Wakulla diving NEXT PHASE

[Kelly Jessop]

http://m.tallahassee.com/latest/arti...2030322&f=1476

Please folks-Don't call the park,there are a lot of elements that will have to be put in place.

EDIT: I put in a link that doesn't require paying.

[Jax]

Congratulations on the fruition of all your hard work!

[a64pilot]

What does it say, what's with having to pay anyway? I had hoped / thought it would go through, maybe on a limited trial basis. I won't be able to dive it for quite some time, but those that can take pictures please.

[atedeschi]

You have to pay to see the article.

[OFG-1]

Without reading the article, based on a conversation I had yesterday, the DEP has decided to move forward with the development of a management plan that will include recreational cave diving, in some form. As Kelly said, DO NOT call the park. Expect this to be lengthy.

I am planning to write yet another letter to 1) thank the DEP for actually listening to us, and 2) encourage them to seek input from all interested parties, not just the permitted groups or the Friends group, on the preparation of the management plan. I am concerned the plan be prepared in a transparent manner, with input from all.

There will be further hearings on the plan, who knows when? At least it wasn't a NO from DEP at this time.

[Kelly Jessop]

Without reading the article, based on a conversation I had yesterday, the DEP has decided to move forward with the development of a management plan that will include recreational cave diving, in some form. As Kelly said, DO NOT call the park. Expect this to be lengthy.

I am planning to write yet another letter to 1) thank the DEP for actually listening to us, and 2) encourage them to seek input from all interested parties, not just the permitted groups or the Friends group, on the preparation of the management plan. I am concerned the plan be prepared in a transparent manner, with input from all.

There will be further hearings on the plan, who knows when? At least it wasn't a NO from DEP at this time.

Very good advice.

[Squirrel Girl]

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/2...xt%7Cfrontpage

Is this the same link? I didn't have to pay.

The upshot that I read, is that they're making a plan. Nothing will be implemented for a while, but they're writing a plan and that will be submitted for public comment.

Edit: I'd have to pay to read/post comments

[Kelly Jessop]

DEP to create draft plan for limited recreational cave diving at Wakulla Spring
3:54 PM, Feb. 2, 2012 |


Purchase Image
Bob Sherwood of the Woodville Karst Plain Project dives at Wakulla Springs in 2006. / David Rhea/Special to the Democrat

By Jennifer Portman
Democrat senior writer

Filed Under
News
The Department of Environmental Protection has not made a decision on whether to allow recreational cave diving at Wakulla Spring, but Florida Park Service officials plan to consider the idea further.


Park Service Assistant Director Scott Robinson said this afternoon that his staff will create a draft plan for allowing limited recreational cave diving at the first-magnitute spring and present it to the public for further input before deciding to change the park's long-standing policy forbidding the practice.


"This is not a final decision," Robinson said, "we are simply continuing to look into it."

Public comments at a workshop held last month on the idea were evenly divided between those for and against the policy change.


Robinson said there is no strict timeline on fashioning the draft plan, but that staff members will be working on it diligently.


"We won't let this become stagnant," he said. "We are moving forward."

[Line Squirrel]

Very good advice.

+ 1

[mpoucher]

This is great news and took a lot of hard work to get us here. Thanks to all involved and thanks for continuing to work on it - the real work is just beginning!