The County is seeking one individual to serve on the Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Committee. Candidates should, at a minimum, have skills, expertise, or demonstrable experience that relates to the acquisition of lands in one of the following areas:

• Natural resource management and biology
• Agriculture and forestry
• Community Planning
• Environmental engineering or civil engineering where work has been in stormwater or green infrastructure projects
• Environmental regulations, land use law, or commercial real estate in so far that has dealt in vacant, rural lands

 
For more information about the CLAM program, click on the following link:  https://www.nassaucountyfl.com/1283/Conservation-Land-Acquisition-Management

If you have specific questions about the CLAM program or the role of the Committee, please contact Brandy Carvalho at (904) 530-6019 or via email at [email protected]. 

To apply, please click here. Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2025.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
 
Contact: Kelly White, (904) 616-8754, [email protected] or
Sabrina Robertson, Nassau County PIO, (904) 530-6010, [email protected]
 
Nassau County’s Atlantic to Okefenokee Conservation Corridor Approved as Florida Forever Project
Nassau County and the North Florida Land Trust worked together to get the conservation corridor accepted on the Florida Forever Priority List

The Atlantic to Okefenokee Conservation Corridor, more than 55,000 acres of potential conservation land known as the A2O, has been granted a significant approval. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) has approved the A2O for inclusion on the Florida Forever Project List. Nassau County and North Florida Land Trust (NFLT), long-time partners in conservation, worked together on the proposal to ARC to consider adding the critical corridor to the priority list.
 
The A2O stretches from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to the west, with 55,864 acres that NFLT and Nassau County hope to preserve. The corridor incorporates the John M. Bethea State Forest, Osceola Wildlife Management Area, and the Osceola State Forest complex. The St. Marys River also unifies it at its northern boundary. The river is ecologically, recreationally, and historically significant and a critical habitat for the Atlantic sturgeon, a federally listed endangered species.
 
“This is a big deal for conservation, and one of the largest expansions of the Florida Forever list that we have seen,” said Allison DeFoor, President and CEO of NFLT. “Making it to this list brings us just a step closer to preserving property and saving some of real Florida for our grandchildren and generations beyond. We are grateful for the inclusion on the Florida Forever priority list and are hopeful the Governor and Cabinet will approve funding for acquisitions within this significant conservation corridor.”
 
“This is a huge accomplishment for Nassau County and our residents, who deeply value nature and conservation,” said Brandy Carvalho, Director of Strategic Advancement & Economic Resources for Nassau County. “Augmenting our already robust Conservation Land Acquisition and Management program, the A2O is another innovative approach the Nassau County BOCC has initiated to protect vulnerable and valuable land in Nassau County for generations to come.”
 
The A2O completes a 90,000-acre conservation corridor in the southern watershed along 80 miles of the St. Marys River, more than doubling the acres of existing conservation lands near its boundaries. The conservation corridor includes more than 1,200 acres that the State has already identified as necessary additions to Ralph E. Simmons State Forest and Ft. Clinch Preserve State Park.
 
The A2O includes many extremely important lands for Florida’s ecosystems, including underrepresented natural communities, natural floodplains, priority aquifer recharge lands, fragile coastal resources, and rare species priority areas. Nearly 12,000 acres in the A2O are listed as priorities for Nassau County’s Conservation Land Acquisition and Management program, also known as CLAM. NFLT worked with Nassau County to identify, rank, and assess conservation lands for acquisition and management. Nassau County is the 9th fastest growing Florida County and faces the threat of development on these ecologically significant lands.
 
In addition to its environmental significance, the A2O corridor also holds historical importance. The land once served as settlements for American Indian nations like the Timucuans, Uchees, and Muskogees, as well as the Gullah Geechee nation. The A2O and St. Marys were important residential, foraging, and fishing areas for the populations, and the northern boundary of the river was part of the St. Marys River Paddling Trail. The A2O also has sites used in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War.
 
The next step will be approval by the ARC Board of Trustees before the acquisition of properties or conservation easements within the A2O appears before the Governor and Cabinet for funding approval, most likely next year.
 
