North Florida Land Trust has received a donation of land along Black Creek and Doctors Lake

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Dec. 27, 2017 - PRLog -- North Florida Land Trust has received a donation of 388 acres of land in Clay County along Black Creek and Doctors Lake. South Doctors Lake, Ltd. gave the property, which has high conservation value, to the land conservation organization. The property is in Fleming Island and Middleburg and is adjacent to the nonprofit's Black Creek Preservation Priority Area.

"We are grateful to the realtor for reaching out to us to offer the donation of this land, which is a floodplain forest that contributes to water quality preservation and stands as a buffer against increased flooding," said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. "The preservation of this parcel of land is vital to the health of Black Creek."

Black Creek is an important tributary to the St. Johns River and is remarkable both for its wide and healthy swamps, as well as the steep bluffs and ravines towering above its banks. It is also home to the Black Creek crayfish, a State-designated threatened species endemic to the area.

During their assessment of the land, the NFLT team found an abundance of trash and debris from recent storms and recreational boaters. NFLT hopes to hold a trash cleanup in the future to help maintain the health of the creek.

McCarthy said preserving this land is not only good for Black Creek and Doctors Lake, but it will also have economic benefits by acting as a natural buffer against flooding. NFLT's Preservation Portfolio identified the most valuable 112,346 acres of land in Northeast Florida which provide significant ecosystem services, which are defined as services provided by the natural environment that would otherwise cost money. The Black Creek Preservation Priority Area consists of 5,000 acres in critical need of preservation.

About North Florida Land Trust

North Florida Land Trust is a non-profit organization who serves as a champion of environmental protection primarily in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Union and Volusia counties. NFLT was founded in 1999 and has protected thousands of acres of environmentally significant land including property at Big Talbot Island, the River Branch Preserve, Pumpkin Hill State Park, Moccasin Slough, along the St. Mary's River and other valued natural areas predominantly in Northeast Florida. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with private landowners and other public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations.  For more information, visit www.northfloridalandtrust.org.