Peter Schorsch
A proposal to have the state deed 600 acres of public land in the Guana River Wildlife Management Area of St. Johns County to a private company in exchange for 3,000 acres across five counties is officially dead.
In a letter first obtained by Florida Politics, Upland LLC withdrew its application for the land swap. The Acquisition and Restoration Council had scheduled it for consideration on Wednesday.
“While the applicant believes this 5-to-1 acre land swap would have been a net positive conservation benefit to the state of Florida, and the proposed swap represented .007% of the state lands at issue, the applicant is withdrawing the application due to public sentiment resulting from misinformation,” the letter reads.
The Upland LLC’s withdrawal comes after critics across the political spectrum thrashed the deal, alleging the 600-acre parcel would be home to a commercial or residential development. The letter comes a day after Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles called for the Acquisition and Restoration Council to vote down the “land grab.”
The Upland LLC has pushed back, assuring the public that the land would remain subject to state law requiring its continued conservation and that, even under private ownership, periodic research and monitoring check-ins would continue. The land is not actively managed currently, and The Upland LLC maintains that under its stewardship, it would have been better maintained.
Additionally, any future proposed use of the swapped property would have been subject to review and approval by local elected leaders.
The letter continues, “To be clear, there was never any intention to develop the acquired land for commercial or community development purposes. Rather, the swap would have resulted in additional acres for Florida land conservation.
“The applicant remains committed to preserving Florida’s natural habitat and supporting the State’s conservation efforts. In that regard, we look forward to continued conversations on the preferred method of preserving Florida’s conservation lands and how we may contribute to that critical goal.”
View the full letter below:
7 comments
N.X.Tebus
May 20, 2025 at 6:36 am
On the one hand you have kooks forcing the state to outlaw something that doesn’t happen in the first place, chemical spraying for climate modification, and on the other you have kooks torpedoing a 5-1 land swap because the portion of the swamp they are in love with is more precious than the swamp next door. Is it any wonder that, suddenly, people are leaving Florida?
Laura A.G
May 20, 2025 at 2:00 pm
I am writing to address your recent comments regarding the wildlife preserve and to provide clarity on the critical importance of protecting our public lands.
Public lands, such as wildlife preserves, are not commodities to be bought and sold. These areas are essential ecological resources that:
• Protect biodiversity
• Provide critical habitats for native species
• Preserve natural ecosystems
• Offer environmental education opportunities
• Maintain ecological balance
Referring to a wildlife preserve as a “swamp” demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the complex and vital ecosystems these areas represent. These landscapes are intricate, living systems that support numerous plant and animal species, many of which are endangered or unique to specific regions.
FLORIDA’s natural environments are not simply real estate opportunities, but irreplaceable natural heritage that belongs to all citizens. Once destroyed, these ecosystems cannot be easily restored.
I encourage you to learn more about local wildlife and ecosystems. Try to understand the scientific value of preservation and recognize the long-term environmental benefits of conservation.
Call Floridians whatever you like, we come together and fight for our public lands. Crooked real-estate companies are welcome to go elsewhere. Have a blessed day!
Nicole Crosby
May 21, 2025 at 9:10 pm
“More precious?” The value of the 600 Guana acres has been estimated to be about ten times the value of the 3,000 non-Guana acres. Furthermore, If you believe the applicant’s attorney’s letter that says no development of the Guana land was planned, and the intention was simply to conserve more land in Florida, why didn’t he just hand the 3,000 acres over to the state and skip the trade?
Victoria Olson
May 20, 2025 at 7:57 am
The voice of the people have spoken for the greater good of NO development. They lied that they wouldn’t develop why else would they want to acquire the land? They think the people are stupid, this was Not Federal land so Susie Wiles had no initial power. https://floridaphoenix.com/2021/12/30/retiring-florida-parks-director-eric-draper-ranks-climate-change-as-a-major-threat/
A proposed land swap in Florida would trade 324 acres of the Withlacoochee State Forest for 841 acres of timberland in Levy County, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The recipient of the Withlacoochee State Forest land is Cabot Citrus OpCo LLC, which owns a bordering golf course in Brooksville. The land swap has faced public outcry and remains under scrutiny, with the final decision delegated to the Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC).
Details of the proposed swap:
Withlacoochee State Forest land: 324 acres, with a bordering golf course owned by Cabot Citrus OpCo LLC.
Levy County timberland: 841 acres, to be acquired by Cabot Citrus OpCo LLC and then transferred to the state.
Cabot Citrus OpCo LLC: Seeking to expand its golf operation in Hernando County.
Final decision: Delegated to the Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC).
Public outcry: Concerns about the potential impact on the Florida Wildlife Corridor and the value of the state forest land.
Status: The deal is currently on hold due to public opposition and the need for Cabot to meet several requirements, reports the Tampa Bay Times.
James Arthur
May 22, 2025 at 4:14 am
Exactly why did they want it so badly unless they wanted to build on it
tom palmer
May 20, 2025 at 9:33 am
There seems to be more to the story than the applicants are sharing. It did not pass the smell test. It seemed to be an attempt to surplus a portion of a wildlife management area without going through a proper process. And, if that was successful, someone could use the precedent to slice off more. This is the third run at public conservation lands this year. What part of no do Gov. Ron DeSantis and the development community not understand? To call people who are speaking up to defend public conservation land “kooks” misunderstands what is at stake.
Ken Davis
May 22, 2025 at 8:05 am
One of the things that attract people to move to Florida is the Beauty of nature that God provided. Several years ago the State procured Silver Springs. The Wild Waters Outdoor park was removed and the land cleared and brought back to as close as possible to “native” vegetation . Developers and builders have only one thing in mind, turning large tracks of land into high density cookie cutter houses and selling them for the highest $ they can get.If you look at their own homes, they don’t live like that, but what ever it takes to turn pristine natural land into that is what they will do.
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