complete agenda - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Unit Name: Welaka State Forest
Acres: 2,287.11 Managing Agency: FDACS-DOF
Current Management Plan
Approved:
389
4/25/2002
Narrative:
The Welaka State Forest (WeSF) is located along the east bank of the beautiful and historic St.
Johns River. The Division of Forestry (DOF) maintains the integrity of the natural systems while
allowing limited outdoor recreation use and environmental education, especially in the areas of
forestry, botany, soils and wildlife ecology. In 1935, under the Federal Resettlement
Administration, the United States government started the Welaka Forestry and Wildlife
Conservation Project. The Welaka property was later transferred to the University of Florida as a
Florida Conservation Reserve for the study of forestry and outdoor wildlife, and projects started in
the 1940's are still being managed today. WeSF was acquired for management by the Florida
Division of Forestry in 1992 through a transfer of lease from the University of Florida.
Natural communities on the forest include depression marsh, mesic flatwoods, hydric and xeric
hammocks, sandhills, and baygalls. A large variety of trees and plant life flourish along the river
swamps of the St. Johns River. Mud Spring, empties 13,750 gallons per hour of clear, spring water
into a half-mile spring run that flows into the St. John's River.
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 WeSF, is described in quantitative terms on Tables 1- 8. The
management plan for WeSF 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.
The DOF manages WeSF under the multiple-use concept balancing environmental, recreational and
resource use needs. A series of foot trails offers the public an opportunity to walk and observe
wildlife. The Mud Spring trail leads the visitor on a two mile self-guided looped walk to Mud Spring
Picnic Area; while the John's Landing trail meanders along old road beds to the St. Johns River. The
Sandhill Horse trail was established for equestrian use as well as hiking. Other recreational
opportunities available on the WeSF are a 72-horse stable, training arenas and show horse arena,
which are all available for rental.
Accomplishments during the last two years include annual assessments on the condition and status
of bald eagle nests, annual assessments of all hardened low water crossings and culverts,
installation of two 48” culverts, prescribed burning of 362 acres and the forest inventory was
completed in the spring of 2010.