NFLT Background
Guana Headwaters - Photo by Craig O'Neal, Florida Master Naturalist

Mission:  The North Florida Land Trust is dedicated to permanently preserving natural areas and special places in North Florida with an emphasis on properties adjacent to critical watersheds.

North Florida Land Trust:

• is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
• spans seven counties:  Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns
• partners with landowners, local government and environmental organizations
• is a member of the national Land Trust Alliance

North Florida Land Trust protects land by:

• creating conservation easements—permanent deed restrictions that prevent development and harmful uses of private property
• purchasing environmentally sensitive properties
• brokering to bring together buyers and sellers dedicated to the preservation of endangered properties
• accepting donations and volunteer efforts by concerned citizens who value our region’s natural beauty, clean water and air, healthy ecosystem and quality of life
• enlisting volunteer efforts by concerned citizens who value our region’s natural beauty, clean water and air, healthy ecosystem and quality of life

Properties protected include:

• 250 acres: Moccasin Slough, Fleming Island/Clay
• 245 acres: North Fork Ranch (Girl Scouts), Black Creek, Middleburg/Clay
• 30 acres: Pescatello Island, Timucuan Preserve/Duval
• 360 acres: River Branch Preserve, Conservation Easement, Atlantic Beach/Duval
• 41 acres: Gloria Child Goelz Preserve, owned, Ponte Vedra Beach/St. Johns
• 6.1 acres: Bogey Creek Landing, owned,Pumpkin Hill/Timucuan Preserve/Duval
• 2.4 acres: Cummer Family Home, Conservation Easement, Mandarin/Duval
• 15.5 acres: Fish Island, Conservation Easement, Anastasia Island/St. Johns
• 160 acres: Basala Chico, Conservation Easement with 5,000 foot of frontage on St. Mary’s River,
   Florida/Georgia border, Hilliard/Nassau
• 28 acres: 3 miles east of I-95 on SR16, to be a new Eco-friendly private school
• 2+ acres: Summer Haven, St. Johns County, Beach and Intracoastal frontage
• 21 acres: Waterview Property, donation, Little Black Creek, Blanding Blvd., Clay
• 10 acres: Wildlife Preservation, Hilliard/Nassau

Prospects/Projects

Conservation Resource Center: Capital campaign to create an environmental education center and northern access to Guana Preserve at Mickler and A1A, Ponte Vedra/St. Johns

Partner: UNF Engineering school Senior Design Team performed civil engineering work for Conservation Resource Center as school project

40 acres: Marsh, Black Hammock Island, donation

50 acres: Conserving working ranch, passive boat launch park, Julington Creek/St.Johns

Twenty targeted properties for acquisition in Pumpkin Hill/Timucuan Preserve/Duval

13 acres: Conservation Easement, Alligator Creek/Nassau

Partnering with UNF GIS department to create a database of available properties in seven county territory, utilizing volunteers to determine ranking value of those properties for conservation, and actively marketing properties for protection

5,000 acres: west of Pelicer Creek, with CR204 splitting it, St. Johns

100 acres: Kirkland Farm, Conservation Easement 2011, Baker

768 acres: 2 miles frontage of St. Mary’s River, Nassau – Mitigation Bank take-out

320 acres: Marsh/Island, Big Talbot Island, grant/acquisition underway, Duval

500 acres: Marsh/waterfront, Nassau River near Main St., Duval, Donation 2011

40 acres: Waterfront/St. Mary’s River, Conservation Easement, Nassau