WEKIVA
HEADED FOR FEDERAL WILD & SCENIC APPROVAL
by
Phares Heindl
FOWR
President
The
Wild and scenic Rivers Act is a federal law passed in 1968 that recognizes the
value of rivers and their environs as outstanding natural treasures that must
be protected for the enjoyment of future generations. Both the U.S. House and
Senate recently passed a Bill to include the Wekiva within the act and the
Bill will soon be signed into law by President Clinton.
Our
organization played an essential part in the legislative process leading to
the recent victory in the U. S. legislature. FOWR members have been to
Washington DC three times in support of the Bill. Fred Harden went first, to
urge the implementation of the initial study to determine the suitability of
the Wekiva for inclusion witting the act. Deborah Deal earlier this year
presented testimony before the U.S. House of representative and recently, I
testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and NaturalResources.
Following are excerpts of the written testimony I provided to the Committee
and to the entire U.S. Senate.
My testimony is not
primarily of a technical nature; instead it reflects extensive personal
involvement with the Wekiva and the collective experience of Friends of Wekiva
River Inc. FOWR has been the voice of citizens concerned with protection of
the Wekiva for more that two decades. FOWR has been one of the most successful
environmental organizations in the nation and has been responsible for much of
the environmental protection that the Wekiva River presently enjoys. The
success of FOWR is grounded not only upon the technical expertise of its
leaders but also upon the balanced
approach taken in advocating environmental protection while respecting the
reality of the accelerating economic growth of the area and truly represents
the voice of the people in Central Florida on the Wekiva River.
My
connection with the Wekiva dates to 1984. I began canoeing the Wekiva soon
after relocating to Central Florida. I have spent countless hours enjoying its
crystal clear waters and the solitude associated with paddling along its
undeveloped tree-lined shores. I was---at first--- blissfully ignorant of the
threat posed by oncoming development to its Basin. Yet, FOWR was already hard
at work doing all they could to protect its waters and surrounding woodlands.
Since
then, blissful ignorance has been replaced with cautious concern. I have
become associated with FOWR, first as a member of the Board of Directors for
seven years and now as the president of this fine organization.
The
Wekiva Basin is perhaps the largest contiguous undeveloped land mass in
Central Florida. The Wekiva and its basin have been described as the heart of
Central Florida. Even thought the river is in the middle of a sprawling
community, taking a canoe trip or hiking in the river basin is like stepping
back in time. On more that
several of my journeys on the Wekiva I have seen a Florida Black bear swimming
across the river. The Wekiva represents the Florida of the past, and
experiencing it gives residents of Florida fed up with gridlock traffic and
urban sprawl hope for the Florida of the future. This hope deserves the
protection of the Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
In
addition, to being intimately connected with the Wekiva River by spending
precious hours on its crystalline waters, I am familiar with the technical and
legal issues facing the Wekiva River. I hold a degree in Chemical Engineering
from Mississippi State University and law degree
from
the University of Florida. Though I have studied environmental law,
I have not practiced environmental law as a profession; instead,
I serve the people of
Florida as a Board Certified Civil Trial lawyer. Nevertheless, I am convinced
that the present laws and regulations are not sufficient to protect the Wekiva
River. Additional protection
provided by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is essential for the protection of
the Wekiva River System.
The
Wekiva River is within the Greater Orlando Metropolitan Area. Neither local
nor state governments have been able to prevent the damaging effects of urban
sprawl from harming the Wekiva River. Just recently I served as the attorney
for Friends of Wekiva River Inc. in a pro bono capacity in a lawsuit against
Seminole County because the county was approving developments in contradiction
to existing State Law designed to protect the
Wekiva River basin. But, urban sprawl is only one of many threats to
the Wekiva River. The waters providing most of
the river's flow come from
deep beneath the surface. The clarity and purity of the waters not only
provide recreational opportunities, the quality and rate of flow of the river
reflects the health of the aquifer that provides potable water to the people
of Florida. This spring-fed Wekiva offers a look at the underground waters
that are the source of much of the drinking water within our area. If the
Wekiva is preserved, the health of the aquifer that serves both vital and
primitive needs
The
[local] elected officials charged with implementing protection of the river
are subject to political pressure by various interest groups. Due to these
factors, it is not unusual to see different attitudes toward implementing
growth management and environmental protection. The time-tested Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act will provide protection [to counter] potential political
influences that may interfere with the best intentions of local elected
officials.
