Lake George State Forest: Difference between revisions

| location = [[Volusia County, Florida|Volusia County]], [[Florida]], [[USA]]United States

The '''Lake George State Forest''' is a designated [[Protected areas of the United States|protected area]] and [[state forest]] in the [[United States|U.S.]] state of [[Florida]]. The {{convert|21176|acre|km2ha|0|sing=on}} forest is located in northwestern [[Volusia County, Florida|Volusia County]], [[Florida]], near [[Lake George (Florida)|Lake George]] and the communities of [[Pierson, Florida|Pierson]], [[Barberville, Florida|Barberville]], and [[Volusia, Florida|Volusia]]. It is overseen by the Florida Forest Service within the [[Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services]].<ref name=DOF>[http://www.floridaforestservice.com/state_forests/lake_george.html "Forest Management".] [http://www.floridaforestservice.com/ ''Florida Forest Service''.] Retrieved March 27, 2010.</ref>

Lake George State Forest is divided into three tracts of land. The northernmost Astor Tract stretches roughly from a point between Pierson and Lake George south to [[Florida State Road 40|State Road 40]] east of the Volusia settlement. South of SR 40 are the Mary Farms and Dexter Tracts, which encompasses land between the [[St. Johns River]] to the west, and Barberville, [[U.S. Route 17 in Florida|US 17]], and [[De Leon Springs State Park]] to the east, and south to the banks of Lake Dexter, Spring Garden Creek, and the [[Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge]].<ref name=DOF/>

Lake George State Forest should not be confused with the Lake George Forest, a separate {{convert|7858|acres|km2ha|0|sing=on}} property to the immediate north which is jointly owned by Volusia County and the [[St. Johns River Water Management District]] (''SJRWMD''),<ref>[http://www.sjrwmd.com/recreationguide/lakegeorge2/index.html "Recreation Guide to District Lands: Lake George Forest".] [http://www.sjrwmd.com/ ''St. Johns River Water Management District''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930221300/https://www.sjrwmd.com/ |date=September 30, 2019 }}. Retrieved March 27, 2010.</ref> or the Lake George Conservation Area, a {{convert|11973|acres|km2ha|0|sing=on}} site owned by the SJRWMD.<ref>[http://www.sjrwmd.com/recreationguide/lakegeorge1/index.html "Recreation Guide to District Lands: Lake George Conservation Area".] [http://www.sjrwmd.com/ ''St. Johns River Water Management District''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930221300/https://www.sjrwmd.com/ |date=September 30, 2019 }}. Retrieved March 27, 2010.</ref>

Prior to European settlement, the area had for thousands of years been the home to nativeNative American tribes like the extinct [[Timucua]]. They left behind a rich archaeological history in the form of large [[midden]]s of freshwater shellfish, which they deposited along the banks of the St. Johns River and Lake George. The Bluffton Mound and [[Midden]] at the Bluffton Recreation Area in Lake George State Forest is one such example.<ref name=DOF/>

Lake George State Forest is formed from lands previously resourced for timber, production of naval stores, cattle grazing, and hunting. [[Taxodium distichum|Cypress]] logging, by way of canals dug into the swampland, occurred up until 1910. The 1930s saw much of the land forested with [[longleaf pine|longleaf]] and [[slash pine]], or left in service of the [[Florida Crackercracker]] cattle industry. After decades of aggressive harvesting, the 1960s saw [[reforestation]] efforts again plant slash pine.<ref name=DOF/>

Lake George State Forest is named for [[Lake George (Florida)|Lake George]], the largest lake in Florida after [[Lake Okeechobee]], and the largest lake of the [[St. Johns River]] system. The river itself bounds a {{convert|3.5|mi}} section of the forest, offering both a vibrant ecology and a wealth of recreation opportunities. The forest and associated wetlands are located within the Lake George watershed, and as such, serve as an important aquifer recharge area.<ref name=DOF/>

Lake George State Forest is part of two [[Wildlife Management Area]]s (''WMA'') managed through the [[Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]]. The forest's two southern tracts form the Dexter/Mary Farms Unit WMA,<ref name=WMA>[http://myfwc.com/Recreation/WMASites_LakeGeorgeDexterMaryFarmsUnit_index.htm "Lake George Dexter/Mary Farms Unit".] ''[[Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]]''. Retrieved March 27, 2010.</ref> while the Astor Tract is grouped with adjacent land (like SJRWMD's and Volusia County's Lake George Forest and Conservation Area) to form the Lake George WMA.<ref>[http://myfwc.com/Recreation/WMASites_LakeGeorge_index.htm "Lake George WMA".] ''[[Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]]''. Retrieved March 27, 2010.</ref> The WMAs of Lake George State Forest are part of a network of protected lands forming a [[wildlife corridor]] and roaming habitat which is critical to the survival of the [[Florida Black Bear|Florida black bear]]. Other species of wildlife that call the area home include the [[bald eagle]], [[sandhill crane]], [[white-tail deer]], [[wild turkey]], [[Gopherus polyphemus|gopher tortoise]], and [[bobcat]].<ref name=DOF/>

No boat ramps are available within the State Forest boundaries, but community boat ramps are found nearby. Small watercraft such as canoes can launch from the river bank.<ref name=DOF/>

{{commonsCommons category|Lake George State Forest}}

* [httphttps://www.floridaforestservicefdacs.comgov/state_forestsForest-Wildfire/lake_george.htmlOur-Forests/State-Forests/Lake-George-State-Forest Lake George State Forest: Florida Forest Service - FDACS]

{{Protected Areasareas of Florida}}