Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods

Rapid Ecological Project Assessment

Alachua County Forever

Draft Date:                 November 2, 2002

Matrix Score:             7.73 of 9.44

Size:                            8,904 acres

Number of parcels:    50

Number of owners:    23

Location:

            The 8,904 acre Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods (LSL) Project is located in the southeast corner of unincorporated Alachua County, nestled between the Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area to the west and the Orange Creek Restoration area to the south.  Putnam County is on the eastern boundary of the project area, Map 1.  

            The LSL Project is a combination of two projects from the Alachua County Ecological Inventory Project (KBN Study), KBN 1996; Lochloosa Slough and East Lochloosa Forest.  The purpose of the KBN Study was to identify, inventory, map, describe, and evaluate the most significant natural biological communities, both upland and wetland, that remain in private ownership in Alachua County and make recommendations for protecting these natural resources, KBN 1996.  The Lochloosa Slough project was ranked 15th of 47 projects evaluated in the county, and categorized as slightly above average.  The East Lochloosa Forest project was ranked 26, and categorized as average. 

The KBN Study summarized the Lochloosa Slough Project as, “This area contains Lochloosa Slough, an important and high quality wetland connector between Orange Creek and the large SJRWMD lands on the south side of Orange Lake. It also contains uplands and wetlands of a wide variety that provide upland connections to these two areas plus the East Lochloosa Forest site to the north. This site also provides a wide variety of important wildlife habitats”, KBN 1996.

            The East Lochloosa Forest Project is summarized in the KBN Study by the following paragraph; “This is commercial forestry land with a lot of mesic flatwoods that is mostly bedded for slash pine plantations, some sandhills planted to slash pine, and a lot of basin swamps and marshes and baygalls.  Most of it is wetlands.  It has a good diversity of wildlife habitats and it serves as an important connector for large animals such as black bears between the Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area and the Orange Creek and Ocklawaha River basins”, KBN, 1996. 

Protecting Water Resources:

            The Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods project is located in the perforated area of Alachua County, Personal communication, Robin Hallbourg, ACEPD.  This is an area underlain by clays of the Hawthorn Group perforated by numerous karst features that allow direct access to the aquifer. 

            The St. Johns River Water Management District’s (SJRWMD) Aquifer Recharge map for Alachua County shows that the majority of the site falls within an area of low recharge, with 0-4 inches of recharge to the Floridan Aquifer per year.  The slough area is noted as a discharge area and about 20% of the property is listed as 4-8 inches of recharge.  According to the USGS Water Resources Investigation Report 88-4057, the property falls in an area of 1-10 inches of recharge per year, Aucott, 1988.

            According to the KBN Study, “This site provides one of the highest quality and most important wetland connections in Alachua County.  The cypress/hardwood strand known as Lochloosa Slough solidly connects the large wetland area owned by the St. John’s River Water Management District on the south Side of Lochloosa Lake (and thus also the lake itself) to Orange Creek, which is an excellent, high quality connector to the Ocklawaha River and thus the Ocala National Forest and the St. Johns River”.

The Flatwoods area is relatively flat and is the headwaters for some small creeks.  Water flows into Lochloosa Lake, Lochloosa Slough or into tributaries of Orange Creek in Putnam County.  Lochloosa Lake and Slough also drain into Orange Creek, which flows to the Ocklawaha River and eventually into the St. Johns River, KBN 1996, Map 2.

            As part of their 2003 Legislative Agenda, Alachua County is considering requesting that the entire Orange Creek Basin be included in the State’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program.  This area includes Paynes Prairie, Newnans Lake, Lake Lochloosa, Orange Lake, and the impaired urban streams and lakes in the City of Gainesville.  At this time Newnans, Lochloosa and Orange Lakes have shown increased levels of degradation.  The Chlorophyll A concentration in Newnans and Lochloosa Lakes exceeds levels reported for Lake Apopka prior to restoration.  Lake Lochloosa, Paynes Prairie and Orange Lake were designated an “Outstanding Florida Water”.