"Wekiva: Legacy or
Loss?", the first broadcast documentary devoted to the Wekiva River,
will premier on Nov. 15, 2000 on WMFE-TV, Channel 24, at 8 p.m.
It will later be broadcast on many of the PBS stations in Florida and
elsewhere. A special invitation
premier will take place at the Enzian Theater in Maitland from 6 to 9 p.m. on
Monday, Nov. 13. (A video cassette of the program will be sold for three years
by the FOWR via its web site.)
Many
exciting discoveries will be revealed—and the nuances of the river system
will be shared with a larger public. For those of you who have an intimacy
with the Wekiva, it will be like showing off photos of your kids or grandkids.
Filmmakers use stunning footage from high above the river, deep inside the
thick hardwood swamp and pre-Columbian middens of its shores, and beneath its
waters. Viewers will travel along, looking on as virgin territory is first
mapped inside the caves of the headsprings. They will be present at dawn and
dusk as Florida black bears, alligators, wading birds and gopher tortoises go
about their business of making a living in the rare wilderness of the Wekiva
Basin. On camera, seldom-seen springs are explored, brand new aquatic species
are discovered, and disturbing information about the health of the river and
the springs that feed it is revealed.
A
number of FOWR board members have been involved in the making of the doc as
Technical Advisors, including Pat Harden, Deborah Shelley, and Steve Phelan.
Pat and Deborah appear on camera discussing the Wekiva, as does board member
Eleanor Fisher. Steve chairs the committee managing the web site. Many
Floridians with a professional or personal investment in the river will be
seen, including Parks Small and Brian Emanuel, biologists with the Wekiva
Springs State Park, Dr. Fred Thompson of the Florida Museum of Natural
History, wildlife biologists Walt McCown and Thomas Eason, Dr. Bruce
Stephenson of Rollins College, park volunteer Dave Sukkert, cave divers from
the Cambrian Foundation in Winter Park, and others. John Fillyaw, manager of
the Wekiva Basin GEOpark, provided much background support. The evocative
musical score is courtesy of Angela Sterling Forest's "Marble
Feather".
"Wekiva:
Legacy or Loss?" is a joint project of BBG Productions, an independent
Central Florida production company, and WMFE-TV of Orlando. Bob Giguere, an
Emmy-winning producer who has worked for National Geographic Explorer serves
as underwater cinematographer and co-produces. Bill Belleville, who has worked
for the Discovery Channel and written a bunch of magazine articles and a book
on the St. Johns, is the other co-producer. Bill also wrote the script and
served as safety diver on underwater segments.
We
have a newly re-designed website and a new URL! It is wekivariver.org
The site should be up and running within the month. In addition to hosting information about FOWR and natural history of the river, it will also link to section that sells the video cassette of "Wekiva: Legacy or Loss?" Users will be able to purchase the video, join FOWR, buy t-shirts or other merchandise on line. We are very grateful to Matt Williams of Zytek corporation in Maitland for the very effective re-design of the site, and to board member Arlen Charters for engaging Matt in this very important project. FOWR web committee members Steve Phelan, Barbara Howell, and Arlen will help keep the site maintained and updated with current information.
UPCOMING
FIELD TRIPS AND PROGRAMS
Please
tell all your friends about our upcoming programs and events. They include:
•
Sept. 7, Thursday. 7:30 p.m. "Invertebrates of the Wekiva" by Gary
Warren of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The program will focus on a recent FFWC study of the macro-inverts of
the Wekiva---all the little insects and assorted critters that anchor the
bottom of the food chain. Hey, it's a tough role, but somebody's got to do it.
•
Oct. 5, Thursday. 7:30 p.m. An
open invite to all regional environmental groups to join us for a "State
of the Wekiva" address, to be prepared by our Board.
That program will be followed by a Wekiva Awareness Day later in
October, either on Saturday, Oct.
