North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) will unveil new interpretative signs at Little NaNa Dune in historic American Beach in Nassau County Friday morning.

North Florida Land Trust has helped to preserve approximately 157 acres in Putnam County located in the Ocala to Osceola, or O2O, wildlife corridor.

A dune at the historic American Beach on Amelia Island is getting $500,000 to help with preservation.

North Florida Land Trust successfully met a challenge grant issued in July 2020, earning a matching $75,000 grant to help fund its efforts in the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor.

A 518-acre property that is home to 243 native plants is now protected as an easement in Columbia County. Prescribed fire management has also benefited the more than 243 native plant species present on the property. This important designation as a GSS under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Land Easement Program (ALE) honors the late J.Y. “Having partners in conservation like Alachua Conservation Trust and North Florida Land Trust are essential to preserving Florida’s natural spaces,” said Juan Hernandez, NRCS Florida State Conservationist. Wilson property is a victory not only for the land but also for Florida’s waterways,” said Tom Kay, ACT Executive Director.

North Florida Land Trust is working to preserve 245 acres in the Intracoastal Waterway known as the Small Islands. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida Land Trust has reached an agreement to purchase 245 acres located in the Intracoastal Waterway at J. Turner Butler Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach, known widely as the Small Islands. The owner, the Small Group, LLC, had been marketing the property for $3.9 million to build extravagant houses on the nine small wet flatwood islands in the saltmarsh just north of JTB. “Protecting habitats, like these islands and marshlands, provide hope for the future but we can’t do it alone. We need help from the public to make it possible.”To help NFLT save the Small Islands visit https://www.nflt.org/small-islands/.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 700 acres of Welaka Woods property has been donated to the North Florida Land Trust. The 716-acre conservation easement is in the critical Ocala to Osceola wildlife corridor. The donation was made by Welaka Woods, LLC. “Welaka Woods is in a significant recharge area for the Floridan aquifer which is a vital drinking water source. This conservation easement donation helps to further the goals of the O2O partnership by conserving this land for the future of the wildlife and forests.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Starting next year, former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney will take over as chairman of the North Florida Land Trust’s board of directors, the organization announced Tuesday. Delaney, who joined the NFLT board in November 2019, will work alongside vice chair David Barton, secretary Ryan Switzer and treasurer Patrick Carney, according to a news release. The board also welcomed four new members – Lisa Barton, Scott Keith, Connie McDaniel and Ted McGowan – who will begin their terms in January. “I look forward to working alongside all of the officers as we continue to focus on preserving environmentally sensitive lands throughout North Florida.”Delaney, a former two-term mayor and University of North Florida president, is set to become interim president of Flagler College beginning in July. He is currently a shareholder at the Rogers Towers law firm and a principal for The Fiorentino Group, a Jacksonville-based lobbying firm.

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – About three acres near the Egans Creek Greenway in Nassau County will be safe from any development after the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) completed a deal to purchase two parcels of conservation land for the City of Fernandina Beach. NFLT negotiated the $400,000 agreement with the landowner, J. R. Holdings of North Florida. As part of its partnership agreement with the city, NFLT paid for 50% of the acquisition cost and the city paid the remainder, the nonprofit wrote in a press release. “Our Amelia Forever Campaign, designed for acquisitions like this, helped to fund our committed portion of the purchase price. NFLT continues to raise money for conservation projects on Amelia Island through its Amelia Forever Campaign.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida Land Trust and its partners have acquired 25 acres in the O2O Wildlife Corridor that is an important habitat for the Florida scrub-jay, the organization announced this week. The Florida scrub-jay is a federally threatened species. NFLT said it worked closely with The Nature Conservancy, Ocala National Forest, and the U.S. “The Ocala National Forest is very excited that North Florida Land Trust purchased this property, which will forevermore protect a piece of rare Florida scrub habitat,” said Carrie Sekerak, deputy district ranger for the Ocala National Forest. NFLT leads the O2O Wildlife Corridor Partnership, an effort by public and private organizations to accelerate land conservation within the O2O.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida Land Trust has a chance to expand the Bogey Creek Preserve, the organization’s first public park, by 12 acres, but they need the public’s help. We also look forward to growing our educational programming that we offer out at Bogey Creek. Donors can also send a check marked Bogey Creek to North Florida Land Trust at 843 W. Monroe St., Jacksonville, FL, 32202. Bogey Creek Preserve is a 75-acre scenic preserve located off Cedar Point Road in North Jacksonville and offers walking trails, a picnic area and kayak access from Clapboard Creek. The preserve neighbors Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park and the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and protects nearly one mile of critical marsh front on Clapboard and Bogey Creeks.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. North Florida Land Trust was awarded a contract to serve as the real estate consultant for the City of Jacksonvilles McCoys Creek Restoration Project. NFLT will provide technical and real estate work needed for the acquisition of parcels associated with the proposed improvements within the plan. They will also coordinate with Groundwork Jacksonville, its nonprofit partner and the leader of the Emerald Trail effort, to identify the landowners. McCoys Creek is a wonderful example of Groundwork Jacksonvilles ongoing partnership with NFLT, said Kay Ehas, CEO of Groundwork Jacksonville. As part of the restoration project, the City will make improvements to prevent flooding, restore fish and wildlife habitat and create a more resilient ecosystem.

North Florida Land Trust announced Tuesday it has completed the sale of more than 2,500 acres of marshland along the Nassau River to the National Park Service. This marshland is within the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve boundary and will become part of the Preserve. The Enge parcels included in this purchase are nearly 392 acres in Duval County near the Nassau County border. The Enge is salt marsh property partially within the Nassau River-St. Johns River Marshes Aquatic Preserve and abuts the Nassau River in some areas. Before the completion of this sale, NFLT owned approximately 11% of the land within the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve that included the Nassau River Marshes Preserve, and land on and adjacent to Big Talbot Island.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The state of Florida is now the official owner of Fish Island and the city of St. Augustine will manage the property. “This is a significant day for the St. Augustine community who worked for more than a decade to save Fish Island from development,” said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. Fish Island is a healthy maritime hammock forest and preservation will help avoid water quality impacts to the Matanzas River. “Considering all the efforts and ‘stars that had to align’ it is somewhat of a miracle that Fish Island will be preserved for future generations,” Freeman said. The Matanzas Riverkeeper and the community group Save Fish Island will soon be hosting a volunteer event to clean up the property.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A red-cockaded woodpecker captured at Camp Blanding in Clay County is evidence that a project led by North Florida Land Trust to preserve land within the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) wildlife corridor is working. The unusual thing about this particular bird is where it came from, the Osceola National Forest 27 miles away. The creation of this wildlife corridor has been a group effort with now more than 18 conservation agencies and nonprofits participating, including groups like the National Forest Service, Florida National Guard and USDAs Natural Resource Conservation Service. These public-private partnerships can have an impact thats well beyond what the Federal government could accomplish on its own, says Russell Morgan, Florida NRCS state conservationist. North Florida Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that champions environmental protection in its primary, 11-county focus area of Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Union, Columbia and Volusia counties.