A developer is proposing swapping 3000 acres of landed from areas across the state for 600 acres of protected land at Guana River Preserve.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The future of 600 acres of preserved, natural land along the First Coast is up for debate.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is set to evaluate a proposed land exchange, which involves preserving 3,000 acres of privately-owned land in return for the development of 600 acres within the Guana River Wildlife Management Area located in St. Johns County.
“It’s just such a beautiful place to ride,” said Jackie Morrison before starting a bike ride at the preserve.
Morrison says she makes the long drive from Avondale to the Guana River Wildlife Management Area regularly to go on 20+ mile long bike rides.
Part of the appeal is being in nature, but it’s not the main reason she makes the trip.
“Out here, you don’t have any cars impeding you,” said Morrison. “You’re not getting in anyone’s way. It’s a whole lot safer.”
Morrison is concerned about what would happen to her cycling route if 600 of the preserves 11,000 acres are swapped to a developer.
“If you have an area out here that you can come ride your bike and be safe, that outweighs the other 3000 acres someplace else,” said Morrison.
The Upland LLC is offering the State of Florida about 3,000 acres of private land broken into four parcels in the swap.
They include roughly 1,400 acres in Lafayette County, 250 acres in Volusia County, 1,200 acres in Osceola County and 220 acres in St. Johns County.
According to Upland’s proposal, the land being offered as a replacement will provide significantly more opportunities for habitats that support native wildlife and allow for public recreation, offering a 411% increase in conservation land.
The LLC added the majority of the wetland habitats at Guana River Wildlife Management Area will be avoided.
“I was likely part of acquiring over 1.25 million acres of conservation lands,” remarked Henry Dean, the Former General Counsel for the former Department of Natural Resources. “This area ranks among the top when it comes to pristine natural environments.”
Dean was one of the ones who sealed the deal for the old Department of Natural Resources to buy Guana River Preserve for $48 million back in 1984.
Forty years later, he’s hoping to see that land stay in tact.
“I was working with Florida Governor Bob Graham,” said Dean. “He told me one time he thought the Guana River Preserve was the crown jewel of conservation lands in the state of Florida.”
The Upland LLC’s plan for the land isn’t included in the swap proposal a committee will vote on next week.
A DEP committee will vote to give the proposal a positive or negative recommendation next week before it heads to the governor and his cabinet to take a final vote on it.
