The
state of Florida has taken the first step in protecting nearly 40
thousand acres of environmentally sensitive property along the
Apalachicola River.
On
Friday the Department of Environmental Protection's Acquisition
and Restoration Council voted to move forward on plans to
protect the Upper Apalachicola River Ecosystem.
The
proposal encompasses nearly 40 thousand acres along both sides of the
floodplain of the upper Apalachicola River.
The
proposal chiefly includes lands along the Calhoun-Liberty County
boundary but extends northward along the Jackson-Gadsden County
boundary and southward along the Gulf-Liberty County boundary, for
more than 80 miles of river frontage.
The
proposal fills nearly all of the gaps among the many state, local,
and private conservation lands and existing Florida Forever projects
that have been established along the upper Apalachicola River
floodplain through decades of conservation efforts.
The
land is privately owned, and is mostly undeveloped.
It
consists predominantly of heavily forested wetlands, chiefly
floodplain swamp and alluvial forest.
It
is being offered to the state for conservation easement that will
permit continued timber harvest and hunting activities.
Friday's
vote was only the first step in acquirring the land for protection,
the project will require more consideration before it recieves a
final vote from the cabinet.
You
can find out more here:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/ARC/Meetings/2017/2017_0616/Item%203%202017-2%20Proposals%20First%20Vote.pdf
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