The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge has a greater variety of habitats than any other public forest or refuge in northern Florida. Its 65,000 acres of land and 32,000 acres of Apalachee Bay help buffer estuarine areas from the influences of development and provide many opportunities for outdoor recreation and historical interpretation. About 18,000 acres of the Refuge have been designated as a federal wilderness area, making them off limits to motorized vehicles and development. The Refuges expansive salt marshes are a part of the vast salt marsh ecosystem that stretches from Cedar Key north to the Ochlockonee Bay.

The Refuge contains longleaf pine and old growth hardwood forests, cypress and gum swamps, cabbage palm and live oak hammocks, hardwood swamps, I I fresh water impoundments, and portions of five of the region's six rivers. Thousands of birds representing more than 300 species visit or live here. The salt marsh acts as a nursery for shellfish, shrimp and fish.

The Refuge also offers many recreational opportunities, such as hunting, fishing and wildlife observation. Fishermen can cast a line in four freshwater impoundments, seven rivers, several natural lakes, or the saltwater of Apalachee Bay. Other recreational activities include sea kayaking on the Big Bend Historic Saltwater Paddling Trail, sailing and boating in Apalachee Bay, crabbing, picnicking, bicycling and horseback riding on the Refuge's dikes and roads, and backpacking and hiking on the Florida National Scenic Trail.

Growth and Development

The Refuge has few private land inholdings, and most surrounding lands are compatibly managed as pine plantations and wildlife areas. One of the most difficult issues for land managers is balancing heavy consumptive(hunting and fishing) and nonconsumptive (bird watching and using trails) recreational uses with protecting the natural integrity of the Refuge for fish and wildlife.

An insidious threat to Apalachee Bay and the Refuge is pollution of the bay with nutrients, bacteria and other pollutants from the region's rivers. Unless the pollution is trapped in the lakes or aquifer, Apalachee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are the eventual sink for all pollutants washed into the ditches, creeks and rivers in Thomasville, Cairo, Quincy, Havana and Tallahassee. The Bay and Refuge also are threatened by spills from oil-transporting barges serving the tank farms and power plant in the town of St. Marks. Additional recreation and commercial use of the bay should be monitored to avoid degrading its abundant natural resources. Because of the linear nature of the Refuge along the coast, fragmentation from roads and development in small communities presents a significant threat to its habitats and recreation resources.

Recommendations

Continue present land acquisition efforts.

Continue to identify and acquire lands to relocate the Florida Trail from the rightsof-way of U.S. Highway 98 and State Road 365 so these portions of the trail can be eligible for designation as part of the Florida National Scenic Trail.

Local governments and private landowners should notify and consult with Refuge managers concerning development proposals which are adjacent to or may affect the resources of the Refuge.