St. Mary's River House
Florida, Nassau County

Size
70 acres

Price
$499,000.00

Description
Enjoy nature, while investing in preservation - less than 30 miles from downtown Jacksonville. The 70-acre St. Mary's River Estate has approximately 2,400-feet of riverfront along the banks of the historic St. Mary's River. The secluded tract contains a wood frame 1,576-square foot 3 bedroom/2 bath residence situated overlooking the river. Additional structures include four sheds and a screened cabana on the river. The remainder of the tract is naturally wooded, contains abundant wildlife and offers opportunities for fishing, kayaking and canoeing on the river, as well as biking and hiking the trail system.

Primary Conservation Objective
The St. Mary's River Estate serves as an important buffer to the St. Mary's River. Conservation goals for this tract include: (1) the perpetual protection of the intact upland, wetland and riverine natural communities on the site; (2) promotion of sound management of the natural resources to maintain sustainable ecological functions; and (3) permanently avoiding the parcelization and future development of the tract.

Biodiversity Highlights
The St. Mary's River watershed harbors a diverse assemblage of game and non-game species. The river corridor offers a key migration route and stop-over opportunities to migratory songbirds and waterfowl. The St. Mary's River Estate property is part of a contiguous forested riverine corridor that provides ideal habitat and buffer for many mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. The St. Mary's River Estate and surrounding landscape support a variety of predatory birds, including Bald Eagle and swallow-tailed kite, as well as wading birds including limpkin, white ibis, herons and egrets. Animals known to utilize the area include Sherman's fox squirrel, Florida black bear, alligator snapping turtle and eastern diamondback rattlesnake.

Qualifications and Restrictions
The St. Mary's River Estate will be sold subject to a perpetual conservation easement. Restrictions will include no subdivision, no agricultural, commercial or industrial uses and no use of exotic species, among several others. Allowed uses will include use and maintenace of the existing structures, building of one additional residence allowed within an already identified one-acre "building envelope", hunting and fishing of non-listed species and some timber harvest subject to a Timber Management Plan, among others. Buyer must sign a TNC "Conflict of Interest" disclosure form.

For more information, please contact:

Wendy Mathews
625 North Adams Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32301

Phone: 850/222-0199
E-mail: wcaster@tnc.org