Drew Dixon
The North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) has snatched up another tract of land that the nonprofit group will turn into conservation property.
An 83-acre conservation easement was acquired by the NFLT in Clay County just west of Jacksonville. The land is in the area southeast of Camp Blanding, a military installation and training area for the U.S. Army. The conservation land is in the “compatible use buffer zone” for the Army and is also located in the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor (O2O).
The land was purchased from the Hughes family for $540,000 with funding from the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program, according to an NFLT news release Tuesday.
“The purchase of this conservation easement ensures that this property will never be developed or changed from its existing use. It is Now or Never,” said Allison DeFoor, President and CEO of NFLT.
“The family will be able to continue living on and enjoying the property, while protecting its natural state. This conservation easement protects land vital to wildlife habitats and national defense. It prevents encroachment on Camp Blanding, which has been an important partner in conservation within the O2O for many years.”
The new property acquired from the Hughes family is near other NFLT land preserves. They include the Milam Preserve, Smith Lake Preserve and the Gold Head Branch State Park. While The new NFLT land agreement includes homes on the property for the Hughes family, it prevents further development on the tract.
“I am so happy to have found NFLT to help me preserve this beautiful property and the abundant wildlife it supports,” said landowner Erin Hughes. “My family has lived in Florida since the 1880s and I am proud to help preserve at least a piece of the natural Florida they once knew.”
The NFLT was founded in 1999 and is dedicated to acquiring property for preservation. It has added about 43,000 acres of preservation land.
