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The Florida Trail Association’s
Florida National Scenic Trail
FY 2011 Appropriations Request The Florida Trail Association respectfully requests that the members of Florida’s Congressional Delegation support the following FY 2011 appropriations in the USDA Forest Service’s budget to construct, administer and manage the Florida National Scenic Trail:  $2,500,000 for base budget funds for trail construction, administration and management of land acquired for the Florida National Scenic Trail within the USDA Forest Service’s Trail Construction/Reconstruction and Trail Maintenance budget. The USDA Forest Service’s existing base funding for the trail does not allow the agency to effectively protect, manage and restore the lands it has acquired for the FNST. This appropriation is critical to managing those trail lands, completing “shovel-ready” projects making the trail more user friendly, opening new trail segments for the public, and providing the public with information about the FNST.
$5,427,000 line item from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for an eighth year of funding to protect 15 critical segments (3 miles on 347.7 acres) of FNST. These segments are critical and strategic holdings in or near U.S. military sites, National Forests and other Federal or State lands. There are multiple existing opportunities for obtaining properties that are strategically located, to close gaps in the trail while providing for the greatest recreational opportunity. Some of these properties are facing immediate threat from rural residential and industrial development. FY 2010 Florida Delegation Letter
FY 2011 Funding Justification Statement for
The Florida National Scenic Trail
Description The route of the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) extends from Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola to Big Cypress National Preserve west of Miami. Congress has charged the USDA Forest Service, National Forests in Florida with the responsibility to administer the FNST in cooperation with the dozens of land managers along its route. Their major private partner is the Florida Trail Association, Inc., a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. This past year, FTA volunteers contributed 71,389 hours building and maintaining the FNST. The USDA Forest Service values this donated labor (equal to 34 full-time laborers) at over $1,330,000. Since 1994, the volunteer trail maintainers and builders of the FTA have donated over $2.8 million in cash plus 834,000 hours valued over $12.7 million. Status  Approximately 956 miles (67 percent) of the planned 1,424-mile long trail have been certified and opened for public use as FNST. An additional 62 miles of the existing footpath are planned for official certification as FNST, and 76 miles of trail are proposed for construction on existing public land. The remaining 267 miles of the continuous footpath requires acquisition to secure a route for public use. Of this mileage for acquisition, an estimated 103 miles can be acquired in partnership with the state lands acquisition program. In addition to the continuous FNST, 291 miles of certified side, connector and alternate trail routes are also open to the public.
Completing the Florida National Scenic Trail provides one of the nation’s best opportunities to marry recreation and conservation. It is estimated that the FNST hosted 349,701 total visits in 2008-2009, a 3% increase from 2006-2007 in estimated visits. Florida is one of the Nation’s most important tourist destinations, accommodating nearly 80 million tourists annually. The state’s Visitor Centers report that information about hiking is among their top requests. The State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan estimates that over 11 million people hike Florida’s trails annually, with use increasing along with the state’s fast growing population. The Trail acquisition program is supporting national defense and preparedness in the Panhandle by protecting part of the Northwest Florida Greenway through a partnership with the State of Florida, the Department of Defense, The Nature Conservancy and many others. This Greenway will protect the flight path between Eglin and Tyndall Air Force bases that is essential to their training and testing missions. FY 2011 Funding Needs for FNST Construction and Management: $2,500,000 Trail Construction, Reconstruction, Maintenance and Land Management: $1,750,000
