The Alachua County Land Conservation and Management Program will host a public meeting on Thursday, May 18, 2023, to discuss the proposed Management Plans for the Orange Lake Preserve and Pithlachocco Preserve. The meeting is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Alachua Conservation Trust’s Prairie Creek Lodge (7204 SE CR 234 Gainesville).
This meeting allows citizens to learn about the proposed Management Plans for the Preserves, including the maintenance and restoration of the natural communities, invasive exotic plant management strategies, use of prescribed fire, forest resource management strategies, and more.
Citizen input can be given at the meeting by submitting written comments to
LandConservation@alachuacounty.us or by hard copy to: Alachua County Land Conservation and Management Program, 408 West University Avenue, Suite 106, Gainesville, FL 32601.
Pithlachocco Preserve is located approximately 2.5 miles southeast of the intersection of State Road 20 and State Road 26, just south of Lake Shore Drive, on the east side of State Road 20.
Pithlachocco Preserve is a 27.14-acre nature preserve located in eastern Alachua County on State Road 20, between Lakeshore Drive and Powers Park, near Gainesville. The Alachua County Forever Program purchased the preserve in three separate acquisitions; between March 2007 and April 2014.
Orange Lake Preserve is a 29.17-acre nature preserve near Cross Creek in southeastern Alachua County, between Orange Lake and Lochloosa Lake. Orange Lake Preserve is located approximately 7.5 miles south of State Road 20, on the west side of County Road 325. The preserve was acquired through two generous donations.
For more information or a full copy of the draft Management Plan for both preserves, contact Alachua County Senior Environmental Specialist Scott Crosby at 352-213-0024 or
LandConservation@alachuacounty.us.