Santa Fe River Conservation Corridor expands with protection of 40 additional acres

The Alachua Conservation Trust recently acquired 40 acres along the Santa Fe River Corridor in Gilchrist County.

Courtesy of ACT

Key Points

The Santa Fe River Conservation Corridor has expanded by 40 acres following the latest land acquisition by Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) and a conservation-minded landowner committed to protecting Florida’s natural resources.

ACT recently purchased the Gilchrist County property, located less than a quarter mile from the confluence of the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee rivers, according to an ACT press release. The tract includes more than 1,400 feet of frontage along the 75-mile Santa Fe River and features high bluffs overlooking a small beach area. The land is now permanently protected as part of a growing network of conservation lands managed by ACT and its partners.

The acquisition was made possible through collaboration with the property’s owner, who originally purchased the two tracts with the intention of preserving them for future generations. The landowner donated a portion of the property’s value to ACT, allowing the nonprofit organization to move quickly to secure the purchase.

ACT also used contributions from its 2026 Amazing Give campaign to offset part of the acquisition costs and plans to continue fundraising throughout the year to pay off the remaining balance.

ACT recently purchased the Gilchrist County property, located less than a quarter mile from the confluence of the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee rivers. Courtesy of ACT — Courtesy of ACT ACT recently purchased the Gilchrist County property, located less than a quarter mile from the confluence of the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee rivers.

Beyond its scenic qualities, the property provides significant ecological benefits. Mature oak forests and an open understory serve as vital floodplain storage during periods of high water, helping reduce flood impacts while supporting diverse wildlife habitats.

The forested wetlands provide refuge for migratory and wading birds, turtles and deer. The Santa Fe River itself supports numerous freshwater species, including alligators, manatees, mussels and fish, and is home to one of the world’s greatest diversities of turtle species.

“We are immensely grateful to the landowner of this property, who reached out to ACT about protecting this land after working with our organization previously,” said Heather Obara, ACT’s associate director, said in a press release. “Their careful stewardship of this property and long-term commitment to seeing it preserved has resulted in a big win for the Santa Fe River and the springs and wildlife that depend upon a healthy ecosystem to flourish. Not only is this part of the river now protected from being developed in the future, it will help buffer existing nearby homes from flooding by storing water when the river rises.”

The purchase follows another recent conservation success for ACT. In March, the organization protected 20 acres along the Santa Fe River that included two fourth-magnitude springs and a 150-foot spring run. The newly acquired property lies just over two river miles and is approximately a 10-minute drive from those conservation lands.

Nearby protected areas include the Fort White Wildlife and Environmental Area, managed by the Suwannee River Water Management District, and Ichetucknee Springs State Park.

For more than 38 years, ACT has worked to conserve land throughout North Central Florida, with the Santa Fe River serving as one of its primary focus areas. The organization has helped preserve numerous properties along the river, including the 195-acre Little Awesome Preserve, the 563-acre Sawdust Spring property and the 1,067-acre Santa Fe River Preserve.

Many of ACT’s Santa Fe River properties are open to the public and offer opportunities for passive recreation, including hiking, biking and paddling. Several paddling takeouts along the river have been developed in partnership with the Florida Paddling Trails Association.