(1) Duval County is experiencing rapid growth, jeopardizing the area’s long-term ecological health. Threats include residential and commercial runoff, development on large tracts of forestland, increased population and growth in industry and agriculture. To address the area’s conservation needs, the city of Jacksonville implemented the Preservation Project, which resulted in the protection of more than 50,000 conservation acres. With this great accomplishment came the challenge of managing the lands under different ownerships. As part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, the Islands Initiative faces specific challenges that range from overlapping boundaries with public and private entities to inappropriate land use encroachments and lack of clarity on submerged land ownership.

(2) In 1999, the National Park Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the city of Jacksonville entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on multiple levels to protect this valuable resource. A product of this agreement was the creation of the Timucuan Trail State and National Parks partnership. As part of the largest park system in the nation this partnership provided a model for additional opportunities for collaboration.

The Nature Conservancy, City of Jacksonville, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, National Park Service, Florida Inland Navigation District, North Florida Land Trust, St. Johns River Water Management District, US Forest Service, River Branch Foundation and others.

• The Nature Conservancy acquired the Island Initiative properties located within the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve boundary in 2002. The project includes 77 maritime hammock and midden islands, and 9,500 acres of saltmarsh. This acquisition resulted in the addition of  a total of 35,000 acres of conservation lands within the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

   

• A unique park cooperative of the city, state, National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy forming the largest urban park system (80,000+ acres) in the nation.

   

• To date, three cooperative agreements for management of the area have been signed. Two new management partnership MOUs for the Timucuan/Pumpkin Hill;  cooperative acquisition and land management strategies including island restoration, prescribed fire management and invasive species removal.

   

• The partners continue to work with the city of Jacksonville to make the now largest park system in the nation -- the best park system in the nation.