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Econ Wilderness
The 240-acre Econ River Wilderness Area on the edge of Seminole County includes 3 miles of trails that meander through pine flatwoods, sandhills, and river swamp. IN THIS REPORT Overview of Site Regionality, maps of site: 1939, 2013, regional significance, natural communities, and soil types. Page 1-3
3 December 2013 Plants and Animals Identifications of species that can be found within the Econ site. Page 4-5
Landscape Ecology Illustrations of the Econ site as it relates to patches, edges, corridors, and mosaics. Page 6
Site Grading
Overall grading of site based on Seminole County rank criteria. Page 7
Regionality “The Florida Wildlife Corridor aims to protect and restore connected landscapes throughout the Florida Peninsula to create a viable corridor from the Everglades to Georgia. The corridor addresses the fragmentation of natural landscapes and watersheds from the Everglades ecosystem north. If we show Floridians the panthers, bears, native cultures, ranchlands and rivers and how they are all connected, then they can help us make the Florida Wildlife Corridor a reality.” –Florida Wildlife Corridor Regionality
Criteria Rankings Explanations for each rank including, vulnerability, rarity, connectedness, completeness, manageability, and nature-oriented human use potential. Page 8-13
Essay Protecting Rarity by Maintaining Connectivity Page 14-17
From a broad perspective, the Econ Wilderness Area is located in an area which is close to the Florida Wildlife Corridor, an interconnected series of natural areas (Florida WildlifeCorridor.org). Upon examining a map of these areas, we can see how interconnected the Econ Wilderness Area could be. On the map to the left, the Econ property is marked with a black dot. Connectivity is an important factor in protecting Florida’s native plant and animal species.
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Natural Communities “The Econ River Wilderness Area contains several natural plant communities, most of which are fire dependent. Plant communities include sandhill, mesic flatwoods, wet flatwoods, baygall swamp, and alluvial forest, which is located along the banks of the Econlockhatchee River.” –Seminole County
SANDHILL
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longleaf pine-turkey oak habitat forest of widely spaced pine trees sparse understory of deciduous oaks dense cover of grasses and herbs rolling hills of sand
MESIC FLATWOODS
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open canopy of pine trees little or no understory dense cover of grasses and herbs slash pine, longleaf pine, saw palmetto, wiregrass, and gallberry (see Page 4)
BAYGALL WETLANDS
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densely forested peat-filled seepage depressions located at the edges of floodplains open understory of shrubs and ferns normal fire interval is 50-100 years
WET FLATWOODS
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open canopy forest scattered pine trees, cabbage palms sparse understory, thick ground cover pond pine, sweetbay, and gallberry natural fire interval is 3-10 years
ALLUVIAL FOREST
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hardwood forest located within floodplain swamps usually flooded for growing season cypress, dwarf palmetto, ferns mixtures of sand, alluvial sediments
1939
2013
The map above (Regional Significance Map) is sourced from the Econlockhatchee Sandhills Conservation Area analysis. The map and information for the Natural Communities can be found on the Land Management Plan Summary for the Econ Wilderness Area. 2
Natural Communities
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Soil Types There are six main soil types found in the Econ River Wilderness Area. These types include: Myakka/ Eau Gallie Fine Sands, Tavares-Millhopper Fine Sands, Immokalee Series, Pomello, Manatee Mucky Fine Sands-Depressional, St. Johns and Eau Gallie Fine Sands. These soils include a range of poorly drained sandy soils, well-drained sloping soils, and sandy marine sediments. (See Page 11.) Fine white sands
Grassy paths
Damp mossy paths
Rich, mucky soil
Dune white sand
The soil types information and Soils Map are sourced from the Econ River Wilderness Area Land Management Plan, pp. 5-8.
Soil Types
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Plant Species The Econ Wilderness property contains many unique plant species including the longleaf pine and turkey oak. These species are vital in maintaining several animal habitats and natural land types. Beautyberry
Wiregrass
Dog Fennel
Bracken Fern
Chalky Bluestem
Beautyberry can be evidence of a disturbed area. They are native to Asia, Australia, southeast North America, and Central America. Can act as a mosquito repellent.
Located in mesic flatwoods. Usually not found in higher areas because fires clear them out.
A weedy species, is evidence of a disturbed area. It is one of the first species to fill in after a disturbance, like the addition of a road and retention pond.
Ferns are usually found in wet areas, but this one is in an upland area and rounds out the landscape.
Can grow in a wide variety of soil conditions. It is drought tolerant and typically grows after a fire.
Deer Moss
Fetterbush
Sand Live Oak
Turkey Oak
Gallberry Shrub
Found in locations with high air quality. It is cold-hardy and can grow in well-drained, open environments.
A common understory shrub in cypress swamps, pine flatwoods, and scrubby habitats. Grow well anywhere blueberries can grow well.
Sand live oak has a linear leaf (looks like canoe). Indicates high quality environment. When they get too tall (as big as a pine), the area needs to be managed with fire.
Turkey oak also indicates a high quality environment. It is one of the plant species that changes color in winter.
Gallberry, part of the Holly family, can be found in dry areas and mesic flatwoods. It is an important nectar source for bee keepers.
All photos were taken on November 24, 2013 on site at the Econ River Wilderness Area.
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Plant Species
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Animal Species ! ! !
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The site provides habitats for numerous animal species including several of which are threatened or endangered. See Appendix A for habitat maps.
Gopher Tortoise
American Alligator
Wood Stork
Florida Sandhill Crane
Florida Scrubjay
Threatened--vulnerable (VU). Keystone species because it provides shelter for over 360 animal species. The state tortoise of Florida.
Least concern (LC). Hunting has decreased their population size. Florida’s official state reptile.
Least concern (LC). Federallydesignated endangered as of August 2013 from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Currently breeds in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Least concern (LC). Resident populations were destroyed by hunting and habitat change. In 1940, there were only 1,000. Today, their count is 100,000.
Threatened–vulnerable (VU). Known to have been present in Florida for 2 million years. The only species of bird endemic in Florida.
Florida Burrowing Owl
Eastern Indigo Snake
Gopher Frog
Florida Black Bear
Little Blue Heron
Least concern (LC). Long legs allow them to sprint as well as fly. Dig their own burrows, but will use gopher tortoise burrows. Decreased because of habitat loss.
Threatened–endangered (EN). The longest native snake species in the U.S. Can be found in Georgia and Florida and has been listed as possibly extirpated in Alabama.
