News Update
DEP acquires conservation easement Putnam County
Staff report
Enviiro-Net
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection acquired a conservation easement totaling approximately 3,562 acres within the Etoniah/Cross Florida Greenway Florida Forever Project, which is part of the Williams Wetland Preserve tract in Putnam County and adjacent to Rice Creek Conservation Area.
The Williams Wetland Preserve is composed of mesic flatwoods, bottomland forest, floodplain swamp and sandhill ecosystems. Numerous seepage streams originate along the western ridge of the property and flow eastward into Rice Creek, a tributary of the St. Johns River.
“By partnering with local landowners through Florida Forever, the state is able to conserve critical habitat for native Florida species, protect heritage Florida ecosystems and improve local water quality," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "This project highlights the critical role private landowners can play in the protection of Florida's natural resources."
Through surveys, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission discovered that the property is home to the largest population of spotted turtles in Florida, 45 reptile and amphibian species, and over 100 species of birds.
Additionally, 160 acres of timberland within the easement will be conserved specifically for gopher tortoise habitat.
“The addition of this easement has an incredibly high biological benefit in protecting a wide diversity of sensitive species and habitats on site, but also by the overall increase in wildlife movement and habitat connectivity for the greater North Florida area as a whole,” said Jonathan Mays, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.