Current Status, Future Opportunities

With more than 7.5 million acres of conservation land, Florida is an acknowledged leader in efforts to preserve natural resources. These resources will form the basis for the development of Florida's greenways system. The Commission's recommendations are intended to build upon the excellent programs and projects already in place. While every acre of conservation land and every mile of trail is important to Florida's system of greenways, there are a number of lands, trails and sites that have both statewide and national significance. Important ecological connectors that are either in public ownership or in the process of acquisition and/or restoration include the Big Bend Coast, and the St. Johns, Suwannee, Kissimmee and Hillsborough river systems. Large ecological hubs include the: Blackwater River State Forest/Eglin Air Force Base Complex, Apalachicola National Forest/St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Okefenokee/Pinhook Swamp/Osceola National Forest Complex, Ocala National Forest/Cross Florida Greenway/Lake Woodruff National Wildlife RcfLige/Wekiva River Complex, Big Cypress/Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed /Rookery Bay/Ten Thousand Islands Complex, and Everglades/Florida Bay Complex. Smaller but significant hubs include the: Nassau-St. Johns Marshes/Timucuan National Ecological and Historic Preserve/Talbot Islands, Camp Blanding/Jennings State Forest/Goldhead Branch State Park, Lower Suwannee Refuges, Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Upper St. Johns River Complex, Avon Park Bombing Range/Lake Wales Ridge, Green Swamp/Hillsborough River/Withlacoochee River Complex, Tampa Bay, Myakka River State Park/Charlotte Harbor/C.M. Webb Complex, Lake Okeechobee, and Loxahatchee/jonathan Dickinson/ J. W. Corbett/DuPuis Complex. Recreational resources such as the Florida National Scenic Trail (which will be 1300 miles long when complete), the Cross Florida Greenway, the Pinellas Trait, and the Central Florida Loop Trail are important human elements in a statewide greenways system. There also are more than 88,000 recorded historical resources in Florida, including about 18,000 archeological sites. Historic St. Augustine, Pensacola's historic district, Miami's art deco district, prehistoric sites such as the shell mounds of the southwest coast, and Such early sites as Windover and Little Salt Spring all can contribute to a statewide system of greenways. Linking these existing hubs, natural and recreational resources, and historic, Cultural and recreational sites (including the state's urban and rural communities) is the primary goal of the Florida Greenways Commission. The state has an exciting opportunity to reestablish connections between its green infrastructure and its people through a statewide greenways system. The statewide system of greenways can help conserve native landscapes and ecosystems by protecting, maintaining and restoring natural connecting corridors. And it can reconnect Floridians with their natural, historical and cultural heritage through a system of trails and other connectors. An overview of existing and proposed conservation lands and trails is provided in the tables below and on the enclosed map. A diagram depicting how hubs and links function in a greenways system is found on page 5. For a more complete look at the current status and future opportunities associated with conservation, recreation and historic lands and sites in Florida, see pp. 77 to 103 of the Florida Greenways Commission Report to the Governor. Five regional maps depicting existing and proposed conservation lands and trails in the state's water management districts also are included in the Commission's full report.  MILES OF TRAILS IN FLORIDA  Trail Designation  Miles  Hiking  914  Multiple Use  670  Interpretive  28  Canoe/Kayak  1,548  Equestrian  342  Total Existing  3,502  All Proposed  1,017  Total Existing and Proposed Trails  4,519  Source: University of Florida    EXISTING AND PROPOSED CONSERVATION LANDS (in acres)  Existing Federal    Military Bases  724,114  National Forest  1,252,205  National Parks, Preserves, Reserves, Seashores & Monuments  1,710,66  National Wildlife Refuges  332,350  Total Existing Federal Areas  4,019,331  Existing State    Aquatic Preserves*  1,259,856  Conservation Easements  792,313  Greenways  63,469  State Forests  524,387  State Parks, Preserves, Reserves, Gardens, Geologic & Historic Sites, and State Recreation Areas  338,371  Wildlife Management Areas  420,614  Total Existing State Areas  2,139,154  Existing Water Management District Areas  817,534  Existing Local Areas**  41,783  Existing Private Preserves  77,602  Existing Other    Indian Reservations  191,663  Other  172,931  Total Existing Other Areas  364,594  Total Existing Conservation Lands  7,459,998  All Proposed (Federal, State, WMD & Local)  2,706,640  Total Existing & Proposed Conservation Lands  10,166,638  *Area in Aquatic Preserves not included in any totals **All local areas were included when supplied by local governments Source: University of Florida

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