complete agenda - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Unit Name: Tate’s Hell State Forest
Acres: 202,436.58 Managing Agency: FDACS-DOF
384
Current Management Plan
Approved:
6/16/2007
Narrative:
Tate’s Hell State Forest (THSF) is comprised of approximately 202,437 acres, and was purchased
under the C.A.R.L. and Florida Forever Programs. Portions of the Forest were also purchased with
DOF Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever funds. During the 1960s and 1970s, the hydrology was
substantially altered with construction of roads and associated ditches, in an attempt to establish
extensive tracts of pine plantations and to enhance the production of pine timber. The roads and
ditches have impacted historic hydrological functions to various degrees and the pine plantations
have replaced or displaced historic vegetation in many areas.
In an effort to standardize the land management planning and reporting methods implemented by
all state land managers, the LMUAC has established eight common management goals and 32
quantitative measures that should be addressed by all management plans, where they apply to the
specific purposes and mission of each management unit. The Division of Forestry’s progress
towards achieving the common goals and applicable core objectives, as well as additional State
Forest- specific objectives for the THSF, is described in quantitative terms on Tables 1- 8. The
management plan for THSF was approved prior to July 2008, and does not contain specific
measures and timeframes for the goals, objectives and recommended actions. In the narrative
below, the last two years of applicable outstanding accomplishments, deficiencies and corrective
actions, and other important or clarifying information is provided for each of the LMUAC
management goals.
Currently, the forest contains approximately 107,300 acres of hydric communities such as wet
prairie, wet flatwoods, strand swamp, bottomland forest, baygall, and floodplain swamp. The
restoration of these ecosystems is a primary objective of the Division of Forestry. The predominant
hydrologic feature within the state forest is Tate's Hell Swamp. The River and Bay are designated
as Outstanding Florida Waters, and are the highest priority water bodies under the Northwest
Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management Program. The
New, Ochlockonee and Crooked Rivers are the major rivers that adjoin the state forest. Numerous
other creeks flow throughout the forest including such named creeks as: Alligator, Bear, Cow,
Deep, Fish, Gully Branch, Graham, Sunday Rollaway, Pine Log, Roberts, Sanborn, Sandbank, Trout,
Womack, and two Juniper Creeks. Wildlife species with confirmed sightings on THSF that are
currently listed as threatened, or endangered are the bald eagle, Florida black bear, gopher
tortoise, and red-cockaded woodpecker. Rare plant species living on the Forest include Thickleaved
Water-willow, White Birds-in-a-nest, Florida Bear grass, Chapman's Butterwort, and Smallflowered
Meadow beauty. Several unique stands of dwarf or “hat-rack” cypress, documented to be
over 150 years old but only reach a mature height of approximately 15 feet, are located within the
Forest.
The Division of Forestry manages THSF under the multiple-use concept balancing environmental,
recreational and resource use needs. Thirty-five miles of rivers, streams and creeks are available
for canoeing, boating and fishing. A concrete boat launch is located at Cash Creek, with additional
launch sites available at locations throughout the Forest. Primitive campsites are dispersed
throughout the forest. Most sites are on the river banks with canoe/kayak/small boat access. THSF
is also a Wildlife Management Area and is open to regulated hunting under the direction of the
FWC.