MEMO

TO: Natural Area Advisory Committee

FROM: Tom Walker

SUBJECT: Proposed changes in land management plans in NATL

Enclosed is a map showing the currently approved plans for land in NATL and a map showing the proposed changes that will be discussed at our 2 October meeting. Table 1 below shows the acres presently assigned to various uses and the acres that would be assigned if the proposed changes are approved. The major changes are (1) excluding some of the upland pine from restoration, (2) increasing the upland pine area in the high-use portion of NATL, and (3) reducing the width of the peninsula of hammock planned to extend to SEEP. This last proposed change may need to be modified on the basis of Paul Moler’s recommendations for maintaining herp populations (which I haven’t seen, but will soon). If you can’t attend the meeting and want to contribute to the discussion, you may do so by e-mail to our members or by sending me a memo to read at the meeting. Final approval of any changes can only occur at a subsequent meeting.

Table 1. Management plans for land in NATL.

	Current Plan		Proposed Plan
	“Acres”*	Per Cent	“Acres”*	Per Cent
Hammock	17.0	37	16.4	35
Upland pine (burn)	16.9	37	14.2	31
Upland pine (no burn)	0.0	0	3.6	8
Old-field succession	6.6	14	6.1	13
Wetlands	5.6	12	6.2	13
Total	*46.1	100	**46.5	100

*“Acres” are only approximate, because of methods used. (The total is most likely closer to 44.). Relative acreage for the various uses should be accurate.

**The increase in total “Acres” results from annexation of the retention basin north of the mini-storage buildings in the Surge Area.