Near threatened (NT). Inhibits in the threatened sandhill, flatwood, and scrub habitats. Decreased in number due to loss of habitat and fire suppression.
Habitat loss and development has decreased population size. More than 100 black bears are killed on Florida roadways each year. Hunting was outlawed in 1994.
Least concern (LC). Has a global population of about 150,000. Loss of feeding habitat continues to decrease their numbers.
Ratings are based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) scale of conservation status: EX=Extinct, EW=Extinct in the Wild, CR=Critically Endangered, EN=Endangered, VU=Vulnerable, NT=Near Threatened, LC = Least Concern. According to the Florida Natural Areas Index (FNAI), these animals can be found in the Econ River Wilderness Area (see Appendix C). These species have been identified as threatened or endangered from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Animal Species
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Landscape Ecology Edge Structural Diversity (E1)
Edge as Filter (E4)
Interior Edge
Ecotone
Patch Selection for Conservation (P15)
Edge Interior
According to Dramstad, patch selection for conservation should be based on 1) their connectivity to larger corridors, and 2) any unusual or distinctive characteristics. (p. 24) The Econ site has both: it is connected to the long Econ River corridor and contains rare habitat and species.
Vegetative edges with lobes and coves have higher diversity of edge species. (p. 28) On the west side of the Econ site, McCulloch Road creates a drastic edge and mortality sink--where species’ populations are not as rich. However, on the east side of the site, the Econ River provides coves and lobes for diverse animal species and plant life.
“Patch edges normally function as filters, which dampen influences of the surroundings on the patch interior.” (p. 29) On the Econ site, there are several patches of different natural communities, which encourage ecotones to develop between the patches.
Coves and Lobes (E10)
Shape and Orientation (E14)
Stepping Stone Connectivity (C4)
Coves and lobes foster a higher habitat diversity than straight edges. More habitat variation encourages a greater species diversity. (p. 31) The Econ River provides a unique structural design that supports species and species’ movement.
A patch oriented horizontally, as opposed to vertically, will have a better means of species dispersal. (p. 32) The site, although already quite diverse, could be more diverse if it happened to lie vertically along the Econ River. The east side of the site is more likely to become a remnant piece if circulation dies within the site.
If full connectivity cannot be conserved, stepping stone connectivity becomes important to connect corridor gaps. (p 37) Here, the Econ site provides a stepping stone to other natural areas to the north (St. John’s River), north west (Wekiva), and southwest (UCF Preserve). Also, see Page 10.
Distance Between Stepping Stones (C5)
Corridor Width for Stream or River (C11/C12)
Edge and Interior Habitat Species (P1/P2)
“For highly visually-oriented species, the effective distance for movement between stepping stones is determined by the ability to see each successive stepping stone.” (p 37) This primarily applies to birds and edge species for the Econ site. For example, bald eagles are able to fly from the Econ site to UCF’s Preserve (southwest).
To retain natural processes, a stream or river corridor maintains an “upland interior on both sides, which is wide enough to control dissolvedsubstance inputs from the matrix; provides a conduit for upland interior species; and offers suitable habitat for flood plain species.” (p. 39)
Interior habitat and species are protected by its edge habitat and species. (p. 20) This image of the west side of the Econ site shows four different types of natural communities and where the interior species would be located. These habitat types represent natural shifting mosaics, since the habitats are vary in age, size, height, and density.
This landscape ecology analysis relates to Wenche E. Dramstad’s text, Landscape Ecology Principles in landscape Architecture and Land-Use Planning. 6
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Econ River Wilderness Area Site Ranking Land Assessment and Ranking Criteria “The 2013 General Appropriations Act (SB1500), [...] provides for up to $50,000,000 of funding for the acquisition of environmentally endangered, unique/irreplaceable lands, statewide under the Florida Forever Program. [...] This assessment will include an analysis of land owned by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida that was purchased as conservation land.� (Florida DEP, State Conservation Land Assessment). The table below and following information analyze the Econ River Wilderness Area according to the Site Ranking Criteria from Seminole County.
Site
Vulnerability
Rarity
Connectedness
Econ River Wilderness Area
Completeness
Criteria Score
Size Multiplier
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Manageability
NatureOriented Human Use Potential
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Criteria Weight:
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Total Rank:
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Overall Rank:
Site Ranking Scores
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VULNERABILITY RANKING
Vulnerability
Vulnerability Rank = 5
“What are the natural features which make a town handsome? A river, with its waterfalls and meadows, a lake, a hill, a cliff or individual rocks, a forest, and ancient trees standing singly. Such things are beautiful; they have a high use which dollars and cents never represent. If the inhabitants of a town were wise, they would seek to preserve these things…. I do not think him fit to be the founder of a state or even of a town who does not foresee the use of such things…”- Henry David Thoreau, Journal, 1861 (Forman, 2).
Vulnerability Weight = 2 Total Score = 10 Description: “Slated for development ! or prime real estate currently ! up for sale. No significant ! regulatory protection.” ! –Seminole County " Vulnerability Ranking " Criteria Summary: •
Currently open for development and is subject to no regulatory protection.
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Located in a prime area for further growth of housing and retail space.
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Protecting the site could ensure that it survives to educate and delight future generations.
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The county has already begun using the site to satisfy its drainage issues associated with road construction and impermeable surfaces.
The Econ River Wilderness Preserve is located on the border of Seminole and Orange counties. This location is in an area of Florida which is always in a state of expanding, thanks in no small part to the continued growth of the University of Central Florida. Unfortunately, this makes the site particularly vulnerable to future development. In fact, as there are no significant regulatory protections in place, one could say that it is almost a miracle that the site has survived relatively unscathed. Looking at Seminole County’s official Existing Land Use map (Appendix B), it gives us a good idea of how the county envisions its use. As we can see, the county zones the site as “Managed Environmental Land” meaning that it has an allowable net residential density of
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0.10, and is in the “PLI” zoning category, meaning it is to be used for public lands and institutions (Seminole ELU map). This zoning category leaves the site open to further development, ranging from retention ponds and other public uses, to the construction of schools for the surrounding communities. If we examine the county’s Future Land Use plan (below), we get a better understanding of how the county wants the site to be used in the future. As we can see, they zone the county as “Preservation Managed Land (PML).” While this may seem like the solution to the site’s problems, we must also remember that fully 15% of the county is similarly zoned. As such a significant percentage of the county is zoned PML, and most of these spaces exist a good distance from the site in question, it would likely be the first area to be disposed of, rezoned or made use of for the surrounding areas. We must also remember that at least a portion of the site lies inside the county’s “Urban” boundary (Appendix B), and will thus always be in danger of being purchased to quench the need of developers. In short, the site needs greater protections than are currently being provided, or it will suffer the same fate as the surrounding natural areas. The urban landscape is already encroaching on its borders, and traffic noise can be easily heard from the site. The county has already begun using the space for its own needs (such as the construction of the retention pond on the east side of the property) and even if there were greater regulatory protections in place, it is not a stretch to say that the county could soon place the entire site open for development.
