Environmental Protection
Land Conservation
Mission Statement:
To acquire, manage and improve environmentally significant lands to protect water resources, wildlife habitat, and to provide natural areas suitable for resource-based recreation.
Vision and Values:
Alachua County Forever will be a conscientious, innovative, progressive leader in land conservation and use acquisition, stewardship and funding development practices to preserve the environmental integrity of Alachua County and improve the quality of life for current and future generations.
Objectives:
1. To be accountable to the taxpayers.
2. To acquire the most environmentally significant habitats.
3. To use a 'No Loss of Conservation Values' stewardship ethic.
4. To treat partners, landowners and sellers with respect.
5. To leverage the County's local investment.
6. To encourage a community land ethic.
News from Alachua County Forever.
Check back here regularly for updates from your land conservation Program.
Quick Links:
Program Summary Page
ACF Project List Status Report
Land Conservation Board Meeting Files
ACF project map as of February 2008.
06/26/08: Alachua County Forever Part of Award-Winning Green Infrastructure Program.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) awarded Alachua County's "Green Infrastructure" submission top honors in the coveted, "Best in Category" award. The award recognizes Alachua County's success in integrating and leveraging local investment in land conservation through the Alachua County Forever program and the environmental protection provisions of the County's development review process. The program was recognized for its effective partnerships, information technology integration, interdepartmental collaboration, citizen participation, and its innovative government structure. As part of this special recognition, Alachua County's "Green Infrastructure" program will be included in an upcoming "NACO Model Program" publication. In speaking of the awards, County Manager Randall H. Reid said, "I am very pleased that our peer organization, NACo, has recognized these important and innovative programs. I am very proud of the talented people that have made these programs possible." Click here for to view the award-winning submission or call the ACF program, 352-264-6800.
06/24/08: Alachua County Commission Approves Phifer Flatwoods Management Plan.
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners adopted the management plan for Phifer Flatwoods. This 635-acre property between the Gainesville Hawthornes Rail Trail and Satate Road 20 will provde amenities and recreational opportunities for users of the rail trail as well as protect a vital connector between the Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area and points north.
Click here for to view the management plan or call the ACF program, 352-264-6800
04/22/08: Earth Day Is Proclaimed Land Conservation Day by Alachua County Commission.
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners Proclaimed April 22, 2008 as Land Conservation Day in Alachua County and recognized its many partners. Click here for a copy of the Proclamation. Click here for a copy of the Program Manager's appreciation. Alachua County Forever is the $29 million local land conservation program approved by the voters in 2000. To date, it has conserved over 13,000 acres. For more information call ACF Staff at 352-264-6800. 04/22/08: Mill Creek Preserve Opens on Earth Day, April 22, 2008.
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners formally opened Alachua County Forever's Mill Creek Preserve on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Mill Creek Preserve entrance is located on CR 236, one-half mile west of the CR 241 junction in northwest Alachua County. Commission Chairman Rodney J. Long was joined by Commissioners Lee Pinkoson, Mike Byerly and Paula DeLaney, County Manager Randall H. Reid, and City of Alachua Mayor Gib Coeper. Some 50 attendees hiked the trails after the opening ceremony. Mill Creek Preserve was the first acquisition of the Alachua County Forever Program and will be the first preserve managed by the County. Alachua County Forever is the $29 million local land conservation program approved by the voters in 2000. To date, it has conserved over 13,000 acres. For more information about Mill Creek, please go to the Mill Creek Preserve Fact or call ACF Staff at 352-264-6800.
03/07/08: Phase II of the North Florida Wetlands Conservation Project submitted to NAWCA.
Alachua County submitted phase II of the successful North Florida Wetlands Conservation Project (NFWCP) today. If funded by the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, this will bring in $1 million adding to the $1 million awarded to the project last year. The NFWCP is a product of several partners leveraging each other's resources and efforts to protect critical migratory bird wetland habitats - vital to resident bird populations as well. The partners include Alachua County Forever, Alachua Conservation Trust, The Conservation Trust for Florida, the Conservation Fund and several private individuals. Click on the project summary to see the two-page summary from the application. For the complete 3 MB application, click here.
02/4/08: Land Conservation benefits economy, health, and safety.
The national non-profit Trust for Public Land has published a series of articles designed to address some of the myths of land conservation and it benefits. In these easy to read bibliographies and excerpts, are the facts. Navigate to the Alachua County Forever "Files, Reports & Forms" or click here.
Recent Acquisitions.
Lochloosa Connector - River Styx closed on February 13, 2008. This 1,400-acre property will be the twenty-first purchase by the County under this program, and the thirtieth tract on the Active Acquisition List to be conserved. The River Styx is one of the keystone parcels in the Lochloosa Connector Project. In this region, the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) owns in full fee an additional 10,400 acres around Lochloosa Lake, and holds conservation easements on an additional 16,944 acres surrounding this tract. This entire area, known as the Lochloosa Wildlife Conservation Area, connects Lochloosa, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historical State Park, and Newnan's Lake Conservation Area. SJRWMD and the County will equally fund the $4.6 million acquisition and the SJRWMD will manage the property. For more information, click here to access the presentation staff made to the County Commission.
Lake Santa Fe - Lake Alto LLC was closed on February 7, 2008. This 120-acre property is located on CR-1471 immediately north of Alachua County's 450-acre Lake Alto Preserve and Lake Alto Boat Ramp, and immediately east of Suwannee River Water Management District's Lake Alto Swamp Property (1,548 acres). Acquisition of this property would greatly improve the quality of the connection between Lake Alto Preserve and Lake Alto Swamp. For more information, click here to access the presentation staff made to the County Commission.
For older News Articles Archive
Click on any of the titles below to see the full text in Adobe Format.
080206 FCT Highlights Alachua County in 2008 Calendar
080128 BoCC approves River Styx
080128 BoCC approves Lake Alto LLC
071227 Robertson Conservation Easement closes
071211 BoCC approves Robertson Conservation Easement
071102 Florida Communities Trust Selects Three Projects for Funding
071010 Local Photographers win photo contest with Barr Hammock Ledwith Prairie Photos.
070927 Alachua County Closes 18th Acquisition
070814 Alachua County receives 6 million check for Barr Hammock
070717 Alachua County Awarded 6 million Reimbursement for Barr Hammock Ledwith Prairie
Stephen J. Small's summary of the 2006 incentives for land conservation
Today the President signed into law significant new tax incentives for land conservation. The changes apply to all "qualified conservation contributions" under Section 170(h) of the tax code. "Qualified conservation contributions" include (1) the gift of a remainder interest in land for conservation purposes; (2) a gift of the fee interest in real estate for conservation purposes with a reserved right to extract oil, gas, and subsurface minerals; and (3) the gift of a "qualified real property interest," including a conservation easement. This summary will focus on conservation easement gifts.
201 SE 2nd Ave., Suite 201
Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone: 352 264 6800 Fax: 352 264 6852
Email: land@alachuacounty.us
- Ramesh P. Buch
Program Manager - Sandra Vardaman
Lands Biologist - Kelly McPherson
Sr. Environmental Specialist (PT) - Bill McKinstry
Sr. Environmental Specialist (PT) - Susie Hetrick
Sr. Environmental Specialist - Augusta Mazyck
Environmental Specialist - Kevin Ratkus
Environmental Specialist
