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Tampa Audubon Objection to Withlacoochee State Forest Land Swap

Rick Dolan, Director

Florida Forest Service


Dear Director Dolan:


The Tampa Audubon Society (TAS) has evaluated a proposal to declare a 324-acre parcel located within the Withlacoochee State Forest (WSF) as surplus, thus enabling a land exchange for another parcel in Levy County which is privately owned. This land exchange would facilitate expansion of an adjacent golf course development by Cabot Citrus OpCo LLC.


TAS members have visited and birded in various sections of the WSF.  It is a gorgeous property, well managed, and a haven for birds and wildlife.  It is especially important as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor across the state, allowing birds and other wildlife to travel safely to the habitats they need for life and reproduction.


For the past 24 years our neighboring Hernando Audubon Society (HAS) members have monitored Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (RCWs) in the state forest. While RCWs are listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, efforts are ongoing to build a sustainable population within the WSF. HAS volunteers monitored RCW nesting behavior and success. The data generated from their year-round monitoring efforts have contributed to determining RCW population size and trends and the development of better management strategies for this species.  


Hernando Audubon Society members have determined the site to have considerable conservation value and consequently should not be declared surplus pursuant to §253.0341(1), F.S. The following is a listing of the assets they believe are associated with this state forest parcel:

  1. Parcel Accepted as Mitigation - The 324-acre parcel was deeded to the state for addition to the WSF as partial mitigation for lands lost within the forest due to expansion of the Suncoast Parkway by the Florida Department of Transportation. The Florida Forest Service rated this parcel as “first priority” among several options assessed by the Forest Service for mitigation.   Audubon Florida helped sponsor the trade at that time.

  2. Contiguity with Other Public Lands – The parcel is contiguous with adjoining lands of the WSF to the north and west (interrupted only by the width of the Suncoast Parkway right-of-way). The benefit of contiguity with other conservation lands cannot be overstated as it allows wildlife species, including resident and breeding bird species, to have sufficient territory to maintain viable populations over time.

  3. Connectivity with Other Public Lands within the Florida Wildlife Corridor – The parcel is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and is located at a vulnerable narrow connection between the conservation lands of the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area to the southwest and the WSF to the north. Removing this parcel from protected status would dramatically reduce the connectivity between these two conservation areas. The ability to move across large areas without interruption plays a key role in supporting bird population biodiversity by enabling them to safely travel to find mates, food, and shelter.

  4. Restoration Potential – The Florida Forest Services currently has plans to restore the 324-acre parcel to native Sandhill habitat, something they have successfully completed numerous times within the WSF. The existing Sand Pines would be harvested, the understory would undergo a prescribed burn, and Longleaf Pines would be randomly planted. After 25-30 years the parcel would have mature Sandhill habitat where bird species such as Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, and American Sparrow could thrive.  Over time the Sandhill habitat would further mature and be acceptable for RCWs that our grandchildren can enjoy. Sandhill habitat is underrepresented in the state of Florida. Consequently, restoring this habitat type is important for future generations.     

     

The proposed land swap would be unusual in Florida, where state-owned conservation lands have traditionally been given special protection. The issue of concern for TAS is the precedent this proposed land exchange would create. The idea that a developer can request adjacent publicly owned lands for their benefit, while offering other lands located far away in exchange is untenable. This must not happen! TAS argues it could easily start a chain reaction from which other public land could lose protection. 


Floridians have recently begun to question the state’s commitment to land conservation. State agencies, such as the Florida Forest Service, are the steward of our publicly held conservation lands we depend upon to make wise decisions that benefit all citizens, not the interests of a few private developers.


For the reasons cited above, we encourage the Florida Forest Service to immediately suspend any further action on the proposed land swap. 

 

Respectfully,

Mary A. Keith, PhD

Conservation Chair

Tampa Audubon Society

 

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