FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2018
DEP Partners with Regional Land Trust to Conserve
56-Acre Peninsula
~DEP and the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast protect and preserve integral coastal lands~
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection announces the permanent protection of the 56-acre
Coral Creek Peninsula as an addition to Charlotte Harbor Preserve State
Park. With the addition of of this conservation land, DEP will be able to better protect several of its already managed areas.
"The Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park has been a land
acquisition priority since 1972," said Callie DeHaven, Director of DEP
Division of State Lands. "The Coral Creek Peninsula purchase is a great example of
Florida Forever dollars being used to ensure the vitality and integrity of our
spectacular state parks. We're proud that we were able to work with our
partners to complete this important acquisition and look forward to continuing
to build these types of partnerships to acquire additional rare and sensitive
lands."
This parcel is within the boundaries of the northern half of
Charlotte Harbor. Adding this vital land to the park will ensure it is also managed for the health and diversity of its natural communities while
benefiting the adjoining public lands and significant waterways. The
46,000-acre preserve buffers more than 100 miles of the shoreline of Charlotte
Harbor National Estuary and over 80,000 acres of aquatic preserves. The variety
of habitat supports more than 100 invertebrate species, 200 fish species, and
150 species of shore and wading birds.
“Conservation Foundation is working to conserve critical
properties surrounding the Charlotte Harbor estuary and its barrier islands,”
said Christine Johnson, Conservation Foundation President. “We recognized the
importance of saving the Coral Creek Peninsula to prevent any future
development which would disturb important fish and wildlife within the state
park, surrounding creeks and bays.”
The
Conservation Foundation
worked with DEP to acquire the property through the Florida
Forever program. The state’s acquisition will enhance management of the
natural resources on both the land and the adjoining state park lands.
With
approximately 10 million acres managed for conservation in Florida, more than
2.5 million acres were purchased under the Florida Forever and P2000 programs.
Since the inception of the Florida Forever program in July 2001, the state has
purchased more than 770,279 acres of land with a little over $3 billion.
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