Land Acquired by The Nature Conservancy to Create Continuous Corridor to Support Healthy Habitats and Safe Pathways for Wildlife
Eastern indigo snake
Gopher tortoise
ATLANTA, GA — Timberland Investment Resources, LLC (TIR) announced today that it has completed a forestland transaction involving 758 acres in Northern Florida with a partnership that included The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a national conservation group, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. TNC intends to integrate the property into Torreya State Park, creating a connection with its Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve to enhance wildlife corridors and safeguard habitats. The purchase price was not disclosed.
The lands sold had previously been identified by the state of Florida as providing unique habitat for important native plant communities and wildlife species including the gopher tortoises, eastern indigo snakes, and black bears, among others. “Connecting the Cola River property with other conserved lands is important for wildlife, collaborative land management, and the continued restoration of the historic range of longleaf pine habitats,” said TNC in its profile on the transaction.
“We are pleased to see these lands acquired and protected for future generations to enjoy and for protecting important ecosystems in the Apalachicola River watershed,” said Craig Seaman, TIR’s Director of Dispositions.
During the due diligence phase of its acquisition of the property, TIR recognized the unique environmental attributes of the 758 acres based on information provided by the state. As a result, the firm had been collaborating with conservation groups to ensure their permanent protection.
As a fiduciary on behalf of a global clientele that consists of institutional investors, like public and private pension funds, university endowments and charitable organizations, TIR is precluded by law from donating land outright for environmental protection or other public purposes. However, it actively seeks to sell conservation easements and fee-simple ownership rights to lands that have unique environmental or recreational characteristics.
This work is accomplished through its “Conservation Asset Monetization Program,” which has helped protect nearly 70,000 acres nationwide through almost 50 separate transactions while also generating nearly $115 million in proceeds for the firm’s clients.
“We see this transaction and our broader Conservation Asset Monetization Program as representing win-win outcomes—benefiting our clients and furthering important conservation values,” stated Seaman.