The Florida Trail Association requests that in FY 2011 $1,750,000 be allocated by the USDA Forest Service to manage and construct the FNST on USFS-acquired trail lands and on existing publicly-owned lands. “Shovel-ready” projects in FY 2011 include managing exotic species on 41 FNST tracts, surveying and posting FNST property boundaries on newly acquired tracts, training 100 volunteers in First Aid and CPR, installing FNST signage along the trail, and constructing seven short-span bridges, ten miles of new trail and one boardwalk. Trailheads, kiosks and registration boxes will be installed the length of the trail to enhance emergency response and public visibility of the trail, and to educate hikers about the trail, Leave no Trace outdoor ethics and trail regulations. Funding will also enhance the safety of hikers by providing county emergency staff and local law enforcement up-to-date information about the trail in their jurisdictions. A comprehensive training program will be initiated to help a new generation of volunteer trail leaders develop the skills to ensure that the trail is maintained and expanded in the future. Funding is also needed in FY 2011 to equip volunteers with tools, materials, and equipment, including personal safety equipment and training necessary to maintain 1,323 miles of hiking trails. In addition to Forest Service lands, the FNST passes through land managed by four other federal agencies, twelve state agencies, seven  local agencies, and six private/corporate owners. These partners sometimes provide materials to repair boardwalks and bridges, but frequently do not have the resources to build new trail and trailheads, or provide trail maintenance tools, equipment or signs. FNST funding complements these partners’ contributions of land for the trail, staff and program support and funding for projects. While the work on the trail is performed by volunteers, FNST funding supports and creates jobs for surveyors, appraisers, manufacturers and suppliers of tools and equipment, and raw materials such as timber, steel, aluminum and fiberglass, and the FNST program employs staff who manage land, organize and coordinate dozens of trail projects with hundreds of volunteers, and provide information about the FNST to the public. The USDA Forest Service is responsible for managing the 4,625 acres in 41 tracts it has acquired on behalf of the FNST. The USDA Forest Service’s existing base funding for the trail does not allow the agency to effectively protect, manage and restore the lands it has acquired for the FNST. This appropriation is critical to mitigating environmental and social threats degrading natural resources and hikers’ enjoyment of the trail. Without additional funds in FY 2011, trail development will be deferred including “shovel-ready” projects making the trail more user friendly, opening new trail segments for the public, and providing the public with information about the FNST. In FY 2010, Florida Trail volunteers will maintain 1,323 miles of the FNST with F-Troop projects scheduled for Juniper Prairie Wilderness in the Ocala National Forest and Big Cypress National Preserve. Construction projects include building nearly 2000 feet of boardwalks and two bridges in Ocala and Apalachicola National Forests, Pine Log State Forest and along the Kissimmee River. The USDA Forest Service began restoration and replanting of 320 acres on FNST land in Washington County and has initiated an environmental assessment to begin exotic species management on its FNST lands. The agency will complete cultural and natural resource surveys on the Nokuse Trail easement donated in 2009. In 2009, the USDA Forest Service entered into a partnership with the University of Oregon to design critically needed trailheads and kiosks the length of the trail. The FNST land managers and volunteers are engaging in a comprehensive strategic planning process designed to further the management and completion of the trail. Trail Administration - $750,000
The Florida Trail Association (FTA) requests that in FY 2011 the USDA Forest Service allocate $750,000 from its appropriation to carry out existing administrative responsibilities and meet additional demands associated with lengthening the FNST. In FY 2011, it is anticipated that FNST certification agreements will be negotiated or renewed with eight public agencies and two private landowners protecting 100 miles of additional trail. There will be an increased emphasis on outreach and education about the FNST to the public, partners and Florida Trail Association members. Trail certification, development, management and land acquisition will continue to improve through the use of the FNST geographic information system and INFRA database. In FY 2010, the FTA and the National Forests in Florida will manage the FNST through a partnership agreement that is valued at over $1,400,000. The FTA is committed to providing over $700,000 of this amount in-kind and cash match. Federal funds also leverage tens of thousands of dollars of contributions from partner agencies through whose lands the FNST passes. In 2010, 100 miles of FNST will be certified or recertified, training will be provided to volunteers, trail land acquisition projects will be developed and updated information will be provided to the public about the trail. In addition, over 100 miles of the FNST will be inventoried, and the FNST geographic database within the Forest Service’s INFRA database will be updated and maintained. FY 2011 Funding Needs for FNST Land Acquisition: $5,427,000 Trail Land Acquisition: $5,427,000
