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State OKs plan to help
protect, By Susan Burgess , St. Lucie News and TCPalm.com Originally published 11:40 a.m., August 25, 2009 ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The state has OK’d a plan for the North Fork of the St. Lucie River that could clear out sunken boats, offer guided canoe and hiking trips, and rid bird-roosting areas of tangled piles of old fishing line. It calls for a cadre of volunteers who would help organize and participate in volunteer activities such as surveying boaters at launch ramps about their uses of the river, looking for derelict boats, monitoring birds, waterway cleanups and searching out eroding shorelines. The 16-mile section of North Fork, named an aquatic preserve by the state in 1972, extends from Midway Road at White City Park to Jenkins Point in Palm City. “I think it’s great that they are focusing on us and that they are focusing on something that is good for us” said County Commission Vice Chairman Charles Grande, who represents much of the district that includes the preserve. The 10-year management plan, approved by the state Board of Trustees on Aug. 11, was developed by the state Department of Environmental Protection with the help of local citizens and government officials. The estimated cost of the plan over a 10-year period is $2.78 million. DEP spokeswoman Marguerite Jordan said the state agency is not expecting any local money to be put toward the plan. Within the preserve are several well-known boat launching areas or small marinas such as the launch at White City Park, River Park Marina, Club Med Sandpiper’s sandy beach and docks, and the launch at Veterans Memorial Park in Port St. Lucie. Eventually, the preserve could contain hiking trails, with volunteers offering guided tours for kayakers and hikers, according to Jordan. The just-approved plan replaces a 25-year management plan that was adopted by the state in 1984. The North Fork is a major tributary of the Indian River Lagoon, with waters that go from briny at the St. Lucie Inlet in Martin County to mostly fresh near White City Park. It’s an important nursery for fish and wildlife, and it contains some rare species |
Volunteers are needed to:
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NORTH FORK ST. LUCIE RIVER AQUATIC PRESERVE The state named the 16-mile section of North Fork an aquatic preserve in 1972. It extends from Midway Road at White City Park in Fort Pierce south to Jenkins Point in Palm City. The river supports a variety of federally and state-protected species such as American alligators, manatees, river otters, nesting wood storks, little blue herons, brown pelicans, snook, and opossum pipefishes. Rare tropical peripheral fish species, such as gobies, sleepers and pipefishes, are also found in the upper reaches of the North Fork and the two headwaters, Five and Ten Mile creeks. The river is especially important habitat for juvenile phases of commercially important species such as blue crabs, snook, snapper, drum, and shrimp. The North Fork St. Lucie River is part of Florida’s “Save our Rivers” program. |
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TO FIND OUT MORE To download a copy of the plan: www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/northfork/pub/NorthFork_Plan_2009.pdf For video of the preserve: http://www.riverlillycruises.com For information on recreation within the preserve: www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/northfork/recreation.htm For many maps of the preserve including the historic 1919 riverbed: www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/northfork/publications.htm Source: Florida Department of Environmental Protection |