Creek (Bay). State environmentally endangered lands in the region are Perdido 

 Key in Escambia county, and Lower Apalachicol a. Little St. George Island, and 

 St. George Island State Park (Franklin County). 



For fishing, the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission manages Lake 

 Stone (Escambia County), Bear Lake (Santa Rosa), Hurricane Lake, Karich Lake 

 (Okaloosa), and Juniper Lake (Walton). St. Vincent Island and Shell Island 

 are national landmarks. The counties primarily supply a combination of 

 resource-based and user-oriented areas such as beaches, swimming areas, and 

 boat ramps. Typical city-owned recreational areas are playgrounds, swimming 

 pools, ball fields, golf courses, and tennis courts. 



In 1980, public lands contributed more recreation areas (1.63 million 

 acres) than the private sector (8,745 acres) and more beach frontage (423,750 

 ft compared to 4,030ft). Okaloosa County contributed 43.1% of the public 

 recreation area and Escambia County contributed the most public beach frontage 

 (40.9% of 173,180 ft) followed by Franklin County (36.5%). 



In 1980, privately owned recreational facilities in Northwest Florida 

 consisted of 9,187 acres of hunting area, 236 boat ramps, piers, and marinas, 

 and 4,030 ft of saltwater beach frontage (Table R/T 20 in the Data Appendix). 

 Santa Rosa County had the most (87%) private hunting areas and 90.6% of the 

 privately owned beach frontage. Escambia County had 32.4% (2,832 acres) of 

 all private recreational area. 



Public recreation areas are owned or managed either by Federal, State, 

 county, or municipal agencies. The total Federal recreation area in Northwest 

 Florida was 522,287 acres including 4,267 acres of hunting area and 44 miles 

 of saltwater beach frontage. Okaloosa County had the greatest portion of all 

 Federal recreation areas. All hunting acreage was in Franklin and Okaloosa 

 Counties. Escambia County has 70% (31 miles) of the federally owned saltwater 

 beaches and the St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge, which has 12,490 acres 

 of hunting land and 8.8 miles of beach. 



State owned recreation areas in Northwest Florida total 1,105,256 acres 

 or 67.8% of all public recreation areas. About 21% (237,400 acres) is in Oka- 

 loosa County, The State also owns 629,631 acres (98.6%) of all public hunting 

 areas. Walton County contributes 25.7% of the State hunting areas and Franklin 

 County contributes 53.3% (30.1 miles) of all State owned saltwater beach 

 frontage. 



County and municipal (local) resource-based outdoor recreation areas con- 

 sist of beach frontage, boat ramps, piers, and marinas. Local governments own 

 1,950 acres of the recreation lands. About 36% of it is in Escambia County 

 and 26% in Okaloosa County. Local governments also provide 80 boat ramps, 

 piers, and marinas of which 18 are in Bay County. Local governments own 5.0 

 miles of saltwater beach frontage. About 30% of it is in Escambia County and 

 24% is in Santa Rosa County. 



Northwest Florida has 1,079 historical and archaeological sites. Most 

 (335) are in Franklin County and 225 are in Escambia County. Listed in North- 

 west Florida in 1975 were 172 historical and archaeological sites, 11,826 

 acres of wildlife refuges, and 667,811 acres of forestry and game management 

 areas. 



183 