Lochloosa Slough is one of the primary hydrologic connections between Lake Lochloosa and Orange Creek.  Protection of the Slough will preserve its ability to enhance the quality of water coming from Lake Lochloosa prior to its discharge into Orange Creek.    

Protecting Natural Communities and Landscapes:

Natural Communities

Sandhill

Xeric Hammock

Wet Flatwoods

Mesic Flatwoods

Bog

Baygall

Strand Swamp

Basin Marsh

Depression Marsh

Basin Swamp

Dome Swamp

Blackwater Stream

Flatwoods/Prarie Lake

Xeric Hammock

Hydric Hammock

Scrub

Shrub Swamp

Former Sandhill

Strand Swamp

Blackwater Stream

Other

Old Field Pine Plantation

Rough Pasture

Improved Pasture

 

The above list of natural communities is from the KBN Report. The ecological quality of the natural communities is good overall. 

The Project site is adjacent to the Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation area and the Orange Creek Restoration Area.  The preservation of this project would connect these two important conservation areas and protect the most important entry point into Alachua County for black bears from Ocala National Forest.   

The project site is within the Florida Ecological Greenways Network (FEGN), in the priority 3 project area known as “Ocala NF-Lochloosa-Paynes Prairie-Newnans Lake”. This FEGN project is the highest priority project in Alachua County. The Florida Ecological Greenways Network is a decision support model to help identify the best opportunities to protect ecological connectivity statewide.  It was developed by the University of Florida for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  GIS data on land use and significant ecological areas were integrated in a process that identified a statewide Ecological Greenways Network containing all of the largest areas of ecological and natural resource significance and the landscape linkages necessary to link these areas together in one functional statewide network, Hoctor et al. 2002. 

The strategic location of the LSL Project on the east side of the county within an existing corridor of natural and silvicultural properties that form a large connected area for wildlife and natural resource conservation, is the most critical feature of this project.  The area is a mosaic of public and private lands.  Protection of this corridor is one of the best opportunities to protect and enhance natural resource values in our county, and more importantly it is of regional importance as one of several possible corridors that connect Ocala National Forest north to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and west to the Gulf Coast. 

Nearly one hundred percent of the site falls within the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) priority 5 Habitat Conservation Priorities.  FNAI’s Habitat Conservation Priorities prioritize places on the landscape that would protect both the greatest number of rare species and those species with the greatest conservation need, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, June 2001.

About 35 % of the project area is delineated as pine flatwoods, an Under-represented Natural Community.  Under-represented Natural Communities are those natural community types that were inadequately represented on conservation lands in Florida.  A natural community is considered to be inadequately represented if less than 15% of the original extent of that community is currently found on existing conservation lands.  Under-represented natural communities include, seepage slope, upland hardwood forest, pine rockland, tropical hardwood hammock, sandhill, scrub, upland glades, and pine flatwoods. This data was developed by the Office of Environmental Services, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and FNAI, FNAI, December 2001. 

PROTECTING PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES:

Common Name                     Endemic/ Large                   Fed/State               FCREPA/FNAI             Observed

                                                Home-Range                         Status                    Designation

Amphibians

Flatwoods Salamander                        -/-                            T/-                           R/S2S3                                   SM

Eastern Tiger Salamander                   -/-                            -/-                            SU/S3                                     SM

Gopher Frog                                          -/-                            -/SSC                      T/S3                                        SM

Striped Newt                                         -/-                            -/-                            R/S2S3                                   SM

Reptiles

American Alligator                              -/-                            T/SSC                     -/S4                                         SM,K

Florida Crowned Snake                       X/-                          -/-                            -/-                                            SM

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake    -/-                            -/-                            -/S3                                         SM,K

Eastern Indigo Snake                          -/-                            T/T                         SSC/S3                                   SM,N

Florida Pine Snake                               -/-                            -/SSC                      SU/S3                                     SM

Gopher Tortoise                                   -/-                            -/SSC                      T/S3                                        F

Spotted Turtle                                      -/-                            -/-                            R/S3?                                      SM

Peninsula Mole Skink                          -/-                            -/-                            -/-                                            SM

