Hello fellow GCC members. If you cycle
at San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park, you are probably aware of damage to
the park from feral hogs. The following is a message from the Friends
of San Felasco Citizen Support Organization (CSO) President Kellie Ritari, who
is asking for your support with a petition letter:
Hog trapping is resuming
this week! A volunteer trapper has come forward and made it through all the
requirements to be able to donate his time and efforts to this desparately
needed endeavor. Over the next 3-8 weeks you may see “feeders” and trail
cameras hanging in various places. There will be several box traps and a
larger corral trap set. If you come across a trap that has a live animal in
it, for safety, please do not approach. They are very powerful animals and if
agitated, are capable of breaking out of the trap. The traps are being checked
regularly and the animal will be properly removed.
Now,is there more we can do about controlling the
hogs? Yes. The next step is writing to the Florida State Park Service to
implore them to consider more management options. This is a fairly complex
situation but one that we need to address. A petition letter is attached for
your review. Please consider signing this or drafting your own letter sharing
your personal concerns and experiences and mailing it to :
Friends of San Felasco
12720 NW 109th Lane, Alachua, Fl 32615
We will have the petiton letters submitted up the
chain to the state.
In addition, there is a
trails workday this
Saturday Feb 9, 9:00 AM: Volunteers are needed to help
maintain the trails, with lunch provided afterward.
Details: http://www.sanfelasco.net/workday.shtml Meet at the CSO building at park headquarters: 12720 NW 109th LN, Alachua
(Directions: From
Gainesville: Go north on CR 241 and just after the I-75
overpass, turn right on NW 109th Lane. Go 1.1 miles on NW 109th Lane to a break
in a black 4 rail fence on the left (east) side of the road. At the official
state park sign, turn left. Drive past a horse paddock and pole barn to the
metal CSO building. From Alachua: Go
south on CR 241 until just before the I-75 overpass. Turn left on NW 109th Lane
and continue as above.)
Thank you.