Longleaf Habitat Nominated by the Conservation Trust for Florida Wins Protection

Alachua County and the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) have jointly acquired a 1,388-acre preserve within the Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area in southeastern Alachua County. The Conservation Trust for Florida nominated the tract for acquisition by the Alachua County Forever land conservation program.

Formerly owned by the Lybass family, and now renamed the Lochloosa Longleaf Nature Preserve, the property is the second acquisition by the Alachua County Forever program. The parcel boasts some of the best remaining longleaf pine flatwoods and sandhill habitat in the county. SJRWMD provided 33% of the approximately $2 million acquisition cost.

Some 27,000 acres of surrounding land were already protected from development through easements and public ownership, but not the Lybass tract itself. Such "in-holdings" are often prime candidates for residential development.

CTF worked collaboratively with the landowner, county staff, and the Land Conservation Board to protect the property after initially nominating it for acquisition. "We spotted something that looked like it might slip through the cracks," said CTF Vice-President David Carr.

The Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area consists of Lake Lochloosa, Paynes Prairie Preserve, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historical State Park and the Newnan's Lake Conservation area. The area provides habitat for endangered species like Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Wood Storks, Fox Squirrels, Black Bears and a variety of amphibians and reptiles.

The property is also one of the keystone tracts in the Lochloosa Connector Project - a wildlife and rural land corridor envisioned by CTF to connect the Ocala National Forest in Marion County with the Goethe State Forest in Levy County.

"The Lybass property is a significant acquisition in this corridor," stated CTF Projects Director Erik Lewis.

CTF nominated approximately 11,000 acres for acquisition by the Alachua County Forever program. Those properties will be evaluated in the next few months, including the 2,000-acre Barr Hammock/Levy Prairie parcel near Micanopy currently owned by Rayonier Timber Holdings.

SJRWMD will manage the site under agreement with Alachua County as a refuge within the Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area to enhance its natural resources and provide nature-based passive recreation. SJRWMD holds conservation easements on 16,994 acres of timberland surrounding the property and owns an additional, adjacent 10,400 acres around Lochloosa Lake.

For more information on the project go to Alachua County's website at: http://environment.alachua-county.org/Land_Conservation/index.htm, and for more information about the Conservation Trust for Florida’s projects: http://www.conserveflorida.org/.