complete agenda - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

APPENDIX B:
I.A. Natural Communities
� Depression marshes are likely to exist in this forest and are an important amphibian habitat. It will
be important to know if they exist on the property.
� Depression marshes may occur and are currently mapped as Dome Swamp. A determination of
these community types needs to be addressed.
� Possibly make a note in the next plan that depression marsh might exist. Low condition on
Flatwoods pertains to fire maintenance. Doing a good job trying to get on prescribed rotations.
� Most all of the mesic and wet Flatwoods stands have been bedded and planted to slash pine and
loblolly pine by the previous landowner. Seventy-five percent of the stands needing densities
reduced have been thinned during the last four years. Progress in this area has been excellent.
Most of these areas have also been burned as well, however the absence and/or poor condition of
native ground cover in most of these Flatwoods pine plantations is the major reason these stands
cannot yet be described as being in maintenance condition. Historical depression marshes should
be mapped as discovered and identified. Continued efforts to thin and burn more frequently are
needed to reduce basal areas and open the canopy over time in all stands to encourage
groundcover recovery. This will be a real challenge but some good initial efforts have been taken
by DOF staff to begin this process of restoration.
� Additional efforts are needed to address past bedding and tree planting through wet prairies and
the edges of the dome swamps. Ditches and then impact on hydrology in these communities will
require further assessment before appropriate restoration strategies can be developed.
I.B. Listed Species
� The forest needs to conduct surveys for listed species as habitat quality improves for plant and
sooner for listed animals i.e. Flatwoods salamanders and striped newt.
� Recommend more detailed list that pertains to Four Creeks, not just a general list.
� Listed plant and animal surveys are needed. Any incidental staff observations should be
documented/mapped in GIS.
I.C. Natural Resources Survey
� Need to start photo plot establishment and monitoring.
� Additional survey and monitoring for listed and non-listed plant/animals is suggested. Keeping a
basic list of observations of plants/animals observed is suggested as well. Plan for photo plots are
not implemented as of yet. Good recent survey for invasive plants. Extra care is needed to
document locations of discovered invasive plants in GIS.
II.A.B. Cultural Resources
� The manager has been trained as an archeological resource manager.
III.A. Resource Management
� Burn program is progressing rapidly toward achieving an ambitious goal.
� Excellent efforts to burn 800 acres per year the past three years. Quality, considering the
challenge of burning in tightly planted and often unthinned stands, is excellent. The lack of ground
cover on much of the forest may make a 2-4 year burn regime difficult until thinning opens up the
pine canopy more. As of yet however, very little of the property has achieved fire maintenance
conditions.
III.E. Non-Native, Invasive & Problem Species
� Maybe recommend trapping hogs if hunting control is not sufficient.
� Excellent efforts to treat large areas of Chinese tallow in the bottomland forest harvested prior to
state acquisition. Small populations of climbing fern however have not been treated as of yet.
III.F. Hydrologic/Geologic Function
� The plan does not sufficiently address restoration of hydrologic functions including filling of
damaged ditches. Utilizing low water crossings where possible. Communication with Timucuan
Preserve about this also.
� No information on the canal.
� A road plan has been written. Many sections of the existing road system needs upgrading,
culverts, etc. some good progress has been made however on the main section of road on the south
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