North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) has expanded conservation land within the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor by purchasing more than 79 acres in Bradford County. The land is west of the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, and about a quarter mile from Water Oak Creek Preserve, a property of more than 1,100 acres that NFLT acquired at the end of 2024. Protecting this land will allow NFLT to increase the natural habitat for many wildlife and plant species. It will help buffer Camp Blanding and its training operations and keep it free from incompatible development in perpetuity.
“This is another conservation win for Florida and for our staff, who are leading the charge to protect the natural spaces within the O2O because it is now or never,” said Allison DeFoor, president and CEO of NFLT. “We continue to preserve the last remaining natural spaces within the O2O, acre by acre. We appreciate the landowners’ willingness to sell us the property, and we will continue to work with other willing landowners to save these natural spaces.”
The nonprofit land conservation organization bought the property from Brian and Meghan Nicoletti for $757,705. Funding was provided by the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program and the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) program. The Nicolettis purchased the property in 2021 and had planned to build a home in the woods, but after receiving a mailer about preservation in the O2O, they decided they would like to see the land conserved with NFLT.
“Meghan and I would like to thank everyone involved in the process of preserving our forest property,” said Brian Nicoletti. “The NFLT folks will be excellent stewards so the people of the great state of Florida may rest assured that land will remain wild & free forever.”
Much of the acquired property consists of forested wetlands and cypress swamps. The remainder is a mixed hardwood hammock and improved pasture. The land provides habitat for the Florida black bear, deer, turkey, and sandhill cranes, all of which have been observed on the property. Preserving the land provides ecosystem benefits, including protection against natural flooding risks from four miles of nearby Water Oak Creek and its associated floodplains, riparian areas, and wetlands. It also protects water quality and assists in maintaining groundwater recharge.
NFLT now owns the property, and the nonprofit’s stewardship department will manage and maintain the land, which could include public access to trails. NFLT plans to restore natural habitats to further improve the essential O2O Wildlife Corridor. The O2O is a 1.6-million-acre network of public and private lands connecting the Ocala and Osceola National Forests.
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.
