volusia Conservation Corridor (FF / LTF) Volusia

Wacissa / Aucilla River Sinks (FF) Jefferson / Taylor

Wakulla Springs Protection Zone (FF) Wakulla

Wekiva-Ocala Greenway (FF) Lake / Orange / Volusia / Seminole

Yellow River Ravines Santa Rosa / Okaloosa

Why is this important??Why is this important??

The Economy!!!!!

“Long-range activities proposed include a multipurpose trail and facilities for public access.”

(Etoniah Creek/CFG Florida Forever Project description)

                                                                   

                                   

          

                              

        

               

Economic Impacts of Protecting Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Rivers, Trails and Greenway

Corridors (1990) stated:Corridors (1990) stated:"proximity to greenways, rivers, and trails can "proximity to greenways, rivers, and trails can increase sales price, increase the marketability increase sales price, increase the marketability of adjacent properties, and promote faster of adjacent properties, and promote faster sales."sales." This study also reported that This study also reported that

visitors from outside of Leon and Wakulla visitors from outside of Leon and Wakulla counties to the counties to the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail spentRailroad State Trail spent $400,000 annually$400,000 annually in in trail-use related expenses trail-use related expenses

A Study of the Users and Property A Study of the Users and Property Owners from Three Trails (1992 )Owners from Three Trails (1992 )

The The Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State TrailState Trail has resulted in a total annual has resulted in a total annual economic impact of over economic impact of over $1.8 million on $1.8 million on this rural, 16 mile-long trail. this rural, 16 mile-long trail.

In 1993, approximately In 1993, approximately 170,000 170,000 personspersons used this trail, and the used this trail, and the City of Tallahassee is currently City of Tallahassee is currently extending it five-miles north to extending it five-miles north to the Florida State University the Florida State University campus. campus.

The Effects of Greenbelts on The Effects of Greenbelts on Residential Property Values, Land Residential Property Values, Land

Economics, May 1978). Economics, May 1978).

value of propertyvalue of property adjacent to the greenbelt adjacent to the greenbelt isis 32 percent greater32 percent greater aggregate property value was aggregate property value was approximately $5.4 million greaterapproximately $5.4 million greater tax revenuetax revenue alone couldalone could recover the initial recover the initial cost of the $1.5 million greenbelt in three cost of the $1.5 million greenbelt in three yearsyears

Other studies Other studies

Users of the Elroy-Sparta Trail in Wisconsin spend an Users of the Elroy-Sparta Trail in Wisconsin spend an average of 25.14 per person per day average of 25.14 per person per day The average daily per person expenditure of users of the The average daily per person expenditure of users of the Sugar River Trail in Wisconsin increased from $5.20 in Sugar River Trail in Wisconsin increased from $5.20 in 1979 to $10.99 in 1984 1979 to $10.99 in 1984 Surveys of users of Minnesota's Sugar Valley Trail spent Surveys of users of Minnesota's Sugar Valley Trail spent between $6.11 and $13.92 per person per day between $6.11 and $13.92 per person per day Users of the Heartland State Trail in Minnesota were Users of the Heartland State Trail in Minnesota were estimated to spend $7.49 a day on the trail with an estimated to spend $7.49 a day on the trail with an annual total of $375,800 in direct spending by trail users annual total of $375,800 in direct spending by trail users $6.2 million in sales from Katy-Missouri River Trail $6.2 million in sales from Katy-Missouri River Trail tourism generated $960,000 in sales tax revenue in 1987 tourism generated $960,000 in sales tax revenue in 1987

The The Joint Economic Committee of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. CongressU.S. Congress reports that a city's reports that a city's quality quality

of lifeof life is more important than purely is more important than purely business-related factors when comes to business-related factors when comes to attracting new businesses, particularly in attracting new businesses, particularly in the high-tech and service industries (Sign the high-tech and service industries (Sign Control News "Fact Sheet: Sign Control Control News "Fact Sheet: Sign Control

and Economic Development," and Economic Development,"

November/December 1987November/December 1987). ).

The National Association of The National Association of Home Builders reported the value Home Builders reported the value of residential property is 10 to 20 of residential property is 10 to 20 percent higher in the vicinity of percent higher in the vicinity of park facilities (Source: Florida park facilities (Source: Florida

Planning, April 1995).Planning, April 1995).

Why would Putnam County risk Why would Putnam County risk losing funding for the state to buy losing funding for the state to buy

conservation lands that could bring conservation lands that could bring increased property values and increased property values and

income into the county from trail income into the county from trail users?users?

OCKLAWAHA RALLY IMPLAN RESULTS

Direct Indirect Induced Total

OUTPUT $177,595 $48,632 $62,312 $288,539

TOTAL VALUE ADDED 120,578 29,288 40,290 $190,156

EMPLOYMENT RESULTS 3.8 1 1.3 6.2

FINAL Output total $288,539  - FINAL Value Added $190,156 and Employment results 6.2 job years (jobs per year for a year duration only). 

These results are for statewide impacts --though likely most of the impacts are quite local.   

Tim Lynch, Ph DDirectorCenter for Economic Forecasting and AnalysisFlorida State University 

Policy E.1.3.6.B

In the process of reviewing site plans, the County shall assess the compatibility of land use development on parcels adjacent to the Ocala NF, WMA, State or Private Preserves or other State or Federal natural resource areas.

Policy E.1.4.2

The County shall request technical assistance from State agencies to study the feasibility of designating viable wildlife corridors in the County….

Policy E.1.4.4

In coordination with public and private conservation entities the County shall identify, enhance, and promote a greenway that includes lands that are environmentally valuable or provide recreational opportunities in Putnam County.

In SummaryIn Summary

This mine sits in the “Grand Central Station” of This mine sits in the “Grand Central Station” of wildlife corridorswildlife corridorsIt is an area of great conservation interest and It is an area of great conservation interest and high biodiversityhigh biodiversityThe county commission must make its decision The county commission must make its decision using a broad-based view, not just focusing on using a broad-based view, not just focusing on the property itselfthe property itselfIt’s decision could have long-range implications It’s decision could have long-range implications for the future of the local Greenwayfor the future of the local GreenwayThis CPA is against your comprehensive planThis CPA is against your comprehensive plan

The FutureThe Future