Alachua County Forever (ACF), the county’s land conservation program, will host a public input workshop on Tuesday, April 15, to discuss future recreational opportunities at Lochloosa Slough Preserve.
The workshop will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Shell Elementary School (21633 SE 65th Ave.) in Hawthorne.
Lochloosa Slough Preserve, a 6,265-acre preserve, is located in the southeast corner of Alachua County, south of Hawthorne.
Attendees are asked to actively participate in conversations about potential recreation plans. County staff will seek input specifically on recreation to be considered for the county’s 10-year Management Plan.
ACF staff will facilitate group conversations at the workshop among community members and various potential user groups. They will discuss the potential nature-based recreational opportunities planned for the preserve. Opportunities will likely include bicycling, hunting, hiking, horseback riding and general nature observation.
“The goal of the meeting is to have people talk to each other in a group setting where they can share what types of recreation they would like to see offered, but also to listen to what other opportunities people may want access to as well,” said ACF Stewardship Coordinator Ryan Kennelly in a press release. “This preserve is well set up to accommodate multiple recreational uses, and County staff want to serve a broad range of users while protecting the preserve’s natural resources.”
For more information, contact Ryan Kennelly at 352-727-0432 or rkennelly@alachuacounty.us.