The North Florida Land Trust announced Dec. 27 the acquisition of 428 acres for conservation in Putnam County.
The nonprofit land conservation organization said it bought the land from the Eugene B. Porter Revocable Trust at a “bargain sale” but did not disclose the price.
The property is about a mile from the Florida Wildlife Corridor and is adjacent to the Clay Ranch conservation easement, which is about 2,300 acres of conservation land. It is about 2½ miles north of Interlachen along County Road 315.
“We are very grateful to Mr. Porter for wanting to conserve this property and protect the natural spaces and the important habitats the land provides,” North Florida Land Trust President Jim McCarthy said in a news release.
“The ‘bargain sale’ allowed the land trust to buy the property at a discounted price and provided Mr. Porter with a significant tax savings. Protecting this land will ensure that species like the gopher tortoise can survive and thrive.”
The 428 acres includes scrub, sandhill, forested wetlands and ephemeral ponds. It also has about a mile of shoreline on Lake Grandin.
The North Florida Land Trust is a nonprofit that seeks to protect the natural resources, historic places and working lands, including farms and ranches, throughout North Florida.
For more information, visit nflt.org.