Celebrating the Donation of Ecologically Sensitive Land: A Win for the North Florida Land Trust

Thick vegetation covers the land near the Summer Haven homes, and the tides shape the area every day. Now, four acres of this sensitive coastline have a new future. St. Johns Wildlife Care Inc. donated the land to the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT), putting it in the hands of people dedicated to conservation. You’ll find this patch, a salt marsh tucked just west of Summer Haven, in the Matanzas Inlet Beach subdivision.

Walk through the property and you’re surrounded by black mangrove, southern red cedar, oak, Indian blanket flower, sabal palm—plants adapted to the constant tug of salt and tide. NFLT leaders say keeping the land wild gives local wildlife a real shot at thriving. They’re not just talking about birds or fish, but the entire tangled web of creatures that need this habitat.

“This land sits in a spot every developer has their eye on,” said Allison DeFoor, who leads the NFLT. “Thankfully, the owners saw what’s truly valuable—nature, not more rooftops. We’re grateful they trusted us to care for it. There’s no time to waste. This win matters for the whole community.”

This property fits right into NFLT’s broader goals. Their Salt Marsh and Climate Resilience Priority Preservation Area targets places exactly like this—coastal marshes that do more than just sit pretty. They anchor local ecosystems and deliver real benefits to people living nearby.

There’s a practical angle, too. These marshes form a natural barrier, buffering nearby neighborhoods from tidal surges and flooding when hurricanes hit or King Tides roll in. Just recently, those unusually high tides battered parts of Florida’s coast. Protecting land like this helps soften the blow.

NFLT plans to install signs marking the new protected area near Matanzas Inlet, at the county’s southern tip. Volunteers will soon get to work, cleaning up debris and making sure the place stays healthy as the land changes hands.