Nassau County and NFLT will continue to work together to implement the A2O project.
 
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.
 

6/12/24 @ 9:00 a.m. - Nassau County staff, in partnership with the North Florida Land Trust, has been busy working towards land acquisition for the Conservation Land Acquisition Management (CLAM) Program. This includes two properties within the Lofton Creek Watershed that were ranked in the top 15 CLAM priority projects. These properties are important because they offer protection to Lofton Creek, an Outstanding Florida Water, and to the headwaters and marshes of the Nassau River-St. Johns River Marshes Aquatic Preserve.
 
As part of the due diligence process, Director of Strategic Advancement Brandy Carvalho, representatives from the North Florida Land Trust, District Three Commissioner Jeff Gray, and the property owners participated in the appraisal site visits. Should the County move forward with acquisition, the properties would be designated as conservation lands in accordance with the adopted CLAM Manual & Conservation Plan adopted in January 2021. Potential public benefits of acquiring these properties include minimizing future storm surge and flooding vulnerabilities and the provision of recreational opportunities in the form of kayak launches, viewing platforms and trails. 

All CLAM related documents including the meeting schedule, adopted CLAM Manual & Conservation Plan, nomination forms, priority projects list, CLAM Resource Ranking Map, meeting agendas and minutes, and more can be found here. The CLAM Committee is an advisory committee to the Board of County Commissioners and has no final approval authority.  Its role is to review the programmatic details of the CLAM Program and make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners as a committee of expert advisors. The Board of County Commissioners maintains authority to make all final decisions of the execution of potential acquisitions.

If you have any questions, please contact Brandy Carvalho at (904) 530-6019 or via email at [email protected] 

5/9/24 @ 8:30 a.m. - On Monday, May 6, 2024, the County hosted an Open House regarding the Conservation Land Acquisition Management (CLAM) Program, specifically as it relates to Nassau County's top ranked project, Piney Island. Nearly 75 people attended to learn more about the overall CLAM program and to ask questions about the County's proposed use of the Piney Island property, should it move forward with acquisition. 

If you unable to attend, you can still find all the information on our CLAM website. This page includes all previous meeting agendas, minutes, staff reports, maps, and the approved list of priority project. It also contains an FAQ page about CLAM and another FAQ page specific to the Piney Island Property. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Strategic Advancement at (904) 530-6010, Option 7, or email [email protected]. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

4/19/24 @ 9:00 p.m. - On Monday, May 6, 2024, the County will host an Open House to provide information to residents on an opportunity to conserve land on Piney Island. The Open House will take place at the James S. Page Governmental Complex located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee. FL. Drop by any time between 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. to learn more about this initiative, as well as the overall CLAM Program.

Background: 
In January 2021, the Board of County Commissioners adopted the Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Program for identifying, ranking and assessing lands for potential acquisition by the County for conservation purposes.

In addition, the voters of Nassau County approved a referendum in the November 2022 to allow the County to issue a bond up to $30 million to help fund the program.

This Award Winning Program will help us preserve and conserve the County’s natural, historic and working lands by providing funding and other opportunities to secure potential properties.

A website containing commonly asked questions and answers related to the CLAM Program has been created. It also contains information specific to the potential acquisition of the property at Piney Island. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Strategic Advancement at (904) 530-6010, Option 7.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

​2/24/23 @ 8:45 a.m. 

The County is seeking one individual to serve on the Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Committee. Candidates should, at a minimum, have skills, expertise, or demonstrable experience that relates to the acquisition of lands in one of the following areas:

• Natural resource management and biology
• Agriculture and forestry
• Community Planning
• Environmental engineering or civil engineering where work has been in stormwater or green infrastructure projects
• Environmental regulations, land use law, or commercial real estate in so far that has dealt in vacant, rural lands

 
For more information about the CLAM program, click on the following link:  https://www.nassaucountyfl.com/1283/Conservation-Land-Acquisition-Management

If you have specific questions about the CLAM program or the role of the Committee, please contact Holly Coyle at (904) 530-6010 or by email at [email protected].

