Recreational Resources

Transcription

1 The Green Mountain Scenic Byway Committee considers the proposed byway extension eligible for designation as a Florida Scenic Highway on the basis of its recreational resources. The proposed Byway Corridor Extension contains a wide range of recreational resources. Like the existing designated corridor, the extension roadway itself is considered a recreational resource and is included in the routes of several major cycling events. Several of these recreational resources, such as the 20,000 acre Lake Apopka North Shore and Palm Island Park should also be considered important natural resources. Birders on the North Shore 93

2 Equestrians on the North Shore SAG Crew at the Intersection of CR 48 and CR 561, Astatula, during the Mount Dora Bike Festival. 94

3 Lake Apopka North Shore Considerable effort is being made to develop the Lake Apopka North Shore as a world class ecotourism and nature-based recreational destination. The Scenic Byway Committee is including the entire Lake Apopka North Shore within the proposed byway extension corridor. A 14 mile multi-use trail spanning the Restoration Area has recently opened to the public (January 2014). Also, construction of the North Shore Overlook and Trailhead has begun. This trailhead is a project of the Green Mountain Scenic Byway Committee, and is funded by a grant from the National Scenic Byways Program with match provided by Lake County. Lake Apopka North Shore Stakeholders Meeting The city of Apopka has received a grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to plan for the development of the North Shore for ecotourism. The city of Apopka is sponsoring a regional effort to promote economic development that is complementary to the North Shore. The firm of Miller Legg was contracted by the City to perform planning services. On January 27, 2014 the City of Apopka sponsored a stakeholders meeting that was attended by environmental groups, representatives of local governments, businesses, farmers and members of the Green Mountain Scenic Byway Committee. As a basis for discussion, Miller Legg produced two displays, one illustrating a North Shore Eco-Tourism Concept Plan, and one illustrating a Conceptual Eco-Village. Copies of these displays follow this section. Participants recognized that the Wildlife Driving Trail proposed by the St. Johns River Water Management District should be the immediate focus of the group, and set a goal of opening the Wild Life Driving Trail within 12 months (January 2015). Done correctly, the North Shore could become an international eco-tourism and nature-based recreation destination. The Green Mountain Scenic Byway Committee has some concerns regarding the intensity of some of the proposed development. There is some fear that over-development could kill the goose that laid the golden egg. There is also concern that no development should occur that would jeopardize the future designation of the North Shore as a National Wildlife 95

4 Refuge. To ensure that does not happen, the Committee intends to remain active and involved in all phases of this project. Construction has begun (December 2013) on the Lake Apopka North Shore Overlook and Trailhead, which is located on the existing corridor. Funded by a National Scenic Byways grant with match from Lake County, the Overlook and Trailhead will provide physical and visual access to the North Shore from the existing corridor and connect to the 18-mile Apopka Loop Trail. The Overlook and Trailhead will provide amenities such as: Restrooms Overlook Structure Group Pavilion Picnic Tables Interpretive Exhibit Air Compressor Drinking Water Paved Parking Area Hiking Trail Lake County and the St. Johns River Water Management District are in discussions over the renovation of a boat ramp located on the McDonald Canal and the construction of a parking area. The McDonald Canal makes a short connection from the 448-A Spur to the Apopka - Beauclaire Canal. The Lake Apopka North Shore is discussed further in the Natural Resources section. January 27, 2014 Lake Apopka North Shore Stakeholders Meeting. 96

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8 Parks, Trails, and Other The proposed corridor extension contains a variety of recreational resources. Below is a listing and brief description of these resources. 1. Astatula Park Florida Ave. Astatula, FL Astatula Park is maintained and operated by Lake County. The boat ramp provides access to Little Lake Harris and the Harris Chain of Lakes. The park is located at the terminus of the Little Lake Harris Spur and includes: Triple Paved Boat Ramp Paved parking for 13 boat trailers, 10 cars, 1 handicap Restrooms were recently constructed 2. Ranch Road Trailhead The trailhead is maintained by the St Johns River Water Management District. The trailhead provides access to the North Shore Restoration Area via the Ranch Road Spur. There are information kiosks and a large parking area. 3. Trimble Park 5802 Trimble Park Road Mount Dora, FL This 71 acre park is maintained and operated by Orange County. Boat ramps provide access to Lake Beauclair and the Harris Chain. The park is located at the terminus of the Trimble Park Spur. Boat Ramp Picnic Tables Restrooms Three Picnic Pavilions Tent and RV Camping Picnic Area with Grills 100

