New conservation area in Jax

[Captain Obvious]

Florida Buys 2,982 Acres Of Natural N.E. Florida

POSTED: 3:14 pm EST February 16, 2005

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida will help preserve nearly 3,000 acres of black bear habitat in Duval and Nassau counties, approved by a vote of the Gov. Jeb Bush and the state Cabinet Wednesday.

The land, to be purchased through the Florida Forever program, will be part of the Northeast Florida Timberlands and Watershed Reserve, a partnership between the Department of Environmental Protection and the St. Johns Water Management District.

The Reserve protects a belt of undeveloped "green space" in Duval, Nassau, Clay and Putnam counties stretching from the Osceola to the Ocala National Forest. Once complete, the project will connect the Jennings State Forest, Cecil Field Conservation Corridor, Cary State Forest and the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve just north of Jacksonville.

More than 40,000 acres of the conservation area are now in public ownership.

The acquisition of close to 3,000 undisturbed acres will add to a massive conservation corridor that is safeguarding black bears and bald eagles, while buffering important military installations," DEP Secretary Colleen M. Castille said after the vote.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/4204805/detail.html

[Captain Obvious]

I'm fairly excited about this news. If one looks at nearby examples - Orlando, Tampa Bay - we must suspect that 100% of Duval County's legally developable land will be consumed by sprawl eventually. Therefore it's wonderful news whenever sizable parcells of land are set aside and zoned for conservation. (I tend to prefer that private citizens, as opposed to the government, own the conservation land through mitigation agreements. But overall, I'll take what I can get.)

Also ... WHERE IS A MAP!?!?! I'd really like to see where exactly this is. I guess it must run vertically, west of Cecil and east of Baldwin?

[wolfdawg54]

That is good news for Jacksonville. I know... but too much development can be very bad too. I think that we should keep a substantial amount of land dedicated to nature to preserve the beauty of our land. Jacksonville should also try to keep the area wetlands by the Intracoastal free from any more development as it is the trademark to the community and to have it destroyed would be a shame.

[vicupstate]

Also ... WHERE IS A MAP!?!?! I'd really like to see where exactly this is. I guess it must run vertically, west of Cecil and east of Baldwin?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great news! I would like to see a map of this and all conservation land in Duval County. It is mind boggling to consider this large mass of land that has been conserbed in the last 5 years alone.

[Captain Obvious]

wolfdog -

I think you misread my comment. I wasn't excited about the prospect of a 100% built-out Duval county. Rather, I was lamenting it. I agree with you ... we need even more land preserved, because whatever we don't preserve will be built on.

vicupstate -

You can go to the land use maps of coj.net. Zoom in a little bit, and make the "zoning" layer active. The parcells labeled CSV are conservation areas. However, I think they must be behind on updating the map. Much of the land that I thought was part of the Timucan Preserve is still labeled with one of the several agricultural designations.

[wolfdawg54]

wolfdog -

I think you misread my comment. I wasn't excited about the prospect of a 100% built-out Duval county. Rather, I was lamenting it. I agree with you ... we need even more land preserved, because whatever we don't preserve will be built on.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh I know you aren't. How could anybody enjoy that? I was just adding in my two cents worth, that's all. I definitely agree as well. I love the drive in northern Duval by Little and Big Talbot islands on the ocean and we need to expand all areas. It is such a neat park! Also, don't we have one of the largest park systems in the nation?

[Captain Obvious]

Also, don't we have one of the largest park systems in the nation?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Technically. We have the largest city park system in the nation. Kind of convenient since we are the largest city in land area outside of Alaska. Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?

[Urban_Legend]

Yay, for the plants and animals! I really think that Jax's preserve is something to brag about, compared to other cities.

[wolfdawg54]

Technically. We have the largest city park system in the nation. Kind of convenient since we are the largest city in land area outside of Alaska. Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for clairifying that for me. I am sure that there is a ratio that can be found to the land area of a city to its local, state, and national parks.