Save Guana WMA

Save Guana WMA

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The State just tried to quietly sneak through an outrageous land swap that threatens one of the most ecologically valuable places in our watershed: the Guana River Wildlife Management Area. With only one week's notice, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) released an agenda for a surprise meeting next week, proposing to hand over a prime piece of conservation land in St. Johns County to private hands—almost certainly for development.

Let’s be clear: this land has been protected for decades using your taxpayer dollars. Now they want to give away over 600 acres of coastal paradise ...

The State just tried to quietly sneak through an outrageous land swap that threatens one of the most ecologically valuable places in our watershed: the Guana River Wildlife Management Area. With only one week's notice, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) released an agenda for a surprise meeting next week, proposing to hand over a prime piece of conservation land in St. Johns County to private hands—almost certainly for development.

Let’s be clear: this land has been protected for decades using your taxpayer dollars. Now they want to give away over 600 acres of coastal paradise containing salt marsh, maritime hammocks and pine flatwoods. Gopher tortoise habitat, hiking trails, hunting grounds, and pristine wetlands—gone, for vague promises of “other parcels” somewhere else. The swap is light on details and heavy on threats: more development and degraded water quality in Guana Lake, lost wildlife habitat, and a dangerous precedent that puts all of Florida’s conservation lands at risk.

This isn’t just a bad deal—it’s a betrayal. Conservation land isn’t something you trade away when a developer shows up with a flashy offer. It’s time to raise hell and tell the state: you don’t get to quietly sell off our wild spaces. Not now. Not ever. Join us in demanding that the State reject this disgraceful proposal outright.

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Tell ARC not to give away our conservation land

The first step in the process for the state to get rid of conservation land is for a meeting a vote by the Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC). The Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) is a 10-member group comprised of four state agency representatives, four Gubernatorial appointees, one Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission appointee, and one Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services appointee.

Send an email to the ARC board telling them NOT to approve the land swap to give away over 600 acres of land in the Guana Wildlife Management Area. 

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Compose your email

Email Tips +

  • Clearly state the ask (Example: "Do NOT give away this land because...")
  • Share why Guana WMA is special and important to you. 
  • Keep it short. There is no need to write a whole essay. A few sentences will do. 
  • Make it personal. Elected officials tend to ignore emails that are copied and pasted from 100s of people. Add a personal touch like a story or how this bill would impact your community.