9 4. Gilbert Park 310 South Tremain Street Mount Dora, FL Gilbert Park is maintained and operated by the City of Mount Dora. Gilbert Park is located on the Lakeside Loop at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and Tremaine Street. The park includes: Parking Picnic Tables Playground Restrooms Shelters Water Fountain Barbecue Area 5. Donnelley Park 530 North Donnelly Street Mount Dora, FL Donnelley Park is located in the heart of downtown Mount Dora at the intersection of Donnelly Street and Fifth Avenue. The park is the location of the annual tree lighting and other special events. Tennis Courts Shuffle Board Benches Parking Restrooms Water Fountain 6. Elizabeth Evans Park 100 North Donnelly Street Mount Dora, FL The Elizabeth Evans Park is located at the southern end of Donnelly Street on Lake Dora. The park is the site of the weekly Mount Dora Village Market. Found in the Park are: Barbecue Area 101

10 Benches Parking Picnic Tables Restrooms Shelter Area 7. Grantham Point Park 311 South Tremain Street Mount Dora, FL The Grantham Point Lighthouse, located in Grantham Point Park, is probably the most photographed spot in Central Florida. It is also the only inland freshwater lighthouse in Florida registered as an inland aid to navigation. The park is located on the Tremain segment of the Lakeside Loop, across from Gilbert Park. Grantham Point Park also offers: Fishing Parking Picnic Tables 8. Palm Island Park 411 South Tremain Street Mount Dora, FL The eight-acre Palm Island Park is located south of the intersection of Liberty Avenue and Tremaine Street on the Lakeside Loop. The park has a recently renovated boardwalk that winds through forested wetlands and along the shoreline of Lake Dora. Barbecue Area Fishing Pier Parking Picnic Tables Shelters Board Walk 102

11 9. Historic Mount Dora Guided Segway Tours Segway of Central Florida 430 North Alexander Street Mount Dora, FL (352) Conducts Segway tours of historic Mount Dora, as well as Palm Island Park. 10. Scott s Maze Adventures CR 448A, Mt Dora, FL (352) Long and Scott Farms hosts a very popular corn maze. The attraction is seasonal and draws visitors from all over the region. In addition to the maze, there are farm tours, Kid s Zip Line, kid s fishing and a 69 foot Super Slide. Long and Scott Farms is located directly on the byway extension at the corner Of R 448-A and Duda Road. 11. Stanley Pond Adventure Farm CR 48, Astatula, FL (352) The Stanley Pond Adventure Farm is located on CR 488 east of the Town of Astatula. The farm hosts parties, field trips, corporate events, a fall pumpkin patch and other themed events. The farm also has a children s catch and release catfish pond. 12. Rusty Anchor Boat Tours 400 W. 4th Avenue, Mount Dora, FL (352) Two Hour Dora Canal Tour One Hour Shoreline Cruise One Hour Sunset Cruise Special Events 103

12 13. Beaver Air Tours 2792 Chimney Pt. Drive NW Hackensack, MN (218) Kayakers on Lake Dora 104

13 Natural Resources Natural Resources The most important natural resource within the proposed corridor extension is Lake Apopka and its associated wetlands, followed by Little Lake Harris, Lake Dora and Lake Beauclair. Lake Apopka, Little Lake Harris, Lakes Dora and Beauclair are all part of the Ocklawaha River Basin. The entire 20,000-acre Lake Apopka North Shore (North Shore) is included within the proposed corridor extension. The Green Mountain Scenic Byway Committee considers the proposed corridor extension eligible for designation as a Florida Scenic Highway on the basis of its natural resources. The purpose of this corridor extension is to link the historic downtowns of Winter Garden and Mount Dora with the Lake Apopka North Shore acting as the centerpiece of a regional eco-tourism industry. Lake Apopka North Shore 105

