A l a c h u a C o u n t y F o r e v e r Barr Hammock Levy Prairie - Whitehurst

Sellers: V.E. Whitehurst and Sons Purchase Price: $4,000,000 Size: 3,239 acres

• The project connects two existing publicly owned conservation areas: northeast lies the 21,000-acre Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and to the south lies the County’s 2,303-acre Barr Hammock Preserve • The tract lies starts on I -75 a mile north of the County line and extends west 5 miles.

o One strong indicator of the significance of this property is that Alachua County was assisted by several partners: Florida Communities Trust Grant - 60%; North America Wetlands Conservation Act – 20%; Sellers’ donation – 20%; and the

Conservation Trust for Florida – co-applicant and management partner • The project has a diversity of natural communities, including wet prairie and contains habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered R. Hutchinson species, such as sandhill cranes, wood storks, and bald eagles. • Acquisition will protect and enhance the long-term quality of public

Photo: Photo: water supplies by removing agricultural sources of contamination from the Floridan aquifer. A key feature is the 10-mile hydrologic

connection between Horse Prairie, Ledwith Lake to the south through U Program Notes Levy Prairie to Kanapaha Prairie and Pierson Sink to the west. • Alachua County Forever responds to public nominations. • The site will be managed as a nature preserve, with resource-based • Property owners must be willing. Condemnation of property is not permitted recreation, interpretative and educational features including a trail under Alachua County Forever. head, up to four miles of hiking trails, interpretive exhibits, overlook, • Projects evaluated by staff and the Land Conservation Board. and a wildlife observation platform. • Criteria include protection of water resources, habitats, species, social value, • The property may contain a portion of William Bartram’s 1774 route manageability, and the economics of the acquisition. • The County Commission approves acquisition projects. from his camp at Cuscowilla (now the Town of Micanopy) to the

• County can acquire property outright or certain rights through less-than-f e e Suwannee River and to St. Marks and Apalachee Bay. mechanisms such as conservation easements. • O f f e rs are made based on independent, private appraisals. ALACHUAU COUNTY FOREVER REFERENDUM • Program funded through a $29 million in voter-approved bonds. Approved in November 2000 by the voters, to acquire, improve and • Program actively seeks state, federal and private grants. manage the county’s environmentally sensitive lands to protect water • Properties are managed as preserves. resources, wildlife habitats and to provide natural areas suitable for • Resource-compatible, passive recreation is encouraged on sites where appropriate. resource-based recreation.

AlachuaU County Commission

Mike Byerly, Chair Cynthia Moore-Chestnut, Vice-Chair Lee Pinkoson Paula DeLaney Rodney J. Long U County Manager Randall H. Reid

EnvironmentalU Protection Dept. Chris Bird, Director

For more information:

Ramesh P. Buch, Program Manager Alachua County Forever 201 SE Second Avenue. Suite 201, Gainesville, Florida 32601 Ph: (352) 264-6800. Fax. (352) 264-6852. Website: www.alachuacountyforever.us