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National Park Service, regional council back Shoals Park master plan and Saint Mary's Water Trail
Summary
National Park Service staff told Baker County commissioners the agency can provide free technical assistance and conceptual design support for a Shoals Park master plan and a Saint Mary's Water Trail linking paddling access to Georgia; the board expressed support and asked staff to balance recreational uses with park self-sufficiency and forestry operations.
Michael Schilling, a planner with the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program, told the Baker County Board of County Commissioners the agency can provide free technical assistance to help shape a master plan for Shoals Park and to advance a Saint Mary's Water Trail connecting to Saint Mary's, Georgia. Schilling said the NPS team 'provides a free technical assistance service' and 'doesn't bring in funds ourselves' but can 'help identify funding sources to get these projects off the ground.
The presentation, arranged through the Northeast Florida Regional Council, outlined conceptual elements such as kayak launches at Sandbar and South Beach, trailer parking and circulation, restrooms, camping, and options for different user experiences from short, family-friendly floats to longer backcountry stretches. Beth Payne, chief executive officer of the Northeast Florida Regional Council, introduced the group and said the council helped connect NPS with Baker County; Payne described the council's role as 'trying to connect projects and all levels of government to our local counties' and noted the council serves seven counties including Baker.
Commissioners raised practical concerns about maintaining the park's self-sufficiency and avoiding conflicts among user groups. Commissioner Bennett said Shoals Park 'is underutilized' and urged planners to consider existing forestry and maintenance strategies, including revenue mechanisms, when developing concepts. Schilling said the NPS work is conceptual and community-driven: 'We really focus in on community engagement and outreach' and will use surveys and in-person workshops to collect local input.
Schilling also explained how the NPS program has worked with the Department of the Interior and FEMA to provide assistance in communities after hurricanes, saying the team can be invited in without a competitive grant process following certain disaster funding streams. He noted the NPS technical assistance is time-limited and focused on visioning, conceptual plans and community engagement rather than engineered final designs.
The board did not take formal action but thanked the presenters and requested that staff and NPS ensure master-plan concepts account for multiple uses (ATV, fishing, equestrian, paddling) and do not impede ongoing forestry operations or the park's ability to remain self-supporting. The next procedural steps described by presenters are further stakeholder engagement and county-staff review of the NPS conceptual drafts.
