The 230^th Street Access Site in Osceola County - an Expanding Team Effort - 2011

The next time you are riding down 20 Mile Road in Osceola County, go south on 230^th Avenue to see a seldom seen gem on our beloved Pine River.  In less than 3 miles you can travel over a smooth road bed, recently only suitable for 4 wheel vehicles.  If you walk northwest out of the parking lot you’ll come to a new bench with what has been called “the best view of the Pine in Osceola County”.  Continue to your right and experience a streamside walk complete with beaver cuttings, deer trails,  an otter slide, multiple ferns, a wide variety of trees, thousands of wetland plants, countless critter tracks, all with the music of the pine river current, bubbling in the background.

Many barren areas have replaced with native vegetation, a restored frog pond, erosion sites improved, and minimal signs to simplify your visit.   Fisheries biologists have long studied trout numbers in this location, unique research is being conducted below the water regarding which fish structures are most beneficial to trout.  Wildlife biologists will regularly modify vegetation to provide food and shelter for numerous birds and animals.

Our Enhancement Fund members were fortunate to be part of a large team of outdoor specialists who studied the site in 2007.  Our EF team helped follow through on the recommendations by continuously communicating with the *6 different agencies, essential for project success.  Donated funds helped us raise, were twice used as match money with the Osceola Count Community Foundation, to raise an additional $2000 for the project.  Hundreds of hours of PRA member’s time have been devoted thus far, with many hundreds more committed.  In 2011 our $1000 "seed money" and prior efforts, lead to a $20,000 project to provide over 20 new trout structures on this site.

In the future we hope to get more small groups of area students involved first in planting trees, then returning year after year to develop a much deeper understanding and support for the river and its natural environs.  We intend to facilitate unique and valuable trout habitat research in the near future.  The huge success of this project has lead the DNRE to locate another location downstream with more partners and more money to install even more trout structures. 

We hope that many people make 230th a place where they can get away from the hectic pace of life, sit, relax and recharge their batteries.  Regardless of what happens in the future, TODAY YOU can go to a very special spot, sit on a marvelous bench in a sensational location, and enjoy nature at its finest ; we hope to see you there.

Tom Kromer, President - Enhancement Fund
Richard Stanek, Vice President - Enhancement Fund
Larry Schaftenaar, Past President - Enhancement Fund 
Dave Smith, Grant Coordinator, board member Enhancement Fund

 *  Thanks to Mark Johnson from Conservation Resource Alliance, Mark Tonello in DNR Fisheries, Ron Monroe in DNR Parks and Recreation, Larry Smith in DNR Wildlife, Dan Pearson in DNR Natural Rivers and especially to Bill Sterret in DNR Forestry, for their extra efforts to upgrade the 230^th site, while retaining its natural, rustic beauty.  NOTE Trout Unlimited joined the effort in 2009.