North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) has played a part in the permanent preservation of approximately 1,685 acres in Baker County. The nonprofit land conservation organization helped bridge funding sources to purchase a conservation easement on the Thayendanegea Timber land, a working timber property in the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor.
The easement, valued at $3,706,000, was purchased through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP), with the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) contributing $1,853,000 toward the total easement value. Delays had threatened to derail the project, but NFLT worked with its federal partners to bring it to completion.
“Sometimes projects like these need a little help from a friend, so I reached out to Congressman Aaron Bean to ask for assistance,” said Allison DeFoor, president and CEO of NFLT. “Congressman Bean and his team were able to help us move this project forward, and now there are 1,685 acres that will remain protected forever. We appreciate Congressman Bean stepping in to help and his commitment to what we do, because it is now or never.”
The property is primarily managed for silviculture, with prescribed burns used to maintain an open understory and promote a rich diversity of native plant species. Wetlands are scattered throughout the landscape, and the land provides an important riparian buffer along Cedar Creek as it winds through the tract. Wildlife management efforts support healthy populations of deer, turkey, dove, and waterfowl, and the property is also actively used for native game hunting.
Protecting the property adds another tract to the O2O, which includes 1.6 million acres of public and privately owned forested land stretching 100 miles from the Ocala National Forest to the Osceola National Forest. NFLT leads the O2O Wildlife Corridor Partnership, a group of like-minded organizations dedicated to preserving land within the O2O.
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-for-profit partners, and foundations.
