The nonprofit purchased the conservation lands that total approximately 70 acres near its Milam Preserve and Gold Head Branch State Park
Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 24, 2024 – North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) has purchased two properties in Clay County within the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor, or O2O, and in the military use buffer zone for Camp Blanding. The properties total nearly 70 acres and are near NFLT's Milam Preserve and Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park. One is about 18 acres adjacent to Milam Preserve; the second is slightly more than 51 acres between the preserve and the state park.
"These acquisitions allow us to not only expand the protected lands within the O2O but also provide additional access to our Milam Preserve to allow us to manage the land better and protect the environmental benefits that the land provides," said Allison DeFoor, president and CEO of NFLT. "Our goal is to protect as much land as possible because it is now or never. Other landowners within the O2O who are ready to add to the preserved lands in this critical wildlife corridor should give us a call."
The 18-acre property was sold to NFLT for $140,000. It is within the O2O and will become part of NFLT's Milam Preserve. A grant from the Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation (PGCLC) helped fund this acquisition's due diligence costs, including the appraisals, title and legal reviews, surveys, recording fees and environmental assessments. The Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) program, which provides funding for protecting land surrounding the Camp Blanding training center, provided the remainder of the money needed to acquire the property. This property comprises transitional sandhill and scrub, floodplain and wetlands that were once part of Big Lake Johnson and is a stopover for migratory birds.
The second property acquired is just over 51 acres and includes a residential home. It was purchased for $830,000, and ACUB funded the entire acquisition. This property is within the O2O and is between Milam Preserve and Gold Head Branch State Park. The conservation of these lands provides floodplain storage and buffers for the portion of the current marshes and wetlands that were once regularly connected to Big Lake Johnson. The property also offers much-needed access to a disconnected portion of Milam Preserve, allowing for better land management.
NFLT will own and manage both properties. Landowners within the O2O willing to donate, sell, or preserve their lands through a conservation easement should contact NFLT at (904) 479-1967 or email info@nflt.org.
About North Florida Land Trust
North Florida Land Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida's irreplaceable natural environment. Founded in 1999, NFLT has preserved tens of thousands of acres of land through the donation or purchase of land as well as conservation easements. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with willing landowners and public agencies at all levels of government, not