North Florida Land Trust, a Jacksonville conservation nonprofit, acquired about 219 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway in Jacksonville Beach.
The group paid $5,000 for four pieces of property comprising salt water marsh and conservation easement. The total just market value of the property is $42,879, according to tax records.
The land trust bought the site Feb. 3 from Atlantic Beach Holding Co., a group of heirs of Harcourt Bull, the first mayor of Atlantic Beach, and his wife, Florence, according to a news release.
The property is along Atlantic and Butler boulevards.
It is adjacent to the River Brand Islands Preserve and across the Intracoastal from the city of Jacksonville’s Castaway Island and Dutton Island preserves. It is within the Northeast Florida Blueway Florida Forever project area.
The family owned the land since about 1949.
“The heirs decided to sell it at a bargain price with the difference in actual cost considered a donation to (the land trust) to preserve it forever in its natural state,” the release said.
“The generosity of this family allows us the opportunity to protect most of the marsh grass on the eastern side of the Intracoastal from Butler Blvd almost to Mayport,” said Allison DeFoor, land trust president.
The site is primarily salt marsh with a few small areas of hardwood forest.
Keeping the property in its natural state has many benefits: It helps to prevent flooding, reduces storm surge, removes nutrients to provide clean water and provides habitat for wildlife, the release said.
The surrounding salt marsh and tidal creeks are home to rare species including the federally endangered West Indian manatee and the federally threatened wood stork. The land trust has also viewed an abundance of wading birds on the property including brown pelicans, cormorants and great blue herons.
The family is expected to host a dedication ceremony for the property later this year.