14. That outing will begin at Katie's Landing at 8:30. Participants will be
shuttled to a put-in on the Little Wekiva and paddle downstream to the Wekiva
and back to Katie's. Average paddling time is 4.5 hours. Please bring snacks
and drinks. Call Katie's ten days
before each field trip to guarantee a place.
•
Dec. 7, Thursday. 7:30 p.m. Bill Belleville will give a slide show and talk
based on his book "River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns
River", now headed for its third printing. Bill will discuss both the
cultural and natural history of the river. A Christmas party will follow. A
paddling field trip will be held in December which Bill will lead. It will
take us from the Blackwater Creek to the Wekiva and down the St. Johns to High
Banks marina. We'll meet at Katies at 8:30 and expect to be back by at least
3:30 p.m. Bring food and water. The Blackwater is one of the wildest
tributaries in the entire St. Johns Basin and the downstream run from the
concrete bridge (in the Seminole State Forest) is generally free of deadfall.
•
More programs to be announced in the next newsletter. And remember all Board
meetings now begin sharply at 6 p.m., at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on
Markham Woods Road.
FOWR
SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS THE WEKIVA RIVER PROTECTION ACT IN LAKE COUNTY
by
Nancy Prine
FOWR
Board
On July 25, 2000 the Lake County Commission (LCC) denied, by a 3 to 2
vote, an application for a comprehensive plan amendment that would allow
developers to construct a golf course, central water and sewer plant to
provide additional development capability in the area and to allow lots of
one-third acre on land within the
Wekiva River Protection Area between State Road 46 and 46A.
The development, called Heath-row Estates (aka Gatwick II), proposed on
a +/- 496 acre parcel of land, would have been a Comprehensive Plan amendment
to a plat approved by the Lake Commission in the waning days before the Wekiva
River Protection Act be-came law. That
plan, approved by the County, allowed 323 lots that would have been serviced
by individual wells and septic tanks, with open space of more than 25% and a
peat mine. The peat mine was
later deleted from the plan.
The application for amendment had gone before the Lake County Commission on May 23, 2000. The hearing was postponed, at the recommendation of LCC Chair-man Welton Cadwell, to allow the applicant to present evidence supporting their argument the golf course and central sewer and water was better environmentally than the earlier plan. Several members and technical advisors of FOWR presented testimony at the May 23, 2000 hearing in support of the original plan without a golf course. The FOWR had also presented a letter from 1000 Friends of Florida, questioning the project's vesting, but the county accepted their attorney's opinion. Correspondence found at the Dept. of Community Affairs (DCA), indicate the "vesting" was originally for 218 lots.
With the support of FOWR member Scott Taylor, the technical committee
secured the services of the office of David Theriaque, Attorneys at Law, to
assist in the preparation for the July 25, 2000 commission meeting. Mr.
Theriaque and Steve Pfeiffer, associate of Mr. Theriaque, researched the DCA
and Lake County files related to the property subject to the comprehensive
plan amendment request. The
issue of vesting of the property for development by the current applicant
became a point of question. However,
the Lake County attorneys recognized the vesting
of 323 lots on the property and the Commis-sion accepted that
proposition. It was noted that
the single focus of Chairman Cadwell's postponement of the hearing for
Comprehensive Plan amendment was the consideration of environmental impacts by
the various development alternatives.
At the July 25 hearing, Mr. Pfeiffer presented the concerns of the
proposed comprehensive plan amendments to the Commission.
Tom Herbert, hydrologist from Tallahassee and Linda Portal, planner of
Gainesville provided expert witness to support our concerns related to the
potential impacts to the environment of the Wekiva River and to the Floridian
aquifer, so vital to the
continued spring flow which supports the river system. Long time friend of the
Wekiva River, Bernie Yokel, resident of Mount Dora and Board Member of the
National Audubon Society and the Lake Co. Conservation Council, also offered
testimony suppporting the FOWR's position.
Our position was based on the concern the central water and sewer plant
would generate additional development in the Wekiva River Protection area,
decreasing the pervious surface area so important for recharge of the aquifer.
