The land is located close to the Florida Wildlife Corridor
North Florida Land Trust has acquired 428 acres of land for conservation in Putnam County. The nonprofit land conservation organization purchased the land from the Eugene B. Porter Revocable Trust at a “bargain sale.” The property is located about a mile from the Florida Wildlife Corridor and is adjacent to the Clay Ranch conservation easement which is about 2,300 acres of conservation land.
“We are very grateful to Mr. Porter for wanting to conserve this property and protect the natural spaces and the important habitats the land provides,” said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. “The ‘bargain sale’ allowed the land trust to buy the property at a discounted price and provided Mr. Porter with a significant tax savings. Protecting this land will ensure that species like the gopher tortoise can survive and thrive.”
The 428 acres contain mostly native land that includes scrub, sandhill, forested wetlands and ephemeral ponds. It also has approximately a mile of shoreline on Lake Grandin. The property is a steppingstone between Etoniah Creek State Forest and the Ordway Swisher Biological Station, a research, teaching and extension facility of the University of Florida for the study and conservation of unique ecosystems.
This land provides habitats for rare species including the gopher tortoise and American Kestrel both of which have been seen on the property. It is also a critical linkage for animals within the Florida Wildlife Corridor including the Florida black bear, eastern indigo snake, wood stork, sandhill crane and pine snake.
About North Florida Land Trust
North Florida Land Trust is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to protect the natural resources, historic places and working lands (farms and ranches) throughout north Florida. Founded in 1999, NFLT has preserved tens of thousands of acres of land through 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-for-profit partners, and foundations.