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RARITY RANKING
Rarity
Rarity Rank = 5
“This deals with the particular type of habitat and how common or uncommon it is in the county. If there only exist one or two areas in the county that contain certain plant and animal communities then they would obviously hold a high rank in this criteria.” –Seminole County Site Criteria
Rarity Weight = 3 Total Score = 15 Description: “Rare community type. ! Extraordinary example of a ! natural community. Diverse ! array of superb habitats, ! several of them scarce. Many ! rare species, including a ! number FNAI ranks 1 or 2 on ! state and/or global scales. ! Critical habitat for a globally ! endangered species (GI). ! Unique geological feature, ! wildlife, archaeological, or ! historical site. Nationally ! significant.” –Seminole " County Rarity Ranking " Criteria
The Econ Wilderness site contains several rare habitats, which support several animal species that are endangered, threatened or of population concern. RARE HABITAT
Primarily, this property is made up of pine flatwoods, wetland swamp forests and hydric hammocks, sandhills, cypress swamps, and scrub forests. Looking at the map below (from Plant Real Florida), scrub forests and wetland swamps are some of the rarest habitats in Florida. According to the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) the following plant species-which can be found in the Econ property--rank between 1 and 2 on the state or global scale (See Appendix C):
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• Florida Willow" " • Giant Orchid" " " • Hartwrightia" " " • Sand Butterfly Pea" " • Scrub"" " " • Star Anise" " " • Celestial Lily" " " • Many-Flowered Grass-Pink" • Sandhill Upland Lake""
G2 G2 G2 G2 G2 G2 S2 S2 S2
THREATENED ANIMALS
These rare habitats are important to Florida because of their ability to maintain dying animal populations. The following animals can be found on the site and are ranked between 1 and 2 on the FNAI scale: • Florida Scrub-jay" " G2 • Large-Jawed Cebrionid Beetle"G2 • Southern Hognose Snake" G2 • Florida Black Bear" S2 • Florida Sandhill Crane" S2 • Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat" S2 • Striped Newt" " " S2 • Wood Stork" " " S2 Additionally, based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC) scale, the gopher tortoise (threatened– vulnerable), the Florida scrub-jay (threatened–vulnerable), the eastern indigo snake (threatened–endangered), and the gopher frog (near threatened) can also be found living on this site. NATURAL DIVERSITY
• Beautiful Pawpaw" Rarity
"
G1
This site is a prime example of regional rarity and national significance. It provides “a diverse array of scarce habitat, morphing from high and dry flatwoods to swampy wetlands to the delicate scrub forests. When addressing an example of a rare habitat, the Seminole County Site Criteria states, “an area of early successional sand pine scrub with a healthy population of scrub jays would be an area worthy of a high rarity value.” This property is a gem of native and uncommon species--including scrub habitat and scrub-jays--all within 240acres of land. Most animal populations decline because of habitat destruction (see Page 5); therefore, it is detrimental to protect this vital, unique piece of land. 9
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Connectedness Rank = 5 Connectedness Weight = 3
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Connectedness The Econ River Wilderness Area directly touches the west side of Econ River. Its adjacent location proves optimal for water quality, interior habitat protection, and movement of species.
Total Score = 15 Description: “Directly contiguous ! with large areas of natural ! habitat along extensive ! boundaries. Critical situation ! for interconnecting natural ! areas or trail systems.” ! –Seminole County " Connectedness Ranking " Criteria Summary:
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Adjacent to Econ River
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Provides water filtration system
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Protects interior species and habitat of floodplain species
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Allows for extension of home range for several species (panther, black bear)
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Creates a means of movement for interior and edge species
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Protects coves and lobes of the Econ River
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Interconnects pre-existing natural area
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Is not severed by roads, dredges, or development
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Acts as stepping stone to natural areas to the west and north
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Directly connected to long, Florida wildlife corridor along Econ River
Source: PennDesign Team, Orlando 2050 First, this parcel acts a filtration system for the Econ River by providing an area of “friction, root absorption, clay, and soil organic matter” (p. 39) to absorb nitrogen, phosphorus, and toxins before they enter the stream. This ensures specie vitality and clean habitats. Second, this area also provides a buffer of natural land for the Econ River, protecting the interior ecology from the effects of the small, subdivision to the south, and bordering roads: McCulloch Road (south), Old Lockwood Road (west), and Fawn Run (north). It acts as a “key ecological transition zone between two types of habitat [Econ River and residential development]” (p. 27). The west side of the parcel acts as an edge habitat while protecting the more delicate interior, floodplain habitat on the east. Third, the Econ River Wilderness Area adds to the west side of the existing Econ River corridor. This increases movement of species across both sides of the river and enhances the home range for large predators like the Florida panther or Florida black bear. It also protects the coves and lobes of the river, which provide “greater habitat diversity than along a straight edge, thereby encouraging higher species diversity” (p. 31). These features also create more interaction and are “more likely to have movement across it [east-west]” (p. 30), rather than along it (north-south).
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This parcel is bordered by roads on three sides (north, south, and west), but is fortunate to not have any severing roads (to the east) between it and the Econ River. This situation is not only ideal, it is crucial to the health of the river habitat. Any type of road or dredge dividing the Econ River Wilderness Area from the Econ River will interrupt natural processes and diminish the effectiveness of the floodplain’s ability to act as a “hydrologic sponge, trap sediment during floods, and provide soil organic matter for the aquatic food chain, logs for fish habitat, and habitats for rare floodplain species” (p. 39). Additionally, this parcel operates as a stepping stone to the protected natural lands of the University of Central Florida to the southwest and to the Little Econ River Corridor to the northwest. On a macroscale, the Econ River Wilderness Area would become part of a much larger corridor, linking Lake Jesup Conservation Area, Mullet Lake Park, Black Hammock Wilderness Area, Geneva Wilderness Area, and Little Big Econ State Forest to the north; Chuluota Wilderness Area and Seminole Ranch Conservation Area to the east; and Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park, Moss Park, Isle of Pine Preserve, and Split Oak Forest Mitigation Park and Environmental Area to the south.