Additional intensified development would further diminish the wildlife habitat
for threatened and endangered species. Though
the Gatwick II developer stated reclaimed water would be used to irrigate the
golf course, that water would not be available in sufficient quantity until
the property had been fully developed, requiring that irrigation for the
construction and grow-out of the course be supplied from wells drawing water
from the aqui-fer. Fertilizers,
pesticides and herbicides used on golf courses migrate through soils,
particularly sandy soils as those found at this site, and end up in the ground
waters of the aquifer. It has
been recognized recently that some nutrients take 20 years or more to reach
our springs. Many springs, such
as Seminole Springs about one mile down gradient from the proposed
development, now have elevated levels of nutrients.
FOWR technical committee members associated with the De-fenders of
Wildlife, Sierra Club and the Dept. of Environmental Protection worked
steadfastly to assist the Friends in preparation for the Commission hearing,
gathering information and bringing expert knowledge forward for consideration.
These individuals truly demonstrated the Wekiva has many friends
throughout the environmental community.
The developer/applicant of Gatwick II has 30 days from the July 25
hearing to appeal the County Commissioners decision.
Should the developer appeal that decision, FOWR must determine to
continue to defend the Wekiva River Protection Act against unwise development,
which may prove to damage the environmental integrity of the Wekiva River
system.
This challenge to the integrity of the Wekiva River ecosystem reminds
us of the importance of strengthening our ranks and influence.
There will be other pressures to impact the fabric of the ecosystem.
This recent effort would not have been possible without the generous
support of Elaine and Scott Taylor and the dedication of a few members and
environmental allies. Invite a
friend to join FOWR, reminding them that donations are tax deductable!
SECOND
ANNUAL FLORIDA BLACK BEAR FESTIVAL SET
What
do Jim Fowler, a 5 K run, a bear, and a gaggle of musicians, naturalists and
writers all have in common?
They'll all be at the Second Annual Florida Black Bear Festival, held Saturday Sept. 30, from 9 to 5 p.m. a the City Park in Umatilla, Fla. And the Friends of the Wekiva River will be there too, with a booth displaying a photo exhibit, artifacts from the river, and distributing information about our organization and the Wekiva. Stop by and say hi!
Elsewhere
during the day, there will be a main park stage featuring the Sonrise
Bluegrass Band, Celtic Music by John and Kathy Benton, Florida folk music by
Dale Crider, and by Ken Skeens. Special presentations will be made by Thomas
Eason ("Bear Essentials"), Tom Shupe ("Human/Bear
Conflicts"), Jim Valentine ("Envisioning Florida's Wilderness
Through Photography"), and Charles Towne ("Bear Observations").
An
"Author's Corner" will include talks throughout the day by: Patrick
Smith ("A Land Remembered"), Jeff Klinkenberg ("Dispatches From
the Land of Flowers"); Bill Belleville ("River of Lakes: A Journey
on Florida's St. Johns River"); Robert G. Haehle ("Native Florida
Plants"); and Jeff Ripple ("The Wild Heart of Florida").
For
those in-between times, there will be teddy bear clinics,
crafts, field trips into nearby bear habitats, and lots of beary good
food!
There
will also be a 5 K run. To sign up for the run and to get more information
about the festival, please visit the special web site devoted to the event (www.flbearfestival.com)
or call 407-295-1411.
The
St. Johns will have a Riverkeeper beginning September 1, 2000.
Diana
Check
out the St. Johns Riverkeeper web page at www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org or
By Deborah Green
FOWR Member
Do
you have hummingbirds visiting your yard? If so, you may be a gardener with a
lot of flowers and have attracted hummingbirds by luck. More likely you have
worked to attract them by planting red tubular flowers and putting out a
hummingbird feeder. Yes, the sugar solution has to be changed every few days,
but this little bit of work is well repaid by the fun of watching these
smallest of birds. Hummingbirds hover in midair with their bodies motionless
and approach a flower head-on, dipping nectar from the bloom with long tongues
in long bills. Once their crop is full, or if they are startled, they fly
straight up to a safe resting place. They also fly straight down, sideways and
backwards, with the maneuverability of a helicopter. They hover by moving
their wings in a figure-8 pattern, from a uniquely movable shoulder joint.
