Topic: SWIFTMUD project at Boyette

[Rockhopper]

Does anyone know how (if at all) this $2.3 million SWIFTMUD project at Boyette will affect the mountain bike trails?
http://www.tbo.com/news/politics/balm-boyette-preserve-to-get-makeover-20160124/

[Peresite70]

From the sounds of it, and the amount of time this project is going to take to finish, it looks like Boyette's MTB trails will be no more?  I hope I'm wrong, but that really does not sound good.

[ApolloMike]

This might help.

https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/files/database/site_file_sets/1688/4-StallionHammock_Fig_E_ConceptPlan.pdf

If what I have heard is true, the area where the SST trail is wasn't supposed to have a trail cut through it, so that trail will be gone. The Lochness trails are in the Stallion Hammock area, and will probably disappear. I am not sure about Gator Pit and Golf Cart. The rest of the trails supposedly are going to stay. This all aligns with the new parking lot, which will be roughly (east and) across the street from the UF-IFAS buildings on 672, and will put you into the trails somewhere in the middle of the Quads. If you look at the SWIFTMUD map, it shows cuts to interconnect the ponds, and then a few wetland areas to keep the water moving.

Again, this is all just what I heard, and although it makes sense, I don't know how much of it is true.

[bjdraw]

What I heard was that we were basically losing everything west of the creek crossing. So SST and Loch Ness (not sure if that included Inner and Upper, or just the regular). So essentially the trails near the yellow marked "non-mitigated" area on that map.

LeRoy just sent an email to the SwampClub list indicating that the club was represented at a meeting back in 10/2014 and that there is a plan. I assume the new parking lot is part of that plan, as well the new deliverance trail (that you can see the entrance of near the start of Vista Ridge and the end and can see the exit near Baby Nessie). He indicated that he'll try to get the Pres and trail boss to share the plan.

 

[Osco]

The rumor control I got was exactly the same as the previous post almost work for word.

Can't remember who told me but pretty sure it was a Swamper....

I will miss the miles on the west side of the creek but I can replace them with a few laps around the rest of the park..

[sleighride]

Glad to see they are addressing the real environmental issues.  Getting rid of trails in the woods that are teeming with wildlife and enjoyed by nature-loving bikers, hikers and trail-runners.  That two foot wide, ½ mile trail of twisty, easy fun known as Loch Ness is certainly an environmental nuisance.  It probably disrupts more water flow, native plants and wading birds than the leveling of hundreds of acres of land for housing developments that I pass on my way for a ride at Boyette.  The Loch Ness resident gopher tortoise will be relieved of the deafening sound of my rear tire gripping a tight curve, so he can hear melodious sounds of bulldozers and earthmovers more clearly.   
Thank you legislature for being so environmentally conscious and getting to root cause of the destruction of the natural beauty and solitude of our state.
 

[Alan]

Thank #ObermaCare.

[Dcluley]

Last year Garry told us SST and all of Loch Ness was going away. That includes upper, inner, and babby nessie.  Palmetto cable probably too since that just connects to Inner LN. Basically they are fixing the flow in all those lakes that loch ness goes around and routing the trails away from land west of the creek which includes scrub jay habitat (which as apollomike said wasn't supposed to be disturbed) and the Stallion Hammock for environmental sensitivity. 

They are also doing something to connect the lake that Spider Berm goes around to the one south of it, but I don't know if that will affect the new Spider Berm trail on the south side of the lake or not.  Last year we were told Spider Berm is fine, but that may have changed.

Garry or anybody else more informed please correct me if I am wrong.

I am all for the changes as it is better for the environment and keeps us in balance with the natural wildlife and the land management without taking out too much good trail.  If they took away Ridgeline, I would be out there picketing, lol.  I will miss the old Loch Ness original trail as I loved that little stretch as the first warmup on my loop and it is one of the first "real" mtb trails I remember riding when i was younger, but things change, life goes on. Overall, they have been very good working with many different interests involved, and I feel they recognize that a major part of having these preserves is for the benefit of people like us that like to get out and enjoy nature in a healthy and beneficial manner. Balm will still be a great place to get out in nature and ride. . . . just a little bit different.

[Dcluley]

Found the old thread:

http://www.swampclub.org/smf/index.php/topic,9098.15.html