The Florida Defense Support Commission is giving a sizable grant to the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) to help block any development near Camp Blanding.
The NFLT has been acquiring thousands of acres of property near Camp Blanding in the past decade to preserve the land as much of that property is part of the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) wildlife corridor. The grant from the Defense Support Commission is for $550,000. It’s designed to aid the nonprofit environmental conservation organization in blocking any further development that is deemed “incompatible” near the Camp Blanding preserves near the Joint Training Center.
“This grant will assist us in continuing our work with Camp Blanding, ensuring these lands remain natural spaces, because it is now or never,” said Allison DeFoor, President and CEO of NFLT.
“Camp Blanding is a critical link in the O2O, and conserving the property surrounding the base is both essential for the military and for protecting essential wildlife and plant habitats. We have been able to protect thousands of acres in coordination with Camp Blanding and look forward to conserving even more.”
The defense funding for the NFLT grant is part of a larger $2.6 million that the Commission is providing to state-designated organizations across the state’s military communities.
Some 9,455 acres of land surrounding Camp Blanding, which stretches from Duval County west into the interior of Northeast Florida, have been preserved by the NFLT and other partners since 2016. The Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Integration and Army Compatible Use Buffer programs have been key elements in helping to secure the properties for conservation purposes. In exchange, the NFLT provides 25% matching funds for the acquisitions.
The preservation of the property around Camp Blanding aims to protect wild habitats for endangered species and protect the water supply.