Holistically, the Econ River area is a delicate linkage to the St. John’s River (north), the Kissimmee Prairie (South) and the Green Swamp (west). The Econ River is vital connector to the natural areas of the Central Florida region and proves to have all the necessary characteristics of high-ranking connectivity. Connectedness
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COMPLETENESS RANKING
Completeness
Completeness Rank = 5
“’Biodiversity must be conserved as a matter of principle, as a matter of survival, and as a matter of economic benefit.’”- UNEP, IUCN and WWF in their joint report, Caring for the Earth, 1992 (Forman, 1)
Completeness Weight = 1 Total Score = 5 Description: “Outstanding habitat. ! Diverse species, communities, ! and natural successional stages, ! including a number of rarities. Large ! enough to maintain long-term ! disturbance/succession matrix. ! Sizable gene pools due to size and or ! links to similar habitat areas. ! Potential for retention or ! reintroduction of full normal flora ! and fauna.” –Seminole County " Completeness Ranking "Criteria Summary: •
The site is very complete and provides outstanding habitat for a diverse number of species.
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It has a rich mixed of different habitats and soil types.
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The habitat preserved on the site is generally in very good condition.
Sources: •
Forman, Landscape Ecology Principles in Landscape Architecture and Land-Use.
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Land Management Plan, http:// www.seminolecountyfl.gov/parksrec/ pdf/EWALMP_2007.pdf
The Econ River Wilderness area is a very complete environment, and features a wide variety of plant, animal and soil types. Its array of native plant communities includes: sandhill, mesic flatwoods, wet flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, bay swamp, alluvial forest (Land Management Plan, see Page 2 of this report for map). Of particular interest to the area are the wetlands on the site, since they fit into the larger Econlockhatchee River system. It should also be noted that the “wetlands on the property are [of] high quality” which serve as a “natural filter” for the river (LMP, 2). This environment is a diverse landscape of different species working together to create a healthy environment. Especially in an upland area, in order to have a complete landscape, you need to have grasses, ferns, shrubs and canopy. The Econ River Wilderness area contains many examples of these categories. It has both wiregrass and chalky bluestem grass, which cover the ground in some areas. It has the bracken (or “upland”) fern. It has a variety of shrubs like Myrica (also known as “waxmyrtle”) and Callicarpa (also known as “beauty berry”). Perhaps the most beautiful features of the site’s landscape can be found in its canopy though. The site showcases a number of different trees, from the sand live oak to the long-leaf pine. Also of note are the large number of insects, animals and birds which call the site home. “There is a large population of gopher tortoises” as well as “sandhill cranes, Florida pine snake, and Sherman’s fox squirrel” (LMP, 4). The site is unique for having several different very distinct habitats, but displaying them in close proximity to each other. The rarest type of habitat on the site (and indeed, all of Florida) is the sandhill habitat. These areas are characterized by a “forest of widely spaced pine trees with a sparse understory of deciduous oaks and a fairly dense cover of grasses and herbs on rolling hills of sand” (LMP, 8). The most frequently seen plant species found in this habitat are: “longleaf pine, turkey oak, and wiregrass” (LMP, 8). This habitat is in danger of disappearing in Florida because it is of particular value to builders, since it does not flood. Mesic flatwoods habitat is the most dominant landscape in Florida, and this site is no exception to that. The mesic flatwood habitat is characterized by “open canopy forest of pine trees with little to no understory but a dense ground cover of herbs and shrubs” (LMP, 8). The most frequently seen plant species found in this habitat are: “the slash pine, long-leaf Pine, saw palmetto, wiregrass, and gallberry” (LMP, 8).
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MESIC FLATWOODS HABITAT The eastern and central portions of the site are predominantly of the baygall wetlands habitat. This habitat is characterized by “densely forested, peatfilled seepage depressions often at the base of sandy slopes” (LMP, 8). The areas of the site where the baygull wetland habitat meets the upland habitat is one of the most beautiful ecotones on the property. The canopy of this habitat is “dominated by evergreen hardwoods sweetbay, swamp bay, and loblolly bay. The open under-story is comprised of shrubs and ferns” (LMP, 8).
The meeting of the baygull wetland habitat (upper portion of image) and the mesic pine flatwoods habitat (lower portion of image). Wet flatwoods are habitats characterized by a “relatively open-canopy forest of scattered pine trees or cabbage palms and a thick understory and sparse groundcover or sparse understory and thick groundcover” (LMP, 9). The most frequently seen plant species found in this habitat are: “Pond pine, slash pine, sweetbay, and gallberry” (LMP, 9). The site features a number of different types of soils, (see Page 3) showing again how complete a habitat it provides. Among these types of soil are: •
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Myakka/Eau Gallie Fine Sands – “nearly level, poorly drained sandy soils,” and can be found in “in areas between sand ridges and ponds and sloughs” (LMP, 10). Tavares-Millhopper Fine Sands – “moderately well drained nearly level to sloping soil,” and often found in “thick beds of sandy and loamy marine sediments (LMP, 10). Immokalee Series – “poorly drained sandy soil occurring on the lower Atlantic and Gulf Coastal flatwoods,” found in sandy marine sediments (LMP, 10). Pomello – “moderately well drained sandy soil on low ridges” (LMP, 11). Manatee Mucky Fine Sands – “very poorly drained soil in depressions” (LMP, 11). St. Johns and Eau Gallie Fine Sands – “nearly level, poorly drained soil occurring in flatwood areas of the coastal plain” (LMP, 11).
In short, the site is a very complete cross-section of the natural Florida landscape, and preserves a wide variety of species, habitats and soil types.
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Management Score = 5 Management Weight = 3 Total Score = 15 Description: “Low-maintenance ! habitat types in excellent ! condition. Inherently well! buffered from most external ! impacts. Location minimizes ! problems with trespassers and ! neighbors and faciliities ! management access.” ! –Seminole County " Manageability Ranking " Criteria
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Manageability “Former land use practices have a great effect on environmental value of piece of property; logging, clearing, dredging and agricultural use can lower areas natural value and function. Exclusion of natural fire and hydrological regimes can alter the habitat and decrease productivity and biodiversity.” –Seminole County Site Criteria! The Econ Sandhill Conservation Area (ESCA) prescribed fires reduces hardwood encroachment upon sandhill habitat and maintain natural communities for wildlife habitat and species diversity. Fire management mimics natural fire regimes to encourage perpetuation and amelioration of native pyric dependent plant communities and associated wildlife. Fire also aids in reduction of fuels and minimizes potential for catastrophic and
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Protects 2.5 miles of the Econ River, including floodplain swamps on both sides of the river. Identifies and protects over 340 gopher tortoise burrows and over 400 plants and animals. Includes Forest Management, which deals with sandhill, mesic flatwoods, scrubs, and floodplain swamp natural communities.
