North Florida gets new protected land in Columbia County

Columbia County land among 2 new Florida Forever land acquisitions

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved two Florida Forever land acquisitions and agreed to acquire a conservation easement that will protect Florida’s fragile natural environments in Manatee, Sarasota and Columbia counties.

A Columbia County 17-acre land parcel is set to get new protection benefiting Santa Fe River, as DeSantis and the state Cabinet will expand the Florida Forever project with a land acquisition near the River Rise Preserve State Park.

Recommended Videos



Columbia Spring, located on the subject parcel, is where a portion of the Santa Fe River emerges from underground. Acquisition of this parcel will protect the prominent hydrological features of the Santa Fe River system, Columbia Spring and its spring-run stream.

The governor and the Cabinet also approved an additional Florida Forever land acquisition in Sarasota County, as well as a conservation easement over approximately 559 acres in Manatee County.

The properties acquired will be managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).


About the Author

After covering the weather from every corner of Florida and doing marine research in the Gulf, Mark Collins settled in Jacksonville to forecast weather for The First Coast.

Recommended Videos