44 focal species

and rare natural communities

Florida Natural Areas Inventory, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission boundaries of public lands

EXISTING CONSERVATION AREAS

) Sherman’s Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger shermani

The Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus )

Gopher Frog

(Rana capito)

Florida Mouse (Podomys floridana Sand Skink (Neoseps reynoldsi )

Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon 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 the state’s rarest animals, plants, and natural communities with the land base necessary to sustain populations into the future.

STRATEGIC HABITAT CONSERVATION AREAS

Remaining Stable Black Bear Populations

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

Potential Black Bear Habitat in this Area

Bear Habitat in Entonia Greenway

USE 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 approach vs Site-specific approach

Traditional Land Use Planning: concentrates on the characteristics of the particular site under study, with little or no consideration of surrounding features or impacts

System 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.

Fragmentation

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 Network

Greenways System Planning Project developed the

“Statewide Ecological Network.”

“Connecting Florida’s Communities with

Greenways 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 a

Statewide Greenways System Purpose?

maintenance and restoration of connectivity

,

of ecological systems

It is also intended to create the opportunity for

trail users

It is further intended to protect sites and landscapes of

cultural and historic 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 this site?

At least 23 species of great conservation interest

Florida Forever

Group A Projects

Project Name Apalachicola River (FF/LTF) Babcock Ranch (LTF) Bear Creek (FF / LTF) Big Bend Swamp/ Holopaw Ranch (LTF) Bombing Range Ridge (FF / LTF) Brevard Coastal Scrub Ecosystem (FF/ SH) Caber Coastal Connector Tract (FF) Camp Blanding - Osceola Greenway (FF/ LTF) Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (FF) Coupon Bight / Key Deer (SH) Devil’s Garden (FF) Escribano Point (FF) Etoniah / Cross Fla. Greenway (LTF / FF) Fisheating Creek (LTF) Flagler County Blueway (FF) Florida Keys Ecosystem (FF) Florida Springs Coastal Greenway (FF) Florida's First Magnitude Springs (FF) Garcon Ecosystem (FF) Green Swamp (LTF) Indian River Lagoon Blueway (FF) Lafayette Forest (FF / LTF) Lake Santa Fe (FF) Lake Wales Ridge Ecosystem (FF/ LTF/ SH) Letchworth Mounds (FF) Nokuse Plantation (LTF) North Key Largo Hammocks (SH) Northeast Florida Blueway (FF) County Liberty / Gadsden / Calhoun / Jackson Charlotte / Lee Calhoun / Bay / Gulf Osceola Polk / Osceola Brevard Levy Baker / Union / Bradford / Clay Collier / Lee Monroe Hendry / Collier Santa Rosa Putnam / Marion / Clay / Levy / Citrus Glades / Highlands Flagler Monroe Citrus Bay/ Hernando/ Jackson/ Lafayette/ Leon/ Levy/ Madison/ Marion/ Wakulla/ Suwannee/ Washington/ Walton Santa Rosa Lake / Polk Volusia / Brevard / Indian River / St. Lucie/ Martin Lafayette Alachua / Bradford Highlands / Polk / Lake / Osceola Jefferson / Leon Walton / Washington Monroe Duval / St Johns / Flagler

Okeechobee Battlefield (FF) Osceola Pine Savannas (FF) Panther Glades (FF/ LTF) Perdido Pitcher Plant Prairie (FF) Pine Island Slough (FF) Promise Ranch (LTF) Spruce Creek (SH) St. Joe Timberland (FF) Terra Ceia (FF) Tiger Island / Little Tiger Island (FF) Upper St. Marks River Corridor (FF) Volusia Conservation Corridor (FF / LTF) Wacissa / Aucilla River Sinks (FF) Wakulla Springs Protection Zone (FF) Wekiva-Ocala Greenway (FF) Yellow River Ravines Okeechobee Osceola Hendry Escambia Osceola / Indian River Lake Volusia Gadsden / Gulf / Franklin / Leon / Wakulla / Liberty / Walton/ Bay / Jefferson / Taylor / Washington Manatee Nassau Leon / Jefferson / Wakulla Volusia Jefferson / Taylor Wakulla Lake / Orange / Volusia / Seminole Santa Rosa / Okaloosa

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 Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors (1990) stated:

"proximity to greenways, rivers, and trails can increase sales price, increase the marketability of adjacent properties, and promote faster sales." This study also reported that visitors from outside of Leon and Wakulla counties to the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail spent $400,000 annually trail-use related expenses in

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

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

In 1993, approximately

170,000 persons

used this trail, and the City of Tallahassee is currently extending it five-miles north to the Florida State University campus.

The Effects of Greenbelts on Residential Property Values, Land Economics, May 1978). value of property adjacent to the greenbelt is 32 percent greater aggregate property value was approximately $5.4 million greater tax revenue alone could recover the initial cost of the $1.5 million greenbelt in three years

Other studies

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

The Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress reports that a city's quality of life is more important than purely business-related factors when comes to attracting new businesses, particularly in the high-tech and service industries (Sign Control News "Fact Sheet: Sign Control and Economic Development," November/December 1987

).

The National Association of Home Builders reported the value of residential property is 10 to 20 percent higher in the vicinity of park facilities (Source: Florida Planning, April 1995).

Why would Putnam County risk losing funding for the state to buy conservation lands that could bring increased property values and income into the county from trail users?

OCKLAWAHA RALLY IMPLAN RESULTS OUTPUT TOTAL VALUE ADDED EMPLOYMENT RESULTS Direct

$177,595

Indirect

$48,632

Induced Total

$62,312 $288,539 120,578 3.8

29,288 1 40,290 1.3

$190,156 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 D Director Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis Florida 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 Summary

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

The Future