Stop the Guana River WMA Swap

Florida’s public lands are once again at risk of a heist, and we need YOUR help! The Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) is considering a request by a private-landowner applicant, listed as The Upland LLC, to swap 600 acres of public land in the Guana River Wildlife Management Area for several parcels of unsimilar habitat throughout the state. The applicant claims that this will provide a ‘net conservation benefit’. We disagree. The coastal parcel they propose to swap serves as recreational space for Floridians to enjoy and contains rapidly disappearing coastal hammock habitats, marshes that provide habitat and resilience, and flatwoods for our gopher tortoises. This swap would create irreversible habitat destruction at the expense of Floridians and to benefit a private developer. 

This area is part of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve and has been protected since its public purchase in 1984. Acquired under the landmark Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) program, this parcel was funded by Florida taxpayers and intended to be protected forever. Yet without meaningful public notice, this land exchange was quietly added to the May 21, 2025 Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) agenda, bypassing public trust and limiting the opportunity for Floridians to weigh in. 

Send an email to ARC – ARC members are meeting on May 21 to vote on this reckless proposal—and they need to hear from YOU.  

Show up – Your presence matters. Come out and show your support for conservation. 

• Friday, May 16 – Poster Making Party at Spinster Abbotts (5:30-8:00 pm) 
  • Some supplies will be provide, but bring supplies to share if you can.

• Saturday, May 17 – Rally/Protest led by Save Anastasia State Park Group (9:00-11:30 am)
  • Intersection of A1A N and Mickler’s Road 
  • Bring a sign to wave and water to drink (it will be hot!!) 
  • Parking at Mickler’s Landing 

• Tuesday, May 20 – St. Johns County Commission Meeting (starts at 5:00 pm)   
  • Let the St. Johns County Commission know you oppose the swap during public comment.
  • St. Johns County Auditorium – 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, 32084 
  • sjcfl.us/bcc-calendar

Decision Time – Make your voice heard on decision day!

The final decision is coming soon. We’ll keep you updated on transportation options. 

• Wednesday, May 21 – Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) Meeting (9:00 am-12:00 pm)  
• In person (Tallahassee):
  • Office of Department of Environmental Protection
    Marjory Stoneman Douglas Building. Conference Room 137
    3900 Commonwealth Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32399 
  • Check back for transportation options.

• Can’t make it in-person? Register online: register.gotowebinar.com/register/5567486426165651547 

• Irreplaceable Lands Meant to Be Forever Wild: Guana River WMA was purchased under a precursor to Florida Forever, using taxpayer dollars for permanent protection. Approving this exchange undermines the principle of land bought for conservation—FOREVER.   
• Net Conservation Value Isn’t Just Acreage: The state claims a 5:1 trade as a “net gain.” But this is a flawed and dangerous argument. The Guana River WMA parcel contains rare and threatened coastal habitats—maritime hammock, mesic flatwoods, salt marsh—critical to biodiversity and climate resilience. You can’t swap 600 acres of coastal lands for thousands of fragmented inland parcels and pretend it’s a “win.”  

• Public Access Will Be Lost: Guana River WMA provides public hunting, hiking, paddling, and wildlife viewing. This access will be permanently eliminated, despite claims that recreation will be added elsewhere.  

• It Sets a Precedent We Cannot Afford: This is not just about 600 acres. It’s about opening the door for future swaps of conservation lands—eroding one of the nation’s premier land conservation programs through a slippery accounting maneuver. Your favorite place to recreate or visit could be next.   

• Backroom Decision-Making Without Public Oversight: This major land swap—affecting public lands bought with taxpayer dollars—was quietly added to the ARC agenda, overlaps with another agency meeting, and provides minimal time for meaningful input.