News Release

FWC officers clean up Santa Fe Park

March 6, 2008
Contact: Karen Parker, 386-758-0525

Highway 47 crosses the Santa Fe River at a very convenient location.  From the public boat ramp there, boaters and canoeists can launch for a day trip on the river.  The Santa Fe Park and adjacent Suwannee River Water Management District land also is there, providing recreational opportunities for thousands of people from local communities. 

The Santa Fe Park and surrounding water management land had some issues, however, but over the past year, things are starting to look better.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers, in conjunction with the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, began working the area last January.  Since then, FWC officers have written more than 530 enforcement actions, which included arrests for a variety of offenses like alcohol possession, illegal drugs, indecent exposure, theft, weapons possession, littering and resisting arrest as well as many fishing and boating safety violations.

According to Officer Joe Johnston, there were seven to eight FWC officers who worked the area.  The officers who patrol the river frequently stop and address any illegal activity.

"We had identified this as a problem area.  We had adjacent property owners and business owners along the river complain to us about what was going on there.  It wasn't a place where you wanted to bring your family, and people were even afraid to leave their vehicles parked there," Johnston said.

"This wasn't about just trying to catch someone with a beer; that wasn't the case, although we did write quite a few citations for that.  It was more about turning around the reputation of the area through our enforcement efforts and making it a place where you could bring your family again," Johnston said.

And Johnston believes they've made a difference.

"We've gotten quite a few favorable comments about how the place has turned around," he said.  "We've been there for a year, and we will continue our patrols.  This area, and many others along the Santa Fe River, was intended to be used for wholesome, legal recreational activity, and our officers will continue to enforce the law when necessary."