District approves purchase of additional conservation lands in Clay County

PALATKA, Fla., Aug. 9, 2022 — Today, the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Governing Board approved two land purchases that will add an additional 101 acres to the Bayard Conservation Area in Clay County. The two properties are being sold to the District by Virginia Hall and J.P. Hall III and will help provide critical protection to an area that has routinely suffered from flooding. The increased conservation acreage will also provide additional shoreline stabilization of the St. Johns River.

Cypress trees along the St. Johns River at Bayard Conservation Area.

The lands were acquired using a combination of District funds and grant monies received from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Resilient Florida Program. In October 2021, the District submitted detailed grant applications for 12 projects for inclusion in the Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan that DEP must present annually to the Legislature. Six projects were approved, including the acquisition of the Bayard Point properties.

These purchases are part of a larger Bayard Point Land Acquisition Project that involves acquiring up to 266 acres of floodplain wetlands in the surrounding area for floodwater storage. The District is continuing discussion with the surrounding property owners for the preservations of the remaining 165 acres.

“I’m thankful to the Board, Gov. DeSantis and our state partners for helping the District acquire these properties,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Mike Register. “Through a collective effort, we have been able to provide critical regional flood protection, protect important wildlife habitat, and further our conservation efforts.”

The Bayard Conservation Area is comprised of several parcels totaling 10,388 acres within the Lower St. Johns River Basin, which is the portion of the river that flows north of Welaka to the river’s mouth at Mayport. The property was originally purchased in 1992 using funding from Preservation 2000 and mitigation donations and is now home to numerous wildlife, including the protected gopher tortoise and bald eagle.

As a part of the agreement with the sellers, the property will be renamed J.P. Hall Bayard Point Conservation Area.

For information about the J.P. Hall Bayard Point Conservation Area and the District’s conservation efforts, visit www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/list/.