Unexpected Find

The small county park off of the Crawfordville Highway here in Leon County is easy to drive by. I must have done so hundreds of times. But this still summer morning I stood on the modest graffiti laden boardwalk/overlook and looked out at the still, glassy waters of Lake Munson. The long eerie cry of a Limpkin echoed across the mirrored morning waters and a federally endangered Snail Kite made lazy circles over the lake. The longer I stood there, the more wildlife I saw and heard. In spite of its troubled past and poor stewardship, this lake is alive with life.

The lake and Munson Slough have had a checkered past. The lake feeds Munson Slough which is a tributary of Wakulla Springs through Ames sink and has been previously confirmed as such with dye trace studies. The problem is pollution. Lake Munson is apparently polluted with high levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), bacteria, toxic heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, and lead, and organic contaminants such as PCBs. Which makes it that much more surprising that anything at all thrives there.. While on one of my trips to the lake, I ran into members of a group “Friends of Lake Munson” (https://www.lakemunson.org) and chatted with them a bit. I was hoping to hear from one of them before writing this, but have not to date. I know they also have a Facebook page if anyone is interested.

So in spite of not wanting to drink the water, eat anything that comes out of it or bathe in it, the area is spectacular for wildlife viewing. I basically stumbled across this gem while looking around and researching for my previous blog. And, I’m glad I did. Although I only explored what I could from the land. I imagine utilizing the small boat ramp for a John boat, canoe or kayak would yield even better results. If you go, make certain that you wander the trails and find your way to the dam.

The water crashes through the dam and has a tendency to briefly overwhelm your senses. Once one gets past that, you realize that you are literally surrounded by wildlife. I discovered this place by accident. It is polluted, and fixing that would be better for the entire ecosystem all the way to Wakulla Springs, but it is stunning nonetheless. No telling what it might be like if cleaned up.

Getting out of your house and comfort zone can yield great dividends as it did for me in this case. Reach out and bring a friend if you can, especially if you know someone in need.

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