State Acquires Important Conservation Land in St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 8, 2017

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

State Acquires Important Conservation Land in
St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve

~Newly acquired land will be managed by DEP's Florida Coastal Office~

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection closed on an inholding located in the St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve in Gulf County for $121,500. This key inholding is adjacent to the existing buffer preserve office/education center and is bordered by other state-owned lands to the north and south.

St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve provides an essential buffer to St. Joseph Bay and helps protect the bay's water quality, natural productivity and critical habitats. The preserve protects a natural coastal landscape with one of the highest concentrations of rare plants in the Southeast U.S. and contains 21 known archaeological and historical sites.

“The natural resource management of the buffer and aquatic preserves are very important to the health of the bay," said Dylan Shoemaker, St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve manager. "Acquiring this land allows for more efficient natural resource protection of the area.”

Lynda White, president of the Friends of St. Joseph Bay Preserves, said: “Our organization is thrilled that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection was able to purchase this property, as it is one more piece of property that will protect St. Joseph Bay, a very important component of conservation. The bay ecosystem is fragile and we need to do everything possible to protect it; this acquisition 'puts the icing on the cake.'”

The property will be managed by the Florida Coastal Office. Recreational activities available at the preserve include fishing, diving and snorkeling, scalloping, beach-going, birding and boating.