North Florida Land Trust and FDEP Preserve More Than 500 Acres in the O2O Wildlife Corridor in Putnam County

Jacksonville, Fla., May 6, 2026 – North Florida Land Trust (NFLT), in coordination with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), has preserved just over 518 acres in Putnam County through the purchase of a conservation easement. The property is within the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor and is surrounded on three sides by the St. Johns River Water Management District's Lake George Conservation Area. NFLT helped facilitate the transaction and FEDP purchased the conservation easement for $1.18 million through the Florida Forever Program.

The 518 acres are owned by the Hoffmeister family, who purchased the property in 1968. It is located approximately a mile outside of Crescent City, nestled between Lake George and Crescent Lake. The land is home to an abundance of wildlife, including deer, turkey, gopher tortoises, wading birds and a nesting pair of bald eagles. Ecosystems within the property include oak hammocks, scrub habitat, natural and improved wetlands and two unnamed tributaries that wind toward Lake George. Nearly half of the acreage is freshwater wetlands.

The Hoffmeister family has used the land as a working cattle ranch since its purchase, and it continues to operate in that tradition today. Portions of the land are leased to local cattlemen, reinforcing the family’s commitment to sustaining Florida’s agricultural heritage. Protecting open space and preserving the natural systems that support ranching has long been central to the Hoffmeisters’ stewardship of the land.

“This property is a beautiful place, and we wanted to keep it protected and free of development so future generations of our family could enjoy and appreciate the nature, wildlife and agriculture on the property,” said Bill Hoffmeister. “We love this land and want it to remain natural forever. Placing a conservation easement on the property allows us to do our part to slow the growth of development in the O2O and protect the aquifer and the many fragile ecosystems found here.”

“The Hoffmeister property is a real gem and a critical piece of land to add to the O2O, building on the conservation areas already in place,” said Allison DeFoor, president and CEO of NFLT. “With the purchase of this conservation easement agreement, this land is protected forever and will never be rooftops. The family can continue to use the property as they have been for decades, and a piece of old Florida has been saved forever.”

The O2O spans 1.6 million acres of public and private land stretching 100 miles between the Ocala and Osceola National Forests. NFLT has made the O2O a core focus of its conservation work and, for years, has led the O2O Wildlife Corridor Partnership, a coalition of organizations committed to protecting and connecting lands throughout the critical landscape.

About North Florida Land Trust

North Florida Land Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida's irreplaceable natural environment. Founded in 1999, NFLT has preserved tens of thousands of acres of land through the donation or purchase of land as well as conservation easements. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with willing landowners and public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit nflt.org.