FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 28, 2015
STATE CLOSES ON CONSERVATION LAND PURCHASE IN SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA
~620 acres acquired within the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem
Watershed~
TALLAHASSEE – Today, the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, in collaboration with The Trust
for Public Land, acquired 620 acres of conservation lands within the Corkscrew
Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Florida Forever project for $9,765,000.
The CREW project provides
connectivity between three conservation areas, offers critical protection for
wildlife like the Florida panther and Florida Black Bear, and protects the flow
of water into the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Fakahatchee Strand
Preserve State Park and other areas. The project supports at least two species
of rare and endangered orchids and includes an unusual strain of dwarf bald
cypress.
“Adding this land to CREW
will provide many important benefits, including preserving southwest Florida’s
water supply and providing connections between three conservation areas
critical to the restoration of the Everglades,” said DEP Secretary Jon
Steverson.
“At The Trust for Public
Land our mission is about conserving land for people. The conservation of this land offers greater
opportunity for people to connect with natural Florida as seen by early Floridians. We thank the previous owners, the Gargiulo
family, for helping conserve this land,” said Doug Hattaway, Senior Project
Manager with The Trust for Public Land.
The property will be
managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) as an addition to the
CREW Wildlife Environmental Area to improve the environmental value and
ecological functions of the watershed and provide public recreational
opportunities such as hiking, wildlife viewing and birding.
“Restoring this truly significant and
special southwest coast ecosystem depends upon placing into public ownership
the land needed to link the pieces of this natural expanse,” said SFWMD
Executive Director Blake Guillory. “This acquisition is another great example
of real progress in protecting our regional water resources.”
The Board of Trustees of
the Internal Improvement Fund approved the acquisition on Jan. 13, 2015 at the
Cabinet meeting in Tallahassee, Florida.
| 
