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Jean Huffman –
Jean.Huffman @dep.state.fl.us
St Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve
3915 County Road 30A
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456-7542
(850) 229-1787
Office hours: 8am – 5pm Monday – Friday
The St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve (SJBSBP) is managed by the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed
Areas (CAMA) as part of the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve.
The SJBSBP management goals include the conservation, protection, and
restoration of important ecosystems and landscapes in order to protect
significant surface water, coastal, recreational, fish, and wildlife
resources. The preserve provides protection for native species habitat and
archaeological and historical sites, as well as opportunities for natural
resource-based recreation.
October 1995, Chapter 253 Florida Statutes
The SJBSBP is located in Gulf County, Florida near Port St. Joe on C-30 just
5 miles south of US 98.
5,019
acres
Name of watershed: Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint
Size of watershed: 19,600 square miles
The preserve includes xeric, mesic, and wet pine flatwoods, freshwater marsh,
swamp, and a tidal creek created by ancient dune ridge/swale topography.
SJBSBP provides significant habitat for many endangered and threatened species.
Many migratory bird species use the Preserve during spring and fall trans-Gulf
migrations. The Preserve is also a water recharge area and buffer to St. Joseph
Bay, helping to protect the bay’s water quality.
Rare / Endangered Species
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
State |
Federal |
| |
|
|
|
| Reptiles |
|
|
|
| American alligator |
Alligator mississipiensis |
SSC |
T (s/a) |
| gopher tortoise |
Gopherus polyphemus |
SSC |
n/a |
| |
|
|
|
| Birds |
|
|
|
| Wakulla seaside sparrow |
Ammodramus maritumus juncicolus |
SSC |
N |
| Marian's marsh wren |
Cistothorus palustris marianae |
SSC |
N |
| little blue heron |
Egretta caerulea |
SSC |
N |
| reddish egret |
Egretta rufescens |
SSC |
N |
| snowy egret |
Egretta thula |
SSC |
N |
| tricolor heron |
Egretta tricolor |
SSC |
N |
| white ibis |
Eudocimus albus |
SSC |
N |
| peregrine falcon |
Falco peregrinus |
E |
E |
| Southeastern American kestrel |
Falco sparverius paulus |
T |
N |
| bald eagle |
Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
T |
T |
| Eastern brown pelican |
Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis |
SSC |
N |
| black skimmer |
Rynchops niger |
SSC |
N |
| least tern |
Sterna antillarum |
T |
N |
| |
|
|
|
| Mammals |
|
|
|
| Florida black bear |
Ursus americanus floridanus |
T |
n/a |
| |
|
|
|
| Plants |
|
|
|
| pine-woods bluestem |
Andropogon arctatus |
N |
N |
| Southern milkweed |
Asclepias viridula |
T |
N |
| pine-woods aster |
Aster spinulosus |
E |
MC |
| Godfrey's golden aster |
Chrysopsis godfreyi |
N |
MC |
| tropical waxweed |
Cuphea aspera |
N |
MC |
| telephus spurge |
Euphorbia telephioides |
E |
T |
| wiregrass gentian |
Gentiana pennelliana |
E |
MC |
| panhandle spiderlily |
Hymenocallis henryae |
E |
MC |
| thick-leaved water-willow |
Justicia crassifolia |
E |
MC |
| West's flax |
Linum westii |
N |
MC |
| white-birds-in-a-nest |
MacBridea alba |
E |
T |
| bog tupelo |
Nyssa ursina |
N |
N |
| narrow-leaved phoebanthus |
Phoebanthus tenuifolius |
T |
N |
| Godfrey's false dragonhead |
Physostegia godfreyi |
T |
N |
| violet-flowered butterwort |
Pinguicula ionantha |
E |
T |
| Chapman's butterwort |
Pinguicula planifolia |
T |
N |
| white meadowbeauty |
Rhexia parviflora |
E |
MC |
| Chapman's rhododendron |
Rhododendron chapmanii |
E |
E |
| Florida skullcap |
Scutellaria floridana |
E |
T |
| Chapman's crownbeard |
Verbesina chapmanii |
T |
N |
| Drummond's yellow-eyed grass |
Xyris drummondii |
N |
N |
State listings are taken from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
or as with plants Florida Department of Agriculture. Federal listings are taken
from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. E= Endangered; T= Threatened;
T (s/a)= Threatened due to similarity in appearance; SSC= Species of Special
Concern; MC= Management concern; UR= Under review; N= information not available or no designation
listed
The Preserve lies within the gulf coastal lowlands
physiographic province, characterized by low elevations
and poor drainage. The landforms that make up these
coastal lowlands include coastal and sand dune ridges
and relict spits and bars with intervening
coast-parallel valleys.
The significant archaeological sites lie with in the buffer preserve.
Recreation:
Recreational activities include nature appreciation, hiking, and picnicking.
The preserve is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail.
Education:
Scientific research and nature study are the significant educational opportunities.
Adjacent Land Use:
The predominant adjacent land uses include on-residential development, tourist
industry associated development and silviculture.
Designation:
The preserve is managed under the single use concept as a State Buffer Preserve.
It is designated as an EPA Gulf of Mexico Ecological Management Site
Ownership / Manager:
SJBSBP land is owned by the Florida Board of Trustees
and managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Coastal
and Aquatic Managed Areas, and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Major Management Activities:
Management activities currently conducted at the preserve include inventorying
natural communities, conducting prescribed burns, controlling invasive plants
and animals, restoring the natural hydrology and establishing visitor access.
St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve. 1997.
St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve Unit
Management Plan 1997-2002. 16pp.
|
