JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve completed the purchase of over 100 acres of undeveloped property on Black Hammock Island in Jacksonville.
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The park partnered with Trust for Public Land to purchase the tract. Together with 241 acres received as part of the Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park, this purchase will ensure that the area will remain in conservation for the public to enjoy. The City of Jacksonville also provided funding support for the land purchase.
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Timucuan superintendent Chris Hughes stressed the importance of acquiring these parcels:
“These areas will now be protected for future generations. The City of Jacksonville, North Florida Land Trust, Trust for Public Land and Florida State Park partners that along with the National Park Service comprise the 7 Creeks Recreation Area will certainly benefit from these additional acres. Adding these parcels would link the existing parks in the 7 Creeks Recreation Area to provide an uninterrupted habitat for wildlife, vegetation, protection and enjoyment of the natural and cultural resources.”
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Hughes went on to say that Black Hammock Island is one of the last undisturbed coastal hammock and marshlands on the Atlantic Coast. The landscape and ecosystem not only provide a home to countless wildlife but also offers protection from extreme weather events like hurricanes and rising sea levels.