Stop the Guana Land Swap

Following widespread public opposition, in Northeast Florida and across the state, The Upland LLC withdrew its application for a land swap proposal that would have traded 600 acres of Guana River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) into private ownership in exchange for 4 land parcels in different parts of the state. The application withdrawal means the proposal will not be considered at the Acquisition and Restoration Council's May meeting -- saving vital undeveloped coastal land in Guana River WMA and preventing a disastrous precedent for our protected, public lands throughout Florida.

The land swap proposal was quietly added to the Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) meeting agenda on May 15 with sparse details about the applicant, how the traded land would be used by the private owner, and ecological trade-offs and conservation considerations. Moreover, the ARC – the state committee responsible for overseeing conservation land management and acquisitions – planned to consider the proposal on May 21, less than a week after it was revealed. What was included in the proposal raised red flags for potential development of these 600 acres, and the rushed timeline with minimal opportunity for public input was reminiscent of the reckless development plans for nine of our state parks in late summer 2024.

Surfrider’s First Coast Chapter and Florida network mobilized immediately in opposition to the bad proposal. Guana River Wildlife Management Area (WMA), located in St. Johns County, is an undeveloped coastal haven made up of maritime hammocks, pine flatwoods, and salt marsh. These wild lands provide many opportunities and benefits:

• They are enjoyed by many Floridians for fishing, hiking, paddling, waterfowl hunting, horseback riding, and birdwatching. The area is known as a birdwatching destination, with over 220 species recorded including waterfowl, egrets, herons, roseate spoonbills, and Peregrine falcons.
• This area serves as a critical buffer for flooding and sea level rise, bolstering coastal resiliency in Northeast Florida. 
• The undeveloped lands contribute to water quality through natural filtration of pollutants. 
• The Guana River WMA is in close proximity to Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, a nationally-designated estuary recognized for its ecological significance, and Guana River, an Outstanding Florida Water. The lands and waterways running through Guana River WMA are vital to maintaining the long-term health and ecological functioning of the surrounding waters and estuary.

In the days following the publication of the proposal, countless Surfrider members reached out directly to the ARC members and local legislators opposing the land swap. Surfrider’s twelve chapters and over 130 members and supporters signed on to Surfrider's comment letter opposing the land swap. The First Coast Chapter activated its members to take part in local, on-the-ground opposition to the swap and raise awareness throughout the Northeast Florida community, including the Wild Amelia Environmental Festival on Saturday, May 17.

On Monday, May 19, The Upland LLC officially withdrew its application for the land swap.

We thank our environmental partners in Florida -- especially Audubon Florida for first raising the alarm about this land exchange, as well as Florida Springs Council, Sierra Club Florida, Matanzas Riverkeeper, Sea Turtle Conservancy, Florida Wildlife Federation, Florida Native Plants Society, and Downriver Project -- and the many individuals and local businesses that spoke out against this bad deal for Floridians and for our wild, protected lands.

This land swap proposal presented another serious risk to coastal resilience, water quality, public recreational opportunities, and the goals of Florida’s public land conservation efforts. We celebrate the protection of wild, public lands in Northeast Florida! We will continue to urge state decision-makers and legislators to provide robust funding for the state’s successful programs for conservation lands, like Florida Forever and the Rural & Family Lands Protection Program, which provide thoughtful and deliberate processes for prioritizing and acquiring conservation land. And, we will continue to call for stronger, permanent protections for our wildlife management areas and state forests, so we may protect and enjoy these lands for generations to come.