In the face of a proposed land swap that threatened one of Northeast Florida’s most ecologically significant areas, SHB shareholder John Wallace urged members of the state’s Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) to reject a proposal that risked setting a dangerous precedent for conservation lands.
In a 10-page letter, Wallace called attention to a proposed exchange that would have traded 600 acres of protected land within the Guana River Wildlife Management Area for approximately 3,000 acres scattered across other parts of the state — none of which were comparable in biodiversity, cultural significance or ecological value.
A Northeast Florida native, lifelong outdoorsman and attorney who represents developers and other private interests in environmental matters, Wallace highlighted inconsistencies between the ARC recommendations and Guana’s long-established management plan, which calls for the area to be preserved and expanded.
“The board of trustees is a fiduciary for the state of Florida. It owes each of us the exercise of care and thoughtfulness that fiduciary duty requires,” Wallace wrote. “I struggle to comprehend how the proposal at hand has been subjected to that level of scrutiny, given its shadowed history, its late addition to the agenda, and the fact that Guana’s management plan was submitted less than two years ago.”
The proposal ignited public outcry after it was added to an ARC meeting agenda with one week’s notice. Days before the vote, The Upland LLC, the entity behind the swap, withdrew its application.
The Florida Times-Union featured John’s letter as a key moment in the unfolding controversy, underscoring how public engagement and legal advocacy played a pivotal role in protecting this irreplaceable land.
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