Union County Conservation Easement Protects Upper New River Corridor
November 19, 2024
Gainesville, Florida - A 200-acre family property in Union County near Raiford was recently protected by a conservation easement purchased by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and facilitated by Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT). The two organizations worked together to assist the Diercks family sell a conservation easement. The conservation easement was acquired through Florida Forever, the state’s premier land acquisition program.
The property lies just west of the upper New River, an important tributary of the Santa Fe River, and is adjacent to existing Raiford Wildlife Management Area conservation lands. Protection of this property expands existing conservation lands around Raiford and contributes to protection of the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Corridor, a critical linkage of the larger Florida Wildlife Corridor - a network of over 18 million acres designated as high conservation priority by the Florida legislature. The Diercks family land is part of the 69,000-acre Raiford to Osceola Greenway Florida Forever project area, which is designed to provide habitat connection between existing conservation areas.
The Diercks family currently owns and manages their property for timber, recreation and wildlife habitat, and are members of the North Florida Prescribed Burn Association. The property contains pine plantations, forested wetlands and floodplains and provides habitat for a number of wildlife species, including the federally at-risk Suwannee alligator snapping turtle, Florida black bear, southern fox squirrel, bobwhite quail, sandhill crane and swallow-tailed kite.
“ “The protection of the Diercks family property through this conservation easement will not only safeguard vital wildlife habitat, but also strengthen the ecological ties between existing conservation lands. By protecting this land, the Suwannee alligator snapping turtle and Florida black bear have a chance to thrive, while also honoring the family’s legacy of land stewardship.” ”
““It is gratifying to see our family’s land protected through this
conservation easement. It has been our goal to preserve this area for future generations. This
partnership is a step towards protecting its natural beauty and wildlife, and we hope it inspires
others to take action in protecting Florida’s precious landscapes.
We could not have gotten this
conservation easement done without the assistance of ACT. ACT staff were instrumental in
keeping everyone on track and moving forward. Their experience and knowledge of the
process was invaluable to us.”
”
For additional information about this project or about Alachua Conservation Trust, please contact ACT at info@AlachuaConservationTrust.org or (352) 373-1078.
