Putnam County farmland permanently protected through Florida conservation easement deal
A large chunk of land in Putnam County is safe from development through a new conservation deal.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that the Etoniah Creek Tract, located east of Etoniah Creek State Forest near Bardin, has been preserved through a $1,130,000 easement.
The approximately 390-acre cattle and timber operation features pasture, forested uplands, wetlands, and planted timber and provides a vegetated buffer for the bordering Etoniah creek.
About one-third of the property is projected to develop by 2040 in the UF development projections, according to the agricultural department. This property overlaps a strategic corridor within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
The conservation easement was made possible through the state's Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP), which allows the state to purchase the development rights to agricultural lands to protect them and their natural resources from future urban development. The state also works with participating farmers and ranchers to ensure their production practices are sustainable for their businesses.
“Florida’s future depends on our ability to protect the land that feeds, fuels, and supports our state, and that starts with keeping working lands in production,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “At a time when growth and outside pressures are threatening to reshape Florida, this program ensures our agricultural lands stay in the hands of Florida families, strengthens our domestic food supply, and protects the natural resources that make this state strong and self-reliant.”
Along with the Putnam County land, the state also announced two more easements for timber operations in Madison County: MAS Pines and Palustris Partners.
You can view current program participants and potential participants on the state's interactive map.