The Gainesville Sun Editorial Board
Ichetucknee Springs State Park represents some of the best of what North Central Florida offers in terms of natural beauty and recreation. The clear waters of the springs flow into the Ichetucknee River, providing a place for people to float on inflatable tubes past the flora and fauna that distinguish our region.
Yet, as with so much of Florida’s natural beauty, people have a tendency to love it to death. Too many tubers can damage the aquatic grasses that are critical for the health of the river s ecosystem. Combine their impact with the overpumping of groundwater that feeds the springs and pollution from agricultural operations that fuels algae growth in their waters, and you have a recipe for destroying the characteristics that make Ichetucknee Springs special.
Outdoor Adventures
Florida is home to 175 beautiful state parks, one of the most interesting and diverse, though, can be found right here in Ocala.
In 2013 the Florida Park Service acquired management of the former Silver Springs attraction, including the headspring area and the world-famous glass bottom boats. The acquisition added 231 additional acres to the existing Silver River State Park.
Silver Springs State Park offers visitors one of Florida’s best views of clear groundwater flowing to the surface. There are more than 30 springs in just the upper part of the Silver River, including Mammoth Spring, a first magnitude spring in the park. Canoeing and kayaking offers explorers a close-up look at the bubbling spring, and canoes and kayaks (including clear-bottom kayaks) are available for rent.
2020 Florida Conservation Corps Team
In January 2020, 65 people entered service in the Florida Conservation Corps, which operates as an AmeriCorps National Service Program.
Each member agreed to serve for 1,700 hours, gaining hands-on experience and training in exchange for a monthly living allowance, eligibility for health insurance, childcare assistance and student loan forbearance options. Serving at various state parks around Florida, each member joined one of three project areas: Project A.N.T. (AmeriCorps Non-native plant Terminators), Project R.O.A.R. (Regional Outreach and Awareness Recruiters) and Project T.R.E.C. (Trail Restoration and Enhancement Corps).
Throughout 2020, members worked diligently on their projects at Florida s state parks. Project A.N.T. members braved the heat and humidity to treat invasive plants, exotic plants that harm our native species by taking up space and nutrients. Project T.R.E.C. members traveled to different state parks restoring and ma
Tubing from the north entrance at Ichetucknee Springs State Park, a major regional attraction, may be coming to an end though some paddling would still be allowed.
The park believes tubing needs to stop on the shallower upper river because of damage to the aquatic grasses that are crucial to the health of the ecosystem, including wildlife such as fish, turtles and otters.
But others say the move will be another hit to vendors who rent inflatable tubes and is not needed to repair the grasses.
An absence of tubing in the 2019/20 winter season and during the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that grasses will grow back if left undisturbed by humans.