To apply, please click here. Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2023. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

1/18/23 @ 10:00 a.m. 

During the most recent Florida Planning & Zoning Association’s Awards Banquet, the Board of County Commissioners won a total of 3 awards for several Nassau County projects and initiatives, further demonstrating the County’s commitment to building a resilient, sustainable, and people-centric future that prioritizes quality of life and quality of place.
 
The First Coast Chapter of the Florida Planning & Zoning Association (FPZA) is a fourteen-member board of directors that annually nominates specific awards throughout the Northeast Florida region. Board member, Sarah King, stated, “Every year, an award chairman and a four-person committee are selected to review and verify that all the nominated projects meet the specific award criteria. With several projects being reviewed, the committee is responsible for selecting and nominating the award winners for each category to the full board of directors for final approval. This process is vetted to the entire board and not every submittal is guaranteed the award. FPZA is proud to present three outstanding Nassau County projects at our annual awards ceremony.”
 
The first award was an Outstanding Public Participation Award for the American Beach Cultural Heritage Experience Enhancement Initiative which was designed to capture the essence, protect the sense of plan, honor the rich cultural heritage of the community, and authentically tell the story of American Beach through the built and natural environment.
 
The project began with a survey of existing conditions of the street network, utilities, tree canopy, parks and beaches. This effort was followed by hundreds of hours of community engagement including telephone interviews, online surveys, public workshops, and meetings at American Beach for the purpose of obtaining input from the residents on future enhancement projects that reflect the community’s values. The result was the creation of a long-term visioning plan that provides for public infrastructure enhancements, installation of public water and sewer, paving of roadways, street lighting, installation of historical markers, expansion of the A.L. Lewis Museum, park improvements and resource protection.  
 
The second award was an Outstanding Public Impact Award for the Westside Regional Park. This park is located off US 1 between Callahan and Hilliard and will serve as a centrally accessible park amenity that retains the visceral beauty of the natural environment. The site’s varying ecosystems include pine flatwoods, a freshwater marsh, and hardwood hydric forests which function together as a diverse yet cohesive setting. Spreading over 110 acres, Westside Regional Park will feature a variety of recreational opportunities for residents to enjoy including, but not limited to, outdoor event/green space, community playground, restrooms, multi-use trails, outdoor fitness stations, a fishing pond and multi-purpose fields. The conceptual plan for this park was derived from community input collected through a series of citizen surveys and public outreach events. The Westside Regional Park is currently in the final stages of engineering for Phase One with construction anticipated to begin in the fall of 2023. Upon completion, the Westside Regional Park will be a world-class destination unlike anything Nassau County has ever seen.
 
The third and final award from the Florida Planning & Zoning Association was an Environmental/Natural Resources Award for the County’s Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Program adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on January 25, 2021. The purpose of the CLAM was to preserve and conserve the County’s natural, historic, and working lands resources by identifying, ranking and accessing conservation lands for acquisition and management. An essential tool of the CLAM Program is to create, analyze and manipulate geographic information, known as data layers. These data layers are maps of resources which can be displayed as they overlap and interact, and where different statistical and analytical processes can be applied to better understand a landscape filled with multiple interacting resources.  Nineteen different data layers were selected for consideration, representing different potential conservation resources.  The different data layers all relate to one of the four most common considerations for acquiring conservation land: Water Issues, Habitat and Species Protections, Working Lands, and Outdoor Recreation/Quality of Life.  This map is used to analyze properties being considered for acquisition. By having a CLAM Program in place, the County will increase its ability to further preserve our natural environment and enhance quality of life for our residents. 

County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “I am extremely proud of all the hard work and effort put into these initiatives and for being selected for these three prestigious awards. As Nassau County continues to grow, it is imperative that we have plans in place to accommodate current and future residents while protecting the County’s unique history, culture and natural environment. I feel fortunate to be a part of these initiatives which will benefit the community for many years to come.” 