The Florida Trail Association requests that in FY 2011, the USDA Forest Service be appropriated $5,427,000 to protect 15 critical segments (3 miles on 347.7 acres) of Florida National Scenic Trail. Previous funds have been exhausted, leaving significant gaps in the Trail. There are multiple existing opportunities for obtaining properties that are strategically located to close gaps in the trail while providing for the greatest recreational opportunity. Some of these properties are facing immediate threat from rural residential and industrial development. Florida’s economy has been harshly affected by the current recession and the rapid rate of land development has sharply decreased. With this slowdown in growth comes a rare opportunity to acquire essential parcels for the FNST if money is appropriated. Now that the cost of land has decreased, it is a “buyer’s market” and landowners have renewed motivation to sell lands for conservation and recreation. Unfortunately, FNST acquisition funds have been expended and are not available for the Forest Service to take advantage of these motivated sellers. In the absence of Federal funding, the FNST acquisition program has been working with state, water management districts, and local land acquisition programs to protect the Trail. This approach has been successful – since 2007 the State and water management districts have acquired lands in Columbia, Orange and Seminole Counties that should add 15.5 miles of trail. However, this partnership approach is now constrained by decreases in state revenue and sharp cutbacks in state funding for land acquisition. Because of: 1) the USDA Forest Service’s great success in spending the Land and Water Conservation appropriations, 2) the willingness of landowners to consider a government offer in today’s real estate market, and 3) the real-world limitations on protecting the Trail through state and local funded programs, Congress is strongly encouraged to appropriate supplemental land and water conservation funding for the FNST. The window of opportunity is open; the time to protect segments of the Florida National Scenic Trail is now. 2009 Land Acquisition Report  Closing the gaps in the Florida Trail creates more than just a hiking trail. It protects the endangered scenic beauty of Florida, provides healthful recreation opportunities, creates and protects wildlife corridors, supports local nature based tourism and new jobs, and offers educational opportunities for families. Now is the time for Congress to protect the Florida National Scenic Trail by appropriating $5,427,000 in Land and Water Conservation Funds. Closing the gaps in this 1,424-mile long Florida Trail is a story of partnerships between Federal, State, regional and local agencies, private landowners, and non-profits. One entity alone cannot complete the Trail. The USDA Forest Service has been successfully acquiring land for the trail; so successful, that there are virtually no funds left to buy land now that it is cheaper and landowners are motivated to sell. Multiple opportunities exist for immediate purchase of properties that are strategically located to close gaps in the trail, some of which are facing immediate threat from rural residential and industrial development. The acquisition of land puts dollars to work in the local economy; creates immediate job opportunities for appraisers, surveyors, field scientists, and other professionals, provides trail building jobs for trail crews, and the resulting new trail increases eco-tourism. This is the best time in years to appropriate LWCF funding and close gaps in the Florida Trail.
Land Tracts Acquired for FNST 2002-2009 Map of Land Tracts Proposed for Purchase in FY 2011 2009 Construction & Maintenance Highlights  Mills Creek Woodlands
Two boardwalks extending 700 feet were constructed by volunteer trail crews.
Northwest Florida Water Management District
A free-standing simple suspension bridge 80 feet in length was built over Econfina Creek utilizing youth and other volunteer trail crews. St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
On property acquired by the USDA Forest Service, two miles of trail were built by crews of university students on the Alternative Spring Break program, providing a more scenic hike within the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Big Cypress National Preserve
Eight miles of wilderness trail maintenance was performed, blazes re-painted and signs installed where necessary to mark the trail corridor through the swamps of Big Cypress.
Ocala National Forest
A 1,000-foot elevated boardwalk through Hull’s Creek was laid out and construction was started with setting the first pilings. Construction will continue in 2010. Juniper Creek Wilderness Area
Seven miles of wilderness trail were restored, six downed trees were removed using hand tools and a trail re-route was planned to protect a small creek. Tosohatchee Wildlife Management District
A 30-foot pole bridge was constructed with nearly 85 percent of the materials being salvaged and reused. Volunteers traveling from across Florida and the nation, including a Student Conservation Association crew, constructed this bridge. Keystone Tracts
With the recent acquisition of the Combass Property by the USDA Forest Service, the trail was extended to fill a mile-long gap between the Keystone Airpark and the Palatka-Lake Butler Rail Trail. Youth volunteers were instrumental in constructing this segment and two small bridges. Volunteer Trail Construction Program In 2009, four separate youth crews were hosted, completing six projects from the Panhandle to the Everglades with 34 volunteers contributing 6,128 hours. In addition, 96 volunteers donated a total of 3,976 hours on six Florida Trail F-Troop volunteer trail crew events. Young adults from 18 to 35 years were actively recruited this year, reducing the average age of F-Troop volunteers from 52 to 35 years. Two Penny Bridge
Northwest Florida Water Management District
February-March, 2009  Over a period of six weeks in February and March of 2009, 17 volunteers donated 1,304 hours while constructing an 80-foot simple suspension bridge over Econfina Creek. Rigging and climbing safety workshops intertwined with lessons on mixing concrete, driving anchors and lumber construction techniques, trained Florida Trail volunteers for a level of complex construction most often seen only with professional construction crews. The Two Penny Bridge replacement was the second project in a two-part series sponsored by an $80,000 Recreational Trails Program Grant. The USDA Forest Service provided the necessary biologists and archeologists to complete the NEPA process, as well as the engineer to create the design and a wilderness ranger with years of back country construction experience to guide the volunteer crews.
Young Adult Trail Crews In 2009, young adult trail crews donated over 6,128 volunteer hours on the Florida Trail. These volunteers flagged and built new trail, performed trail restoration in challenging wilderness area settings and maintained boardwalks and bridges to protect natural waterways and provide a safe hiking experience. The Florida Trail’s young adult trail crews’ focus on constructing and maintaining bridges and boardwalks connects this current technology-obsessed generation with the great outdoors, fostering the next generation of land stewards. 
The Florida Trail hosted Student Conservation Association crews of six members for twelve weeks in the fall and again in the spring who contributed 4,896 hours. These crews are integral to our complex construction projects such as long-span bridges and challenging backcountry trail maintenance projects in wilderness areas. The spring 2009 SCA volunteers provided labor and welcome enthusiasm in the construction of the 30-foot bridge in the Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area. They took their newly developed bridge construction skills to their second project, the construction of Two Penny Bridge, an 80-foot simple suspension bridge over Econfina Creek. The fall 2009 SCA crew primarily worked in the Ocala National Forest, maintaining seven miles of trail in the Juniper Wilderness Area and starting construction of the elevated boardwalk in Hull’s Creek while perfecting the tools necessary to set its pilings. Finally, the crew helped to construct one mile of trail eliminating a gap between Keystone Airpark and the Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. In March of 2009, 22 students from the University of Maine and Appalachian State University each volunteered a week of public service, donating 1,232 hours. These two Alternative Spring Break crews worked together to construct two miles of trail in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on USDA Forest Service acquired land. The public is now enjoying this scenic hike and the students are planning to come back with their families to show how they left their mark on such an amazing public resource as the Florida National Scenic Trail.
2009 Training Highlights
 The Florida Trail Training Program provides trail volunteers and FNST land managers with skills and chainsaw and crosscut sawyer certifications necessary to safely maintain and build the Florida Trail. These two-day training courses utilize Forest Service instructors and are facilitated by the Florida Trail Association. This training is necessary to protect our most valuable resource, the Florida Trail volunteers, who are held to the same standard as USDA Forest Service employees with regards to their sawyer skills. Training was also offered in maintaining hand and power tools. A Florida Trail volunteer taught 733 people (doubling her 2008 efforts) and trained 15 new volunteer trainers how to “Leave No Trace” as they camp and hike on the trail. New this year was a weekend workshop in GPS usage with 12 attendees in the kick-off training.
Chainsaw Certification
Twenty-three Florida Trail volunteers and FNST land managers were certified or recertified for chain saw bucking and limbing and four volunteers attended a crosscut saw bucking and limbing course. Eight volunteers and land managers were certified or recertified for felling trees with a chain saw. Certification classes were held in Hillsborough River State Park in Hillsborough County, Myakka River State Park in Sarasota County, Dupuis Reserve in Martin County, the Osceola National Forest in Baker County, and  the Apalachicola National Forest in Liberty County. GPS Workshop
Classroom lectures alternated with hands-on field exercises with topics ranging from how to properly set up a GPS receiver to computer map making. The class ended with real-world examples of how GPS can be used in trail design, layout and maintenance. 2009 Outreach & Communications  The Florida National Scenic Trail’s unique public outdoor recreation and volunteer service opportunities are the foundation of our public outreach initiatives. In 2009, volunteers led over 600 hikes and other activities throughout the state, enabling the public to enjoy and learn about the trail. The signature event was the 2nd Annual Florida Hiking Festival held March 27-29. Eight additional towns were designated as Florida Trail Gateway Communities, including the first county-wide designation. The Florida Trail was highlighted in an episode of Florida Crossroads produced by The FLORIDA Channel which was broadcast statewide in January 2010. To view this powerful documentary, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.