14 Natural Resources The Lake Apopka North Shore The North Shore is managed by the St Johns River Water Management District (the District). The District s vision statement for the North Shore reads: The Lake Apopka North Shore will be actively managed as marsh systems for the continued restoration of the water resources of Lake Apopka and for lake level fluctuation improvements within the lake. The focus of the District s ongoing efforts on the north shore of Lake Apopka is to manage phosphorus (P) and residual pesticides. The marshes will provide important habitat for wildlife including numerous species of migratory and resident birds. The uplands will be managed to improve important habitat that supports a suite of Florida endemics and numerous listed species, including several rare plants. Quality recreational opportunities will continue to be developed with the goal of becoming one of the premier destinations for ecotourists in central Florida. Lake Apopka was once the second largest lake in Florida and one of the top destinations in the world for freshwater sport fishing. At one time, there were at least 21 fish camps on the shore of Lake Apopka, and Winter Garden s Edgewater Hotel catered specifically to anglers. The water was so clear that it was said that a fisherman could look in the water and pick out the fish he wanted to catch. Lake Apopka s decline began in the late 19th century with the digging of the Apopka- Beauclaire Canal for navigational purposes. The lake level dropped approximately six feet, draining saw grass marshes that bordered large areas of the lake. In 1941 a large levee was built across the northern side of the lake, blocking off an additional 20,000 acres of wetlands. A series of drainage ditches, dikes, and pumps were used to drain the shallow marshes for farming. This draining reduced Lake Apopka to the fourth largest lake in Florida. The constant need to pump huge volumes of water off the mucklands drastically increased nutrient levels in the lake. The draining, along with waste discharges from local municipalities and industries resulted in hypereutrophic lake conditions. A hurricane in 1947 stirred up nutrient laden sediments on the lake bottom and provided conditions for a large algae bloom, a massive fish kill, and the destruction of most of the lake s native aquatic plants. The sport fishing industry on Lake Apopka collapsed, and downstream lakes began to suffer also. As a result of the 1985 and 1996 Lake Apopka Restoration Acts, as well the 1987 Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act, the St. John s River Water Management 106

15 Natural Resources District (SJRWMD) has embarked on a 25 to 50 year project to restore the lake to a Class III water body. A Class III water body is fit for wildlife and recreational uses. Phosphorus acts as a fertilizer for algae, and is the leading culprit in the decline in water quality in the lake. The SJRWMD is using several strategies to remove phosphorus from the lake water, as well as preventing phosphorus laden stormwater from entering the lake. Lake water is being filtered through a marsh flow-way, which removes particulate phosphorus, and is then pumped back into the lake. The SJRWMD subsidizes the harvesting of gizzard shad, and thousands of pounds of gizzard shad are removed from the lake each year. Gizzard shad are a rough fish that thrive in nutrient rich water. Removing the shad eliminates a significant amount of phosphorus tied up in the shad s bodies. The shad also stir up nutrient rich sediments and contribute to the recycling of nutrients within the lake. Lake water clarity as measured by Secchi disk has improved, aquatic plants are becoming reestablished and phosphorus concentrations are lower. The SJRWMD will eventually flood most of the muck farms to recreate marshlands. The restoration will certainly create enormous recreational and ecotourism opportunities. The 20,000 acre Lake Apopka North Shore is already attracting the attention of bird watchers. The Green Mountain Scenic Byway Committee, the Friends of Lake Apopka, Lake County and Orange County have been working with the SJRWMD to open an 18 mile bicycle pedestrian trail across the North Shore with a trailhead on the existing Scenic Byway. On February 20, 2014 a grand opening of 14 miles of trail was held. The North Shore Overlook and Trailhead is scheduled to be completed by June, The North Shore lies within an historic bird migration flyway that attracts huge numbers of migrating birds each fall some to stop over before continuing south and many to winter there. The area has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area by both the American Bird Conservancy and the National Audubon Society. It has also been recognized as one of Florida s Special Places by Audubon Florida, and is listed as Site ID J58 on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. 107

16 Natural Resources The current total list of bird species observed on the north shore of Lake Apopka is 346, the highest total for any site in Florida, greater than the Everglades National Park with 340 species. The North Shore also has the highest species count for an inland site in the more than 100 year history of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Natural Resources Lake Apopka North Shore Xeric Uplands The northwest side of the Lake Apopka North Shore is located very near to the northernmost limits of the Lake Wales Ridge. The North Shore contains 310 acres of disturbed xeric uplands that are undergoing restoration by the St. Johns River Water Management District. The xeric uplands contain a significant number of state and federally listed plant and animal species. Plant species identified so far include: Florida bonamia, pygmy fringe tree, scrub buckwheat, Britton s beargrass, scrub plum and clasping warea. Federally listed animals include sand skink, Florida scrub jay, and eastern indigo snake. 108

