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Presentation by Putnam Land Conservancy Regarding Ridge Manor Gap Project
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BRIEF OVERVIEW
Located in the Ridge Manor area of Hernando County, Florida, the Ridge Manor Gap project area sits between two disjunct tracts of the Withlacoochee State Forest - the Richloam Tract to the east and the Croom Tract to the west. Ridge Manor Gap is bordered to the north by the Little Withlacoochee River and to the west by the Withlacoochee River, and the area was platted into thousands of very small parcels in the 1960s and 70s.
The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation has identified Ridge Manor gap as one of multiple critical unprotected gaps in the Corridor. The Foundation identifies these gaps as essential areas to protect due to their high conservation value and because their protection is essential to ensure that the Corridor is not permanently severed. These critical gaps present unique land protection challenges because, like the Ridge Manor Gap, they typically comprise large numbers of very small parcels and are therefore under high development pressure.
The Ridge Manor Gap project is a partnership between Putnam Land Conservancy (PLC) and the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation with the goal of developing and implementing a land protection strategy that can be applied to conserve Ridge Manor and other critical, highly parcelized gaps in the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No financial impact at time of discussion.
LEGAL NOTE
The Board is authorized to act upon this matter pursuant to Chapter 125, Florida Statutes.
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RECOMMENDATION
For information purposes only; no action is required from the Board.