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Pine tree needles create a black silhouette against an orange sunlit sky.
Telogia Creek, north Florida. The sun sets over young pines on newly acquired, former timberland. © Craig Kotilinek

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Telogia Creek: Creating a Critical Connection in North Florida

TNC strengthens linkages between the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve, Torreya State Park and other lands in the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Liberty County, FL | September 07, 2026

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The sky remains blue at dusk, featuring pines and a barren oak in the foreground.
Telogia Creek, Florida A 2,200-acre acquisition joins connected lands near TNC's Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve in north Florida. This former timber land also includes several creeks. © Craig Kotilinek

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has protected more than 2,200 acres at Telogia Creek in Liberty County, adding to a 22,000-acre wildlife corridor in North Florida. The acquisition strengthens linkages between TNC’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve (ABRP), Torreya State Park, Telogia Creek Wildlife Management Area and Apalachicola National Forest to create a more connected landscape for wildlife.

The protection of the Telogia Creek property expands the acreage of permanently conserved lands within the Florida Wildlife Corridor—a biodiversity hotspot. The newly protected property is particularly significant for the federally threatened eastern indigo snake, North America's longest native snake and one of the Southeast's most iconic species.

North Florida Wildlife

These animals of the southeastern sandhill ecosystem rely on clear groundcover for movement and foraging. Natural and prescribed fire helps native plants and animals thrive, and once fire is returned to this landscape, the pine tree forest can welcome even more wