Florida Forever Acquisition Protects Little Orange Creek Conservation Easement, Strengthening Florida Wildlife Corridor Connectivity

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP),
through the Florida Forever program, has closed on the acquisition of a conservation easement
over the 2,974-acre Little Orange Creek LLC property in Putnam County, permanently
protecting a key landscape of water resources, wildlife habitat, and working forests.

The acquisition, which closed earlier this month, was facilitated by the Putnam Land
Conservancy, a local nonprofit land trust that worked closely with the landowners and the State
of Florida to advance the project from initial concept through closing. Funding for the easement
was approved by Florida’s Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund in 2025.

The Little Orange Creek conservation easement plays a critical role in landscape connectivity,
helping to link conserved lands within the Ocala National Forest-to-Osceola National Forest
segment of the Florida Wildlife Corridor with Little Orange Creek Nature Park and Preserve
in Alachua County. By filling an important gap in the regional conservation network, the
project strengthens wildlife movement and ecological resilience across northeast Florida.

“Putnam Land Conservancy was proud to facilitate this Florida Forever acquisition” said Willy
the Losen, Director of Putnam Land Conservancy. “This conservation project permanently
protects lands that are essential for wildlife habitat and connectivity, clean water, and sustainable
land use in our region. We thank the landowners for their cooperation and persistence, and the
FDEP staff for making this happen.”

The conserved property protects the water quality of Little Orange Creek, a tributary of the
Ocklawaha River, as well as numerous lakes within and bordering the property. In addition
to safeguarding wetlands and surface waters, the entire property contributes significantly to
aquifer recharge, supporting the long-term health of Florida’s groundwater resources.

The property will remain in private ownership, with the landowners continuing active
stewardship of the land. The landowners are engaged in large-scale restoration of longleaf pine sandhill habitat, one of Florida’s most imperiled ecosystems. These restoration efforts—
including prescribed fire and sustainable forest management—are designed to benefit native
wildlife while maintaining the land as productive working forest.

“Our goal is to restore healthy longleaf pine sandhill ecosystems across the property using
prescribed fire and thoughtful forest management, so the land can better support native wildlife
while remaining a working landscape,” said the landowners.

The property provides habitat for a wide range of rare and imperiled species, including Florida
black bear, gopher tortoise, numerous snake species, and migratory and resident birds such as
the Florida sandhill crane, the wood stork, and bald eagles. The conservation easement
ensures that these ecological values are permanently protected while allowing for the continued
sustainable management of natural resources such as timber.

Florida Forever is the state’s premier land conservation program, protecting lands that support
clean water, wildlife habitat, agriculture, and outdoor recreation. Conservation easements enable
private landowners to retain ownership of their land while permanently limiting development to
protect important natural and agricultural resources.

Putnam Land Conservancy works throughout North Florida to conserve natural, agricultural, and
working lands through voluntary, landowner-driven conservation agreements and partnerships
with state and local agencies.

For more information, contact:

Putnam Land Conservancy
Willy the Losen
Conservation Director
386-336-5400
[email protected]
www.putnamlandconservancy.org

Aerial Photos by Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
Map by Angeline Meeks/Live Wildly