Burn Zones. Source: Econ River Wilderness Area Land Management Plan 2010. Red = Main Loop Trail. Orange = Flagler Loop Trail.
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Land management at the Econolochatchee River Wilderness Preserve also serves to improve water quality, maintain natural hydrological regime, and increases food storage through restoration and/or conservation of flood plain communities. It conserves, protects and manages natural communities, ecological systems and species diversity. Manageability enhances habitat populations of listed plants and animals, achieves control of exotic populations present, protects cultural resources, and provides access to recreation to the extent that such activities are consistent with protection. The benefits of manageability ripple to other ecosystems. Landscape ecologists believe that the field is surrogate to the future, nudging society into long-term planning and decision-making (LE, 7). Spatial pattern strongly control movement, flows and changes, combining to form variety of land mosaics on earth (LE, 14-15). By these spatial arrangements planners make decisions about arrangements & land use patterns (LE, 15). Geospatial information on land management practices also provides information required for corridor building programs (Paudel, 2012). If there is no importance placed on land management, there is no control over the land or the ecosystems that live within it. If no management exists, encroaching will occur, undeveloped areas
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MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES Resource Management – the primary management objective is to preserve and/or restore the natural, ecological function of the land while providing a passive resource based recreational experience for citizens. To accomplish this, methodology is employed. Prescribed fires – many communities on the site require prescribed burns to restore and maintain their diversity. These burns also reduce fuel loads and the chance of damaging wildfires.
These images show three management tactics--logging, girdling, and fire (respectively)--that facilitate healthy, natural habitats for the Econ.
damaging wildfires.
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near adjacent water bodies – which currently act as filter and storage capacities – will be replaced by uncontrolled development, taking over natural and important lands, and replaced by private ownership. Water quality is reduced, biodiversity will diminish, the ecology will suffer and the end result is death of species. Having a strategy and implementing a plan is the sure way to ensure our future is not met with demise.
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Restoration – focused on the reintroduction of fire to resurrect the flatwoods and sandhill habitats, in turn improving wildlife habitat. Attention is also given to the bayhead to ensure historic hydrology is not altered.
Preservation – the sandhill habitat is one of the least common habitats throughout the state and its preservation on the site is important. Through the use of fire and continued monitoring small patches of sandhill, improvements and maintenance will benefit wildlife such as gopher tortoise and Sherman’s fox squirrel. Monitoring – by the continuous collection of data, it was assessed that land management practices and adjustments were needed in order for resource goals to be attained.
HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT Many of Florida’s habitats have adapted to the periodic disturbance caused by naturally occurring lighting fires. Without fire, many of the habitats would change to hardwood hammocks composed of limited number of plant species & support less wildlife. Much of the habitat in Florida suffers from a lack of fire caused by many years of fire suppression. This has resulted in an unnaturally high level of natural fuel (vegetation). In some areas there is so much fuel that land management can’t safely put fire back into the system and hope to control it. In these cases other methods are employed. One option is mechanical treatment. Roller chopping, bush hogging, or timber harvesting reduce the fuel levels, making the area safe to burn. This type of treatment is a common and effective practice in ecological growth and habitat revitalization for many species that depend on a particular ecosystem structure.
Manageability
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N AT U R E - O R I E N T E D H U M A N USE POTENTIAL RANKING
Human Use Score = 4 Human Use Weight = 1 Total Score = 4 Description: “Good for several types ! of passive recreation. Scenic. ! Suitable for nature trails and/ ! or environmental center. ! Valuable site for scientific ! research. Special enough to be ! a popular regional passive ! recreation destination.” ! – Seminole County Nature" Oriented Human Use " Potential Ranking " Criteria! Summary: •
Provides scenic and several types of passive recreation
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Special enough to be a popular regional passive recreation destination
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Nature-Oriented Human Use Potential “There is increasing evidence suggesting that mental health and emotional stability of population may be profoundly influenced by frustrating aspects of an urban, biological artificial environment…. It is evident that in our daily lives nature must be thought of as a luxury to be made available if possible, but as part of our inherent indispensable biological need” ~ Fredrick Law Olmstead.!
Source: Econ River Wilderness Area Land Management Plan 2010. Red = Main Loop Trail. Orange = Flagler Loop Trail.
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The networks of trails offer a sampling various plant and fauna habitats. The site also offers opportunity for passive recreation such as hiking, biking, bird watching and nature trails. Access to the Econ River ensures public enjoyment. Raised walkways facilitate vistas and allow for water flow. Footpaths are well maintained and provide a pleasant hike, with great views across the prairies and pine flatwoods, in addition to quiet spots to sit and bird watch or watch the meandering river. Ranking of site’s overall appearance is based on cohesion of habitat - the more intact the habitat, the more aesthetically pleasing thus, the higher the public interest, the higher the rating. These sites often carry a higher price tag and could take years of negotiations to accomplish the purchase.
RECREATIONAL VALUE
The Econ River Wilderness Area offers a network of trails with raised wooden walkways that protect both people and flow of water. The system provides visitors the opportunity for nature walks, school outings and scientific research. The site is located near UCF, Seminole State College North and Hagerty High School which provide students an excellent opportunity for field studies.
Unfortunately, a right-of-way severs the habitat. This causes water to flow and floods over the area. Water flows from the bayheads ponds at two depressions in utility the right of way. Due to this, the solution was to dredge and fill the right of way to support the utility poles placed there, however the removal of natural vegetation and soil impedes the water flow. This enlargement of the bayhead has affected the trail system, creating seasonal flooding, creating the need for more boardwalk construction.
The trail system consists of a main loop trail (red), approx. 2.2 miles, and a halfmile secondary flatwoods loop (yellow). Exploring the site takes approximately 1 ½ hour, longer if it’s a leisurely walk, if starting at the entrance, reaching the river and back.