Birds

Black-Crowned Night Heron              -/-                            -/-                            SSC/S3?                                 SM

Black Rail                                               -/-                            -/-                            R/S3                                        SM

Cooper’s Hawk                                     -/-                            -/-                            SSC/S3                                   SM

Florida Sandhill Crane                         X/L                         -/T                           T/S3                                        F,K

Great Egret                                            -/-                            -/-                            SSC/S4                                   SM

Least Bittern                                         -/-                            -/-                            SSC/S4                                   SM

Little Blue Heron                                  -/-                            -/SSC                      SSC/S4                                   SM,K

Osprey                                                   -/-                            -/-                            T/S3S4                                   SM

Mottled Duck                                       -/-                            -/-                            -/-                                            F

Snowy Egret                                         -/-                            -/SSC                      SSC/S3                                   SM,K

Southern Bald Eagle                            -/L                           T/T                         T/S3                                        F,N,K

Swallow-tailed Kite                              -/L                           -/-                            T/S2                                        F

Tricolored Heron                                  -/-                            -/SSC                      SSC/S4                                   SM,K

White Ibis                                             -/-                            -/SSC                      SSC/S4                                   SM,K

Wild Turkey                                          -/L                                                                                                           F

Wood Stork                                          -/-                            E/E                          E/S2                                        SM,K

Mammals

Bobcat                                                   -/L                           -/-                            -/-                                            F

Florida Black Bear                                X/L                         -/T                           T/S2                                        F,N,K

Florida Mouse                                      X/-                          -/SSC                      T/S3                                        SM

Northern Yellow Bat                            -/-                            -/-                            SU/-                                        SM

River Otter                                             -/-                            -/-                            -/-                                            SM

Round-tailed Muskrat                         X/-                          -/-                            SSC/S3                                   SM

Sherman’s Fox Squirrel                       -/-                            -/SSC                      T/S3                                        F

X= Endemic, L=species with large home ranges according to the Closing the Gaps in Florida’s Wildlife Habitat System, S= observed by Alachua Co. EPD staff and/or an LCB subcommittee member, SM= documented on the Species Models maps created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, F= Focal species used for the most detailed analyses in the Closing the Gaps in Florida’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation System, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, 1994, N= Florida Natural Areas Inventory Element Occurrence, P= potential for species based on habitat types, K=documented in the Alachua County Ecological Inventory Project.

Listed plants found on the property according to the KBN Study include cinnamon fern and royal fern.

The FFWCC reported three bald eagle nests on the LSL site and six others within two miles.  The cluster of bald eagle nests around Orange, Newnans and Lochloosa Lakes has been apparent for the last twenty years, and is one of the densest populations in the state of Florida, personal communication S. Nesbitt, FWCC.

The KBN Study states that “This is the main avenue of entry for black bears that wander into Alachua County from the Ocala National Forest.  They come through the wild lands along Orange Creek and then onto and sometimes through this area and across US 301 to the Lochloosa Forest area and along Lochloosa Creek to the lands east and north of Newnan’s Lake”.  It is also noted in the KBN Study that this is by far the most important site for black bear in Alachua County because of the corridor value and the high usage by black bear.

Greater than two thirds of the site is within Regional Biodiversity Hotspots. The purpose of the Regional Biodiversity Hot Spots maps, developed by FFWCC, is to “convey more detailed information on the known locations of as many components of biological diversity as possible, regardless of whether or not they fall within proposed Strategic Habitat Conservation Areas, to help meet the need for conservation information at regional and local levels”, Cox et al. 1994.

Exotic plants found on this property include a light infestation of air potato, mimosa and white-flowered spiderwort, in addition to some camphor tree and alligator weed, KBN, 1996.

Management:

The site is dominated by active silviculture and wetlands.  The primary management tools will be invasive plant control and the reintroduction of prescribed fire into the system. Prescribed burning would be feasible in this area because it is located away from population centers and there are conservation lands immediately to the east and south.  Access for management is good.   

