Alachua Conservation Trust

Incorporated in 1988, Alachua Conservation Trust protects natural, scenic, historic, and recreational resources in North Central Florida. As an accredited regional land trust, ACT secures land by buying it, accepting donations, and placing conservation easements in 22 counties. It received accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission in 2009.

With community support, ACT has helped conserve 73,500 acres of Florida land, buying and protecting more than 28,800 acres directly. The trust owns and manages more than 7,400 acres and works with private landowners to protect another 8,500 acres under conservation easements.

Its program areas cover land acquisition, conservation easements, habitat restoration and management, and environmental education and outreach. ACT offers outdoor education experiences for all ages and operates parks and preserves that are open for visits. Its office is at Prairie Creek Lodge in Gainesville, which also hosts concerts, fundraisers, meetings, and environmental classes.

Preserves opened in recent years include Little Orange Creek Preserve, celebrated in January 2017, and Santa Fe River Preserve South, opened in late 2022.