The Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) is currently accepting applications for conservation land acquisition projects for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1. The project applications are due July 31.
SRWMD acquires the lands for water quality protection, flood control, water supply sustainability and natural resource conservation. Most District land purchases are located along streams, headwaters, rivers and water recharge areas. The acquisition of these lands prevents potential harmful impacts that could be caused by future development and helps SRWMD in its mission to preserve and protect the water resources of North Central Florida.
SRWMD’s primary focus is the purchase of conservation easements. The easements will allow landowners to maintain ownership of their property while the District purchases the land use rights, prohibiting residential and/or commercial development and other land use rights that may impact natural resources.
Land purchases are prioritized based on multiple factors, which include the extent to which the lands protect water resources, such as springs, wetlands and streams; provide flood protection; may support water resource development projects; are adjacent to other SRWMD lands; or enhance current land management activities.
The Governing Board will rank the applications that meet the SRWMD primary objectives and funding is limited to only the top-ranked land projects that will be pursued. SRWMD will not pursue applications that do not meet the District’s primary focus areas.
Residents are required to provide a per-acre asking price on the application. Acquisitions are based on the appraised value of a piece of property, with the District typically offering around 90% of the appraised value.
For the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 funding year, residents interested in the District’s lands program must apply by July 31. Applications will be accepted after that date but will only be considered for future funding cycles.
Interested parties can visit https://srwmd.org/73/Acquisition for more information or to submit an application.