Nature-Oriented Human Use Potential
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Protecting Rarity by Maintaining Connectivity Interruptions to connectivity cause fragmentation, which, in turn, increases the probability of species extinction and lowers interior habitat diversity.
When acquiring natural lands for protection, conservation, and restoration, the biggest question is: Which lands should be acquired first? Considering all natural lands cannot be acquired at once due, mainly, to cost barriers, states must create priority criteria. For the Portland Metropolitan Green Plan, land acquisition is based on:
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immediacy or threat of development (vulnerability)
2. land needed for environmental linkages (connectivity)
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accessibility to residents (natureoriented human use potential)
3. land likely to fall under development (vulnerability)
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protection of large connected blocks of open space (size)
Although these are important processes to consider, vulnerability to
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potential for expansion to existing regionally significant areas (connectivity)
Similarly, the PennDesign team suggests in their Orlando 2050 plan, that the state should acquire land, first, by its vulnerability factor: 1. land subject to immediate development (vulnerability)
development does not necessarily mean that that land is the most desirable. In fact, even though a parcel of land may be planned for development, it may have low biodiversity, low connectivity to other natural areas, and may have been susceptible to previous logging, dredging, or draining activities, which make it difficult to restore. In that case, it may be best for that parcel to be developed. Instead, the State of Florida uses a Natural Lands Ranking Criteria system to determine which lands should be prioritized for acquisition. They grade a parcel based on its
Protecting Rarity by Maintaining Connectivity, Avola
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vulnerability, rarity, connectedness, completeness, size, manageability, and nature-oriented human use potential. To assign scores, researchers will visit the site; take measurements, photos, and inventories; and use the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI). This system, then, provides different weights to each category, so for example, rarity is more heavily weighted than vulnerability alone. Here are their current criteria weights: •
rarity = 3
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size in acres: •
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>1500 = 5
In spite of the fact that rarity, connectedness, and manageability hold equal weight, in my opinion, connectedness should hold the most weight (with rarity a close second). It should be extremely obvious that we need to protect rare habitats, which would ultimately protect endangered plant and animal species, like scrub jays, sandhill cranes, gopher tortoises, and American alligators, along with scrubs and wireweed. However, if we aim to protect connectivity, we also aim to protect rarity. In other words, interruptions to connectivity (highways, dredges, developments) cause fragmentation, which in turn increases the probability of specie extinction, lowers interior habitat diversity, and reduces population sizes. Protecting Rarity by Maintaining Connectivity, Avola
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In his book, Landscape Ecology Principles, Wenche E. Dramstad explains, “The selection of patches for conservation should be based on their: 1) contribution to the overall system, i.e., how well the location of a patch relates or links to other patches within the landscape or region; and 2) unusual or distinctive characteristics, e.g., whether a patch has any rare, threatened, or endemic species present” (p. 24). Dramstad also stresses the point, “Places are like large ‘organisms’ [and spaceshipshaped], products of […] processes at work” (p. 5). If that system is divided or if a limb is severed, it becomes an amputee system, and does not function in the same way. Its richness, vitality, and completeness are sacrificed. Connectedness also has many other benefits to natural ecosystems. “Many species of wildlife require several square miles of largely undisturbed habitat in order to find sufficient forage and provide a large enough population to prevent a loss of genetic fitness due to inbreeding” (Seminole County Site Criteria). For example, the Florida panther (which has been sighted along the Econ River) requires 100-200 square miles of range. Black bears (also in the Econ area) need up to 80 square miles of home range. By ignoring connectedness, their habitats shrink, inbreeding may occur, and food sources will be scarce.
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“hydrologic sponge, traps sediment during floods, and provides soil organic matter for the aquatic food chain, logs for fish habitat, and habitats for rare floodplain species,” (p. 39) like the reticulated flatwoods salamander (endangered), gopher tortoise (threatened), American alligator (threatened), and Florida grasshopper sparrow (endangered). Dramstad notes, “Width and connectivity are the primary controls on the five major functions of corridors, i.e., habitat, conduit, filter, source, and sink” (p. 36). By making connectedness a top criteria, rarity will also directly be protected. Long corridors of natural lands ensure vitality of habitat allowing rare specie populations to increase and common species to remain in healthy numbers. Connectivity, more than any other criteria, should be recognized and more heavily weighted for its many advantages that provide holistic protection. – Nadine Avola
Also, protecting parcels adjacent to stream corridors increases water quality by allowing more area for “friction, root absorption, clay, and soil organic matter” (p. 39) to absorb nitrogen, phosphorus, and toxins before they enter the stream. Not only do these connected parcels maintain natural processes, they also help support interior species. A parcel next to a stream acts as a 15
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Connectedness for Vitality Connectivity greaty magnifies the environmental benefits that natural areas provide when they are linked together.
interconnected natural areas is called a “corridor” (Forman, 9).
The ranking criteria which should hold the most weight is the “connectedness” category. Connectedness means exactly what it sounds like: how well one natural area connects to another. A series of
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Simply put, corridors are linkages of natural areas which can be used to preserve critical habitat. This is often a problem though, as it is much easier to create isolated pockets of nature than it is to establish a linked system. As we have seen from Olmsted’s seminal park plan systems and the work of John Nolen, conserving tracts of land is useful for recreation and aesthetics. However, it also greatly magnifies the environmental benefits these areas provide when you link them together. Creating these corridors is of vital importance to a community and a state. “In the face of continued habitat loss and
isolation, many landscape ecologists stress the need for providing landscape connectivity, particularly in the forms of wildlife movement corridors and stepping stones” (Forman, 9). These corridors provide more than just an ability for animals to move from one place to another in a safe and easy way, though. “Despite residual discussion over the effectiveness of corridors in enhancing biodiversity, a growing empirical body of research underlines the positive net benefits accruing from incorporating higher quality linkages between habitat patches” (Forman, 9). In today’s world, most places lack the miles of completely undeveloped land which societies of the past had access to. There are a number of different processes
Connectedness for Vitality, Garvey
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which cause this problem. “The key spatial processes include: fragmentation (i.e., breaking up a larger/intact habitat into smaller dispersed patches); dissertion (i.e., splitting an intact habitat into two patches separated by a corridor); perforation (i.e., creating “holes” within an essentially intact habitat); shrinkage (i.e., the decrease in size of one or more habitats); and attrition (i.e., the disappearance of one or more habitat patches)” (Forman, 9). These processes often change the makeup of the land, and instead, create new forms. “Since about 1980 the ‘land mosaic’ phase has coalesced, where puzzle pieces increasingly fit together and an overall conceptual design of landscape and regional ecology emerges” (Forman, 5). In other words, it is this mosaic which must be studied in order to figure out how to create successful corridors and greater connectedness. It is the challenge for planners and landscape ecologists to look at this mosaic and pick out the good areas for preservation, and avoid the bad.
