The request for implementing a Springs Protection Zone (SPZ) at nearby Silver Glen Springs is a hot topic. This idea was proposed by the U.S. Forest Service and is currently making its way through the state ranks. The proposal would eliminate boating in the area.
Supporting documentation is heavy on concerns about fish and wildlife habitat, vegetation loss and “manatee forage.” A recent public meeting in Astor brought forth hundreds of opinions, including those of Mighty River Recovery’s board of directors.
For the past four years, members of our group have been the primary volunteers involved in efforts to rebuild submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in and around Lake George. We’ve partnered with personnel from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to install enclosures encouraging regrowth of these plants. In addition, we include a special Fisheries and Habitat Committee within our ranks, and spend hundreds of hours researching ways to restore the St. Johns River. This committee consists of fisheries scientists and biologists who have been involved in freshwater management for decades.
Based on this experience, our group feels confident in stating: Removing boaters from Silver Glen Springs will not fix the ecological problems there. The portrayal that it would — by biological reasoning — is simply misleading.
You see, the waters in and around Silver Glen Springs suffer from the same problems as the rest of the St. Johns River. Yes, these problem are universally the result of human impact. But most have nothing to do with a boat anchor.
The loss of SAV, along with the vital fish and wildlife habitat it provides, is due to an imbalance. While nature can be blamed for some losses following flood events, the inability for the St. Johns River to regrow its native vegetation is a sign of bigger problems. Our group’s initial look for a smoking gun reveals several possibilities, from increased plant-eaters to antiquated chemical-based management and muck buildup.
While the big groups of partiers and their boats are, unquestionably, impacting Silver Glen Springs, removing them from the equation should not be represented as a way to solve our problems there. That will take a much larger effort.
As a response to increased awareness and public pressure, we’re seeing resource managers begin to address the decline we’ve noticed for decades. Unfortunately, many moves have proved to be Band-Aids on the wound, typical of organizations wrestling with budgets and trying to show a win. Sadly, the Silver Glen Springs request is the latest example. No government agency, yet, has grasped the need to address the many problems of the St. Johns River holistically.
We’ll continue to push for answers and a plan moving forward. Anyone interested in joining us, or viewing our board’s public comment at the Astor meeting, can find us on Facebook or at www.mightyrriverrecovery.org.
Joe Balog
Executive Director, Mighty River Recovery
West Volusia Beacon Outdoor Columnist
