JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) has expanded its conservation efforts by purchasing over 79 acres in Bradford County, Florida, within the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor.
This acquisition, located west of the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, aims to protect the natural habitat for various wildlife and plant species while buffering the military training center from incompatible development.
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“This is another conservation win for Florida and for our staff, who are leading the charge to protect the natural spaces within the O2O because it is now or never,” said Allison DeFoor, president and CEO of NFLT.
“We continue to preserve the last remaining natural spaces within the O2O, acre by acre. We appreciate the landowners’ willingness to sell us the property, and we will continue to work with other willing landowners to save these natural spaces.”
The property, purchased from Brian and Meghan Nicoletti for $757,705, was funded by the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program and the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) program.
The land consists of forested wetlands, cypress swamps, mixed hardwood hammock, and improved pasture, providing habitat for species such as the Florida black bear, deer, turkey, and sandhill cranes.
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“Meghan and I would like to thank everyone involved in the process of preserving our forest property,” said Brian Nicoletti, who sold the land to NFLT. “The NFLT folks will be excellent stewards so the people of the great state of Florida may rest assured that land will remain wild & free forever.”
NFLT plans to manage and restore the natural habitats on the property, potentially including public access to trails, as part of their efforts to enhance the O2O Wildlife Corridor, a 1.6-million-acre network connecting the Ocala and Osceola National Forests.
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