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Basically, this means that they provide land for animals to live and migrate. They are a way to keep people and animals separate, as well as keeping exotic species away from threatened species. They are places where animals can propagate and increase in number, and they can often be “sinks,” places where animals decrease in number (Forman, 14). These types of corridors are usually man-made constructions, such as “roadways, railroads, powerlines [and] canals” (Forman, 14). A corridor does not always have to be a solid pathway however, and can also be
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composed of “stepping stones” (Forman, 10). These are smaller natural areas separated by spaces which are unpreserved. The placement of these areas should be done so as to bridge gaps in the corridor, and provide connectedness by allowing animals to hop from one natural area to another. These stepping stones are a sort of “intermediate” between “corridor and no corridor” (Forman, 10). They can be used when the solid corridor of natural area is impossible or impractical. –Thomas Garvey
When considering connectedness of a site, a planner should always be looking for ways to create corridors. Corridors can be “narrow or wide, straight or curvy, continuous or disconnected, and so on,” they can even take the form of the land itself and follow “streams or canyons,” whatever best serves the purpose of connectedness (Forman, 7). Corridors may also act as “barriers or filters” for the movement of species (Forman, 9). In other words, corridors can be used as a way of keeping some animals inside an area, and other kinds of animals out of an area. When considering places best suited for the placement of corridors, planners should watch for specific areas of endangered landscape. In particular, streams and river systems are “corridors of exceptional significance in a landscape” (Forman, 9). The five major functions of corridors are: •habitat •conduit •filter •source •sink Connectedness for Vitality, Garvey
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Goals of Land Management If there is no importance placed on land management, there is no control over the land or the ecosystems that live within it. According to the Seminole County Natural Lands Advisory Committee, the three sites that rank most weight are Rarity, Connectedness and Manageability. After further analysis, I find manageability to hold most weight. The Econ Sandhills Conservation area – St. John River Water Management document supports my assessment. Under the ‘Resource Protection & Management’, water resource protection is cited to protect 2.5 miles of the Econ River, including floodplain swamps on both sides of the river. It identifies and protects over 340 gopher tortoise burrows and over 400 plants and animals. It also includes Forest Management, which deals with sandhill, mesic flatwoods, scrubs, and floodplain swamp natural communities. Fire Management is inclusive to the plan. Prescribed burns reintroduce, maintain and improve sandhill habitat, reducing the number of hardwoods, improving habitat 18
for gopher tortoises, and and animals, achieves control improving and maintain mesic of exotic populations present, flatwood habitats. protects cultural resources, and provides access to In the Econ Sandhill recreation to the extent that Conservation Area (ESCA) fire such activities are consistent reduces hardwood with protection. encroachment upon sandhill habitat & maintain natural The Seminole County Site communities for wildlife Ranking Criteria provides habitat & species diversity. further proof. “Former land Fire management thus mimics use practices have a great natural fire regimes to effect on environmental value encourage perpetuation and of piece of property; logging, amelioration of native pyric clearing, dredging and dependent plant communities agricultural use can lower and associated wildlife. Fire areas natural value and also aids in reduction of fuels function. Exclusion of natural and minimizes potential for fire and hydrological regimes catastrophic and damaging can alter the habitat and wildfires. decrease productivity and biodiversity.”" Land management carries most weight because of its Land Use Management holds goals. It serves to improve most weight because of its water quality, maintain ripple effects to other natural hydrological regime, ecosystems. Landscape and increases food storage ecologists believe that the field through restoration and/or is surrogate to the future, conservation of flood plain nudging society into longcommunities. It conserves, term planning and decisionprotects and manages natural making (LE, 7). Spatial pattern communities, ecological strongly control movement, systems and species diversity. flows and changes, combining Management enhances habitat to form variety of land populations of listed plants mosaics on earth (LE, 14-15).
By these spatial arrangements planners make decisions about arrangements & land use patterns (LE, 15). Geospatial information on land management practices also provides information required for corridor building programs (Paudel, 2012) If there is no importance placed on land management, there is no control over the land or the ecosystems that live within it. If no management exists, encroaching will occur, undeveloped areas near adjacent water bodies – which currently act as filter and storage capacities – will be replaced by uncontrolled development, taking over natural and important lands, and replaced by private ownership. Water quality suffers, biodiversity will diminished, the ecology will suffer and the result will end in the death of all species. Having a strategy and implementing a plan is the sure way to ensure our future is not met with demise. –Geovanna Torres Goals of Land Management, Torres
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Glossary
Change – the dynamics or alteration in spatial " pattern and functioning over time. (p. 14) Corridor - a belt of land linking two other areas or " following a road or river; often " interconnects with another to form " networks, enclosing other landscape " elements (p. 41). Corridors in landscape " may act as barriers or filters to species " movement. Five major functions of " corridors: habitat, conduit, filter, source, " and sink. Corridor gaps - a break or disruption in corridor; " movement of species depends on the " length of the gap relative to the scale of " species movement, and contrast between " the corridor and the gap. (p. 36, C2) Edge - the outer portion of a patch where the " environment differs significantly from " interior of the patch. (p. 27) Edge effect - whether a boundary is curvilinear or " straight influences the flow of nutrients, " water, energy, or species along or across it. " (p. 27) Extinction - the disappearance and loss of intensity " of a particular species. The probability of " a species becoming locally extinct is " greater if a patch is small, or of low " habitat quality. (p. 21, P4) Exotic Species - biodiversity or nature reserve may " be protected against damage by using a " buffer zone with strict controls on exotic " species.
Landscape Structure – the spatial pattern or " arrangement of landscape elements. (p. " 14) Mortality Sink – locations where individuals of a " species tend to decrease in number; " roadways, railroads, power lines, canals, " and trails may be thought of as “troughs” " or barriers. (p. 35) Mosaics - a combination of diverse elements " forming a more or less coherent whole; " integrity of a landscape can be " understood in terms of both pattern and " scale. (p. 41) Optimal Patch - an ecologically optimum patch " provides several ecological benefits, and " is generally “spaceship shaped,” with a " rounded core for protection of resources, " plus some curvilinear boundaries and a " few fingers for species dispersal. (p. 32, " E13) Patch - a piece of ground, exhibiting a degree of " isolation—the effect and severity being " dependent on the species present. " Differentiated by (1) size, (2) number, and " (3) location. Can be large or small, round " or elongated, smooth or convoluted, few " or numerous, dispersed or clustered. (pp. " 15, 19) Patch origins – causes of vegetation patches (p. 19) " " "
(1) Remnants – areas remaining from an earlier more extensive type, such as woodlots in agricultural areas.