Achieving Social and Human Values:

Approximately 15% of the LSL Project area falls within a Priority 1 or 2 Natural Resource-based Recreation Area, Knight, et al. 2000, and is a priority 3 Ecological Greenway.  The Natural Resource-based Recreation map was developed by FNAI in collaboration with DEP, FFWCC and DOF.  The recreation potential of a site depends on available road access, presence of a water body or beach, proximity to urban areas, and size of the site.  “These criteria were applied to Potential Natural Areas delineated by FNAI using aerial photography and revised using the 1995 Water Management District land cover data. Sites were ranked by recreation potential.” Knight, et al. 2000. 

The LSL Project is part of the Emerald Necklace Land Conservation Initiative – “a publicly accessible, connected, and protected network of trails, greenways, open space, and waterfronts surrounding the Gainesville urban area”. 

The project could link recreational opportunities in the LWCA to those found in the Orange Creek Restoration Area.

The property provides opportunities for compatible natural resource based recreation.

Economic & Acquisition:

There are 50 parcels and 23 ownerships in the 8,904 acre Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods Project.  The Alachua County Property Appraiser (ACPA) shows seven buildings on their parcel data.  One ownership, Plum Creek, makes-up 79% of the total project acreage or 7,004 acres.  The ACPA’s 2002 Just Value or land value for the entire project is $8,011,500 or $899.76/ acre.  The ACPA’s total value (Just, Miscellaneous and Building) for the project area is $8,342,700 or $936.96/ acre.  These figures are for comparative purposes between nominated properties, and are not necessarily an accurate reflection of the true cost of the property if acquired by the Alachua County Forever Program. 

The Plum Creek properties are the keystone parcels in the Lochloosa Slough Flatwoods Project, Map 3.  The Priority parcels within the Plum Creek acreage are the following parcels that compose the actual Lochloosa Slough:

20126-000-000           251.09 acres

20167-000-000           447.17 acres

20162-000-000           590.00 acres

20156-000-000           336.00 acres

20227-000-000           208.00 acres.

There is also one parcel owned Colasanta (20127-000-000, 103.94 acres) that contains a small portion of the slough.  This parcel should be pursued after the Plum Creek Slough parcels have been secured.  Because this area is predominantly in silviculture, it may be wise to pursue a conservation easement on most of the active silviculture property and fee simple in the areas that should be restored to natural habitat.    

            The LSL project falls within unincorporated Alachua County and is zoned Agriculture. The Future Land Use is Rural Agriculture and it is approximately 10 miles from the Urban Services Line.  With the exception of a few enclaves of rural residential development, there does not appear to be a great deal of development pressure in the project area.

Other:

            There are five Division of Historic Resources site file locations either on or within one mile of the LSL project.

Literature Citations

Aucott, W. 1988. Water Resources Investigation Report 88-4057. USGS.

 

Cox, J., R. Kautz, M. MacLaughlin, and T. Gilbert. 1994.  Closing the Gaps in Florida’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation System, Office of Environmental Services, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Cox, J. and R. Kautz. 2000. Habitat Conservation Needs of Rare and Imperiled Wildlife in Florida. Office of Environmental Services, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. June 2001. Florida Forever Conservation Needs Assessment Technical Report

 

Hoctor, T.S., J. Teisinger, M.G. Carr., P.C, Zwick. 2002. Identification of Critical Linkages Within the Florida Ecological Greenways Network. Final Report. Office of Greenways and Trails, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Tallahassee, FL.

 

Knight, G., A. Knight, and J. Oetting. 2000. Florida Forever Conservation Needs Assessment Summary Report to the Florida Forever Advisory council. Florida Natural Areas Inventory.

 

KBN, A Golder Associates Company. 1996. Alachua County Ecological Inventory Project. Prepared for Alachua County Department of Growth Management, Gainesville, Florida.

 

Macesich, M. 1988.  Geologic Interpretation of the Aquifer Pollution Potential in Alachua County, Florida, Open File Report – 21.  Florida Geologic Survey, Tallahassee, Florida.

 

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. December 2001. Florida Forever Conservation Needs Assessment Version 1.1 Supplement to the technical Report June 2001. Tallahassee, Florida.