North Florida Land Trust Has Acquired Land Along the Ortega River
About 80 acres of land with high ecological value will be preserved.
Jacksonville, FL, August 03, 2017 --(PR.com)-- North Florida Land Trust has acquired just under 80 acres of land along the Ortega River on Jacksonville’s Westside. The land conservation organization was interested in the land for its high ecological value. It is within the 112,346 acres of land NFLT had identified in their Preservation Portfolio, which identifies land in critical need of preservation within NFLT’s seven-county focus area.
“This land is not something that would be desirable for developers, but for us it is an important part of the area’s ecological makeup,” said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. “It is part of the large natural floodplain swamp which is important to the resiliency of the Ortega River. The wetlands filter out pollutants, buffer upland areas from flood events and provide freshwater habitat for wildlife.”
The land is located along Collins Road near I-295 and Blanding Boulevard. Most of the land is wetlands, but McCarthy said there is one upland location that would be suitable as a kayak or canoe launch. NFLT had previously targeted the land for preservation, but were not able to reach a deal with the landowner. Doug Davis with Fletcher Davis Management Group brought the project back to NFLT a few months ago and helped NFLT and the landowner reach an agreement.
About North Florida Land Trust
North Florida Land Trust is a non-profit organization who serves as a champion of land conservation primarily in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns, Union and Volusia counties. NFLT was founded in 1999 and has protected thousands of acres of environmentally significant land including land at Big Talbot Island, the River Branch Preserve, Pumpkin Hill, Moccasin Slough, along the St. Mary’s River and other valued natural areas in Northeast Florida. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with private landowners and other public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit www.northfloridalandtrust.org.
“This land is not something that would be desirable for developers, but for us it is an important part of the area’s ecological makeup,” said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. “It is part of the large natural floodplain swamp which is important to the resiliency of the Ortega River. The wetlands filter out pollutants, buffer upland areas from flood events and provide freshwater habitat for wildlife.”
The land is located along Collins Road near I-295 and Blanding Boulevard. Most of the land is wetlands, but McCarthy said there is one upland location that would be suitable as a kayak or canoe launch. NFLT had previously targeted the land for preservation, but were not able to reach a deal with the landowner. Doug Davis with Fletcher Davis Management Group brought the project back to NFLT a few months ago and helped NFLT and the landowner reach an agreement.
About North Florida Land Trust
North Florida Land Trust is a non-profit organization who serves as a champion of land conservation primarily in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns, Union and Volusia counties. NFLT was founded in 1999 and has protected thousands of acres of environmentally significant land including land at Big Talbot Island, the River Branch Preserve, Pumpkin Hill, Moccasin Slough, along the St. Mary’s River and other valued natural areas in Northeast Florida. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with private landowners and other public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit www.northfloridalandtrust.org.
Contact
North Florida Land Trust
Kelly White
904-232-3001
www.northfloridalandtrust.org
Kelly White
904-232-3001
www.northfloridalandtrust.org
Contact
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