Functioning – the movement and flows of animals, " plants, water, wind, materials, and energy " through the structure. (p. 14)
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(2) Introduced – a new suburban development in an agricultural area, or small pasture within a forest.
Interior Habitat Species - the species that live in the " interior of a patch. Dividing a large patch " into two smaller ones removes interior " habitat, leading to reduced population " sizes and number of interior species, " which are often of conservation " importance. (p. 20, P2)
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(3) Disturbance – a burned area in a forest, or a spot devastated by a severe windstorm.
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(4) Environmental Resources – wetlands in a city, or oases in a desert.
Glossary
Shifting Mosaic – Multihabitat species favor: " "
(1) Convergency points - junctions where 3 or more habitats converge.
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(2) Adjacencies - different combinations of adjoining habitat types.
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(3) Habitat interspersion - habitats scattered rather than aggregated.
Special processes - dynamic processes, or land " transformations that cause isolation and " loss. (p.35) " " " "
(1) Fragmentation – breaking up a larger/intact habitat into smaller dispersed patches; can result from natural disturbances (fires, herbivore invasion).
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(2) Dissection – splitting an intact habitat into two patches separated by a corridor.
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(3) Perforation – creating “holes” within an essentially intact habitat.
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(4) Shrinkage – the decrease in size of one or more habitats.
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(5) Attrition – the disappearance of one or more habitat patches.
Stepping Stone Connectivity - Rows of stepping " stones, or small patches, intermediate in " connectivity between a corridor and no " corridor, and hence intermediate in " providing movement of interior species " between patches. Loss of one patch, " which functions as a stepping stone for " movement between other patches, " normally inhibits movement and thereby " increases patch isolation (p. 37, C4, C6) Weedy Species - a species having the potentiality " for overpopulating an area and upsetting " its normal biological balance (Merriam" Webster definition).
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Appendix A Below are four maps showing the habitat ranges of the Florida black bear, the Florida panther, the gopher tortoise, and the Florida scrub jay. See Page 5 of this report for more information.
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Black bear habitat range. Source: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Florida Panther sightings. Source: WildlifeExtra.com
Gopher Tortoise habitat range. Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, North Florida Ecological Services Office
Black bear habitat range. Source: Florida Breeding Bird Distributions, fosbirds.org
Appendix A
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Appendix B The following maps relate to the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vulnerability ranking. Please refer to Page 8 for more information. A maps are sourced from: http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/ gm/pdf/compplan_flu_exhibits.pdf.
Existing Land Use in Seminole County
Preserved/Managed Lands
Appendix B
Urban/Rural Boundary
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Appendix C The following is a copy of the Florida Natural Areas Inventory report based on the two parcels 51452 and 51787--that is, the Econ River Wilderness Area and its adjacent Econ River parcel.
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Sources Audubon Society, "Little Blue Heron." Accessed November 29, 2013. http:// " birds.audubon.org/species/litblu. "Econ River Wilderness Area: Land Management Plan." (2010). http:// " www.seminolecountyfl.gov/parksrec/pdf/EWALMP_2007.pdf (accessed " November 29, 2013). Econlockhatchee Wilderness Area. http://reserves.rollins.edu/env389bstephenson/ " env389bstephenson12.pdf Florida DEP, "State Conservation Land Assessment: Criteria Weighting Framework." Last " modified September 3, 2013. Accessed November 29, 2013. http:// " www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/assessment/documents/WeightedCriteria.pdf. Florida DEP, "State Conservation Land Assessment: GIS Model Description." Last modified " September 3, 2013. Accessed November 29, 2013. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/ " lands/assessment/documents/CriteriaDetails.pdf. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, "Florida's Endangered and Threatened " Species." Last modified January 2013. Accessed November 29, 2013. http:// " myfwc.com/media/1515251/threatened_endangered_species.pdf.
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Group Members Nadine Avola ‘14MPCU navola@rollins.edu
Thomas Garvey ‘14MPCU tgarvey@rollins.edu
Geovanna Torres ‘14MPCU gtorres@rollins.edu
Course Information Environmental Planning ENV 389 Rollins College Dr. Bruce Stephenson bstephenson@rollins.edu
Florida Natural Areas Inventory, "Biodiversity Matrix Query Results." Last modified " November 28, 2013. Accessed November 29, 2013. http://data.labins.org/ " mapping/FNAI_BioMatrix/GridSearch.cfm? " sel_id=51452,51787&extent=675517.625,514927.28125,678736.375,516536.65625. Florida Wildlife Corridor Organization. http://www.floridawildlifecorridor.org/wp" content/themes/fwce/images/maps/ecosystem_corridor_project_large.jpg. " Accessed 11/18/2013 Forman, et al. Landscape Ecology Principles in Landscape Architecture and Land-Use " Planning. http://reserves.rollins.edu/env389bstephenson/ " env389bstephenson13.pdf Hoctor, Tom. Florida Wildlife Corridor, "Florida Wildlife Corridor Initiative." Last modified " February 22, 2010. Accessed November 29, 2013. http://www.linc.us/ " FloridaWidlifeCorridor_Info.html. Martin. Econ River Wilderness Land Acquisition Report. http://reserves.rollins.edu/ " env389bstephenson/env389bstephenson11.pdf Norman, Kwency. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, "Black Bear " Populations." Accessed November 29, 2013. http://blogs.trb.com/news/specials/ " newsillustrated/blog/science/. Plant Real Florida, "Native Plant Communities." Accessed November 29, 2013. http:// " www.plantrealflorida.org/plant-communities/. Seminole County, "Econ River Wilderness Area Brochure." Accessed November 29, 2013. " http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/parksrec/pdf/ERWA%Trail%Guide%for " %email.pdf. Seminole County, "Parks and Preservation: Econ River Wilderness Area." Accessed November " 29, 2013. http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/parksrec/naturallands/econ.aspx. Wildlife Extra, "Florida Panther Sightings Survey." Last modified August 2013. Accessed " November 29, 2013. http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/panther" sightings.html
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Sources