Florida Ecosystem:Chacala Trail Traditional Cache
BoJaB: Due to no response from the cache owner to the previous reviewer temp disable log, I am archiving this listing.
BoJaB
Florida Ecosystem:Chacala Trail
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This cache was placed to celebrate the 500th anniversary of exploration & history in Florida on June 8th & 9th. Viva Florida 500 at Paynes Prairie Preserve: Event GC48857 Thank You to Prairie Cachers & stejenwell for hosting this event. Special Thanks to amtg, Call me dainty, CWagoner, CYAO, doggymama, Joshtrecker81, mintmoonpi, Obilon, Tango of TCE, & wobegon crew
Chacala Trail Heavy rains began to flood the basin in 1871, and by 1873 the marsh was large enough to be called Alachua Lake. Steam-powered boats transported cotton, oranges, produce, lumber and passengers. One loading area was near by where US 441 leaves the prairie going south. It was called Leitner’s Landing. In 1891 Alachua Sink, the main drain for the basin became unclogged and in 1892 the character of the marsh had returned much to the disappointment of fish and fishermen alike. The Chacala Trail gets its name from a steamboat that was used on Alachua Lake for about a decade preceding 1891 while the prairie was a lake. The steamboat made trips from the area near present day Chacala Pond to Alachua Sink on the north-side of the prairie where goods and passengers were loaded onto trains bound for Palatka. Much of the land through which the Chacala Trail meanders has been disturbed by man. Before it was a state park, it was logged and cleared for agricultural use. Before the area was logged, it had many longleaf pine tees which are from this part of the world (they’re native). Because of the unnatural changes, this area was taken over by grasses from other parts of the world (invasive exotics) and by oaks and loblolly pines (they’re native but there shouldn’t be so many in this type of natural landscape).
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
onfr bs cvar
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