Pasco County has acquired an additional 127 acres in the Anclote River corridor for a total of $3.2 million as part of its ongoing conservation initiative. This latest purchase is part of the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program which has protected over 8,600 acres since its inception in 2004. The county purchased this property from developer Gary Blackwell despite some online criticism questioning the necessity of spending millions on wetland areas that residents believe could not be developed anyway. ELAMP coordinator Brittany Figueroa explained that acquisitions include various land types including uplands, wetlands, floodplains, and sensitive habitats rather than just undevelopable properties. The program aims to preserve these lands for future generations, visitors, and local wildlife without any development. Earlier this year the county completed one of its largest preservation purchases by acquiring nearly 1,900 acres of the 4G Ranch property in Land O Lakes. Funding for these conservation efforts comes from the Penny for Pasco sales tax with twenty percent dedicated specifically to environmental land acquisition and management activities throughout the region.
Pasco County Continues Environmental Lands Acquisition Efforts With New Purchase