Their wings beat up to 80 times a second, which makes the humming sound for
which they are named.
A
hummingbird's body weighs only as much as a few paper clips, and flight
muscles make up 30% of this weight. Is sugar water from a feeder an adequate
food supply to support this extensive hovering?
Nectar of flowers contains some amino acids and other nutrients, and
hummers may visit flowers, at least occasionally, even when feeders are
present. Apparently they eat insects on flowers and also grab small insects
out of the air to supplement their sugary diet. They also visit holes drilled
in trees by sapsuckers, and consume both the sap and insects caught in the
sap.
With
the exception of a species called Anna's Hummingbird that stays in coastal
California, Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver Island all year, North American
hummingbirds are migratory creatures. They stay long enough to produce one or
at most two clutches of young and then go south to warmer climates from
September to March.
The
ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird species that breeds east of
the Mississippi. Whereas the hummers of the West only have to hip-hop south
down the Mexican peninsula on their fall migration, the migratory journey of
the ruby-throated hummingbird forces it to fly across the wide Gulf of Mexico.
That they survive this 600-mile non-stop crossing is amazing. On their way
south for the winter, hummers from further north pass through Georgia and
Florida and use our flowers and feeders to refuel and build up their fat
reserves for the trans-Gulf flight.
Ruby-throated
hummingbirds have metallic green backs, and the feathers covering the throat
of the male scatter light into iridescent, changeable shades of ruby.
Actually, from my window, the throat looks more black than ruby, but the
colors apparently show up at close range, seen mainly by other hummers.
Hummingbirds are very territorial, since in nature, nectar sources may be very
limited. In spring they defend a territory of about a quarter acre. Males
drive off intruders with chattering "chase notes."
Adult
male ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive about 3 weeks earlier than females and
immatures to establish their own feeding territories. After mating, they
actually exhibit territoriality towards their own mates, driving them off.
Females set up their own feeding territory, around wetlands, where insects are
abundant. A female builds a thimble-like nest, less than 2 inches across, over
a period of about 5 days. She then lays two eggs and incubates them for about
16 days. She raises the hatchlings alone, over a period of about 19 days. Then
the fledglings go off to find their own nectar sources.
Some
ruby-throated hummingbirds pass September to March along the Gulf Coast from
Florida to Louisiana. However, most winter in Mexico or Central America, as
far south as Panama. Habitat destruction in both breeding and wintering
grounds and along the migration path seems to be taking a toll. The
ruby-throated hummingbird was on Audubon's Blue List (a list of declining
species) from 1978-86 and is still thought to be declining in population.
Putting out hummingbird feeders may help.
As
pointed out by long-time local birder and hummingbird enthusiast Dot Freeman,
a new phenomenon has occurred with increased use of hummingbird feeders by
bird lovers. Hummingbirds from the Western United States are now occasionally
wintering at feeders along the Gulf Coast and other parts of Florida. Many of
these so-called "western strays" are juveniles, making their first
flight. Black-chinned hummingbirds and rufous hummingbirds are the species
that are doing this most often, but other Western hummer species have been
recorded as well. By October 1, our local breeding ruby-throated hummingbirds
and those from further north that are just passing through will have gone, but
if you leave your feeders up for another few weeks, you may be visited by one
of these Western strays.
Once
hummingbirds discover your red flowers and feeders, you can count on seeing
them every day many times a day. In contrast, out in nature, they are very
hard to see. In July when the cardinal flowers and red mallows bloom along the
rivers, I have watched these flowers as closely as I can to see if they are
visited by hummingbirds, with no luck. Hummingbirds apparently have vision
like an 8X binocular and can spot your red flowers or feeder from high in the
air. I think my coral bean (Cherokee bean) plant that finally bloomed this
year was the secret of my success in attracting them, but pentas and shrimp
plants are also popular hummingbird plants locally. People have been
successful in attracting them even to balcony window gardens. I highly
recommend making the limited amount of effort necessary to be able to watch
these fascinating smallest of birds.
Deborah
Green, FOWR member, is author of Wekiva Springs State Park Habitat Tour
and Watching
Wildlife in the Wekiva Basin.