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St. Sebastian River Greenway Plan INTRODUCTION A greenway is a linear corridor of open space established along either a natural or man made corridor, such as a river, an abandoned railroad or canal right-of-way, and managed to conserve its intrinsic resources. Greenways link natural areas, parks, cultural and historic sites with each other and, in many cases, with populated areas. Greenways protect environmentally sensitive lands and wildlife corridors. Connectivity is the key element of a greenway. By connecting different locations or habitats, the sum value of the whole is greater than that of the isolated sites. The purpose of this St. Sebastian River Greenway Plan is to: 1) Provide an overview of the St. Sebastian Greenway area; 2) Summarize the general benefits associated with greenways; 3) Identify the unique greenway opportunities along the St. Sebastian River; and 4) Provide details of existing Greenway conditions (see Appendices) OVERVIEW Located in northern Indian River County, the St. Sebastian River is a small coastal river comprised of three branches or "prongs": the North Prong, the South Prong, and what was the West Prong, and is now the C-54 Canal. The South Prong lies fully in Indian River County, the North Prong is in Brevard County, while the C-54 Canal forms the boundary between the two counties, but lies within Brevard County. The St. Sebastian River Greenway Plan encompasses only the South Prong of the St. Sebastian River. The Greenway extends from south of C.R. 510 (85th Street) northward over 5 miles to the mouth of the St. Sebastian River at the Indian River Lagoon (see attached Greenway Concept Map). The headwaters of the South Prong lie to the south of C.R. 510 near 82"d Street, and it flows north through the City of Sebastian and the Roseland neighborhood, flowing into the Indian River Lagoon across from the Sebastian Inlet. Historically, this coastal stream drained the extensive wetlands (over 12,000 acres) that lay between the Atlantic Coastal Ridge and the Ten Mile Ridge, to the north of S.R. 60. Most of these wetlands have been altered or eliminated by development over the past fifty years. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service classifies the river as a freshwater system, which becomes an estuarine sub -tidal system as it approaches the Indian River Lagoon. Approximately 500 acres of freshwater wetlands are present along the South Prong of the St. Sebastian River. These wetlands, containing forests of live oak, water oak, sabal cabbage palm and centuries-old cypress trees, are an integral part of the river, and provide many benefits as discussed below. St. Sebastian River Greenway Flan 2