17 Natural Resources Palm Island Park on the Lakeside Loop, Mount Dora. 109

18 Archaeological Resources Archaeological Resources The Green Mountain Scenic Byway is located in the East and Central Lakes archaeological region. This archaeological region is generally considered to encompass the area from the St. Mary s River in the north of the state, down the Atlantic Coast, to about Vero Beach. The southern interior boundary is undefined, but is considered by some to be in the vicinity of Lake Tohopekaliga in Osceola County. The first people to settle in what is now Florida, the Paleoindians, probably arrived about 10,000 B.C., during the last Ice Age. A large share of the Earth s water was locked up in glaciers, and Florida s climate was cooler and much drier than now. The only sources of fresh water were deep sinkholes and very rare springs. The sea level was as much as 350 feet lower than today, and the Florida peninsula was close to twice its present size. It has been thought that because of the scarcity of fresh water, the early aboriginal population was probably small and nomadic, hunting now extinct species of megafauna such as bison, mastodon, and mammoth. It is now known that the Paleo-Indians engaged in a variety of settlement and subsistence strategies, in addition to the hunting of the large animals. Although rare, artifacts from this period have been found in the area within and near the Green Mountain Scenic Byway Corridor. As the climate warmed and became wetter, the Paleoindian culture changed as they adapted to the slowly changing conditions. By about 7500 B.C., their culture had changed enough to be known as the early Archaic. The famous Windover site in Brevard County, with well-preserved body tissue and artifacts 7,000 to 8,000 years old, is an early Archaic site. By about 5,000 B.C. the climate had warmed enough, and the early Archaic people s culture had changed enough, that a new era known as the middle Archaic is delineated. This period lasted until about 3,000 B.C. The population of the middle Archaic people grew considerably, and their sites have been found all over the state. The period between 3,000 B.C. and 500 B.C. is known as the late Archaic. By this time, the climate and environment was essentially the same as today. The late Archaic people were great consumers of shell fish, both salt and fresh water, and left behind numerous shell middens. The late Archaic people were probably the first to grow squash and gourds, and the first to fire pottery. Because different cultures made their own distinct pottery, from this point on archaeologists are more easily able to trace the development of different 110

19 Archaeological Resources regional cultures, up until the arrival of Europeans. Many different cultures have been defined since the late Archaic. The Timucua, the Native Americans who inhabited the Lake Apopka area at the time the Europeans arrived, developed from the St. John s culture. Around 800 A.D. Florida Native Americans began cultivating corn. Populations increased, villages grew in number and size, and cultures became more complex. By the time of the first European arrivals, it is estimated that the Native American population was about 350,000 people. About 150,000 of them were Timucua speakers. By the 16th century, the Timucua speaking peoples dominated roughly the northern third of the state. Lake Apopka was near the southern limits of their region. The Timucua grew corn, squash and gourds, but depended a great deal on hunting and gathering. A staple was the starchy wild coontie root, which also became important in the diet of the first European American settlers. The Timucua were sedentary and lived in stockaded villages. Their pottery was made by the women and was some of the finest made east of the Mississippi. There are eight archaeological sites recorded in the Florida Master Site File GIS Sites data layers within the proposed corridor extension. Five of those sites are located near Dora Drive and are described as Campsite (Prehistoric). None of the sites identified are considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Sources Used In Preparing This Section: Green Mountain Scenic Byway Phase I Cultural Resource Assessment Survey, Lake and Orange Counties, Florida Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc. April 2009 Cultural Resource Assessment Survey of Florida s Turnpike Mainline PD&E Study From US 192 to SR 50 (Clermont), Orange and Osceola Counties Financial ID No: Prepared for Florida Department of Transportation Turnpike Enterprise, Ocoee, FL September 2003 Cultural Resource Assessment Survey, State Road 50 PD&E Study, Lake and Orange Counties, Florida 111

20 Archaeological Resources Financial Project ID Nos.: , , Federal Aid Project Nos.: p, p Performed for US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation, District Five, November 2001 A Cultural Resource Assessment Survey of the Proposed Pine Island Development Site Located in Sections 1,11,12,13,14, and 24, Township 22 South, Range 26 East, and Sections 7 and 18, Township 22 South, Range 27 East, Lake County, Florida Conducted for The Ginn Company, Orlando, FL and Miller Einhouse Rymer and Associates Inc., Maitland, FL August, 2001 Prepared by Storm L. Richards and Associates, Inc., Sanford, FL A Cultural Resource Assessment Survey of SR 438 from SR 545 to SR 537 and of SR 545 from SR 50 to SR 438 in Winter Garden, Orange County, Florida Prepared for the Florida Department of Transportation, District 5 May, 2001 Prepared by Anne V. Stokes, PH.D., Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc. Gainesville, FL and Riverview, FL Florida Master Site File SITES GIS Data Layers 112