Family legacies honored through three land conservation projects

Press release from Alachua County

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County Forever, the county’s environmental land acquisition program , closed on the purchase of three properties in key conservation corridors in recent months.

While the three properties are in different areas of the county, they are united by their important conservation locations and the desire of the landowners to honor their families through the protection of the land and its natural values.

Each property was inherited by the landowners, who then chose to take a piece of their family legacy and help build a brighter future for Alachua County through conservation.

In the Watermelon Pond Area, Bif Sheffield chose to work with Alachua County to protect lands that his parents, Gail and Felton Sheffield Jr., had owned, to honor their memory. The Sheffield property, located in the county’s biodiversity hotspot in Watermelon Pond, protects rare sandhill habitats and expands one of the highest-priority conservation projects. This 40-acre property is adjacent to existing portions of the county’s Watermelon Pond Preserve and provides for expanded aquifer recharge and habitat for threatened and endangered species. The property was acquired with $316,736 of Wild Spaces and Public Places (WSPP) funds.

North of Hawthorne, the Sherouse family partnered with the County to protect 148 acres of diverse forest and wetlands at the headwaters of Little Orange Creek. At the closing, family members shared their memories of childhood adventures with their parents, exploring this special land and how meaningful it was to be able to protect those memories and conserve the property for future generations. The property was acquired with $408,779.25 of WSPP funds.

In the Waldo and Lake Alto area, the Winchester family prioritized the conservation of their 41-acre property over other options, knowing it was in a key location and an important part of Alachua County’s efforts to protect connected habitats that contribute to local and statewide conservation goals. This property expands Alachua County’s Lake Alto Preserve and the protected lands within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The property was acquired with $74,280.60 of WSPP funds.

The voter-approved WSPP sales tax provided $799,795.85 for the protection of these 229 acres of environmentally significant lands.

Alachua County Forever has protected five conservation land acquisitions so far in 2024. Through ongoing citizen support and partnerships, the program has worked with willing landowners to protect 34,506 acres since its inception in 2000.

Learn more about the county’s conservation efforts and WSPP .

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