Florida Trail Website
The Florida Trail interactive website (www.floridatrail.org) continues to be updated and expanded. Current information and activities are regularly posted to the website, keeping the public informed of trail news, activities, volunteer opportunities, and special events. Additionally, the website offers many downloadable documents, promotional photographs, educational youth activity sheets, grab-and-go maps of popular sections of the trail, as well as partner and supporter links. Up-to-date information is posted about Florida Trail Gateway Communities as the program expands. The website continues to be our most prominent public outreach tool. Florida Hiking Festival and Annual Conference
The 2nd Annual Florida Hiking Festival attracted nearly 500 hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who enjoyed educational seminars, interpretive hikes, and activities for youth. This event celebrated Florida Trail volunteers who annually contribute over 70,000 hours on behalf of the Florida Trail.
 Florida Trail Signature Hikes
Annual and special hikes are sponsored during the hiking season along the length of the trail to introduce the public to the Florida Trail. These signature hikes accommodate a wide variety of hiking interests and abilities. Annual hikes include the Big O Hike, the Bradwell Bay Swamp Stomp, the 7/70 Backpacking Hike, the Ocean to Lake Backpacking Hike, the Panhandle Trace, and the I-Did-A-Hike. Other hikes during peak hiking season include Winter Wednesdays in central Florida, Walk Across Marion County, and Lake Lettuce Hikes in the Tampa area. Historical hikes are also held frequently in central Florida. Weekly hikes are scheduled in the North Central Florida area, and monthly hikes are led by volunteers in John Prince Park and Jonathan Dickinson State Park in south Florida. Community Outreach
Florida Trail volunteers and representatives participated in and supported public outreach events at more than a dozen major venues including wildlife festivals and the annual Florida Folk Festival. Outreach initiatives in 2009 included exhibits at large expositions, college environmental and health forums, and presentations to Scout groups. From national events such as the 12th Conference on National Scenic and Historic Trails and the National Trails Symposium to multi-day outdoor festivals and day-long educational and environmental fairs across the state, the Florida Trail was represented and promoted to diverse audiences. The Florida Trail hosted many hikes for the public in February in celebration of Governor Crist proclaiming it as Florida Hiking Trails Month. Lastly, seven towns within Seminole County were designated as the first county-wide network of Florida Trail Gateway Communities to promote tourism and the Florida Trail in these communities. The Florida Trail Gateway Community Program
The Florida Trail Gateway Communities Program is designed to raise awareness of the Florida Trail, and communities along or near the Trail, as nature-based tourism destinations. The program promotes these communities’ amenities to day-trippers, weekend hikers, and casual tourists seeking to enjoy Florida’s outdoors. In 2009, eight additional communities were designated Florida Trail Gateway Communities, promoting the Florida Trail in their region.  NEW GATEWAY COMMUNITIES in 2009
Blountstown
Seminole County
* Altamonte Springs * Casselberry * Lake Mary * Longwood * Oviedo * Sanford * Winter Springs
OUR OTHER GATEWAY COMMUNITIES
White Springs
Belleview
Crestview
Milton
Pahokee
Clewiston
Moore Haven
Okeechobee
Inverness
Pensacola Beach
Sopchoppy |
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Incorporated in 1964, the Florida Trail Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit volunteer organization that builds, maintains, protects, and promotes the 1,400 mile Florida Trail, one of only eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service. Our volunteers also build and maintain other trails on public land, known as the Florida Trail System. With 18 local chapters, FTA provides educational opportunities for people to learn to appreciate and conserve the natural beauty of Florida, as well as recreational opportunities for hiking and camping.