​

7/8/22 @ 4:55 p.m. - 

From July 24, 2021 through December 31, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners sought nominations from the public for properties to be considered for acquisition by the County for conservation purposes. A total of 750 nominations were received. 

At the May 19, 2022 Conservation Land Acquisition Management (CLAM) Committee, Assistant Planning Director, Holly Coyle, did a presentation on criteria that was used in selecting the properties to be considered. At this time, 30 projects consisting of 173 parcels and 10,000 acres and a total value of $110 million have been recommended.

The CLAM Committee met again on July 6, 2022 to continue discussions regarding staff’s project recommendations and ranking.  Staff provided two alternative ranking recommendations, as well as an estimate of project acquisition timing. To view the July 6th meeting, please click here. 

At the next Committee meeting scheduled for August 2, 2022 at 5:00 p.m., nominators will be given the opportunity to advocate for project submittals. A final ranking recommendation by the Committee is anticipated.

If you have any questions, please contact Economic Resources Coordinator, Holly Coyle, at (904) 530-6010 or via email at [email protected]. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Public Information Officer

6/16/22 @ 2:45 p.m. - 

PROPERTIES TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ACQUISITION

From July 24, 2021 through December 31, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners sought nominations from the public for properties to be considered for acquisition by the County for conservation purposes. A total of 750 nominations were received. 

At the May 19, 2022 Conservation Land Acquisition Management (CLAM) Committee, Assistant Planning Director, Holly Coyle, did a presentation on criteria that was used in selecting the properties to be considered. At this time, 30 projects consisting of 173 parcels and 10,000 acres and a total value of $110 million have been recommended.

To view Ms. Coyle's May 19th presentation, please click here.
To view the staff reports related to each property under consideration, please click here. 

A CLAM Meeting has been tentatively been scheduled for Wednesday, July 6th at 4:00 p.m. to rank the properties and proposals. 

CLAM REFERENDUM

At the May 23, 2022 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners approved a Resolution authorizing placement of a referendum on the ballot for the November 2022 election for residents to vote on whether the County should issue up to $30 million in general obligation bonds for a Conservation Land Acquisition and Management Program. 

If approved by the voters, the bond funding would be used to purchase properties identified by the CLAM Committee for conservation purposes. The proposed Conservation Land Acquisition and Management Program would be subject to oversight and full public disclosure of all bond spending. 

*********************************************************************************************************
If you have any questions about the CLAM, please contact the Planning Department at (904) 530-6300 or email [email protected]. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

3/31/22 @ 10:15 a.m.

PRESS RELEASE

We are pleased to announce that County Manager, Taco Pope, and the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners have been jointly named as Partner of the Year by the North Florida Land Trust for the Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Plan adopted on January 25, 2021. The CLAM was created to provide guidance in the selection of lands to be acquired by the County and set aside for conservation.

Mr. Pope and the Board were recognized at the North Florida Land Trust’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. North Florida Land Trust President, Jim McCarthy, stated, “Nassau County is being recognized for leading the effort in adopting the strategic Conservation Land Acquisition and Management Plan for Nassau County and for preparing for a local land conservation referendum to the voters in November 2022. The process they are following is exemplary in that they are planning for conservation in a rapidly growing county utilizing a commitment to transparency, equity, fiduciary responsibility and scientific integrity. Due to Nassau County’s efforts, they are preserving as much land as possible for wildlife habitat, environmental sustainability, and community resilience”.

According to Mr. McCarthy, to be considered for the title of Partner of the Year, an agency must advance the North Florida Land Trust’s mission in preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida’s irreplaceable natural environment.
 
County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “Adopting the CLAM was a monumental step forward for Nassau County. We’ve had great partners to help us get to this point. With the support of the North Florida Land Trust Board of Directors and staff, we were able to successfully create a program that will guide the County in identifying properties for conservation, planning for acquisition of those properties, and ensuring that the properties are managed sustainably and with appropriate recreational opportunities for the public. We appreciate the guidance they provided us and are honored to have been selected as Partner of the Year”.

To view the adopted CLAM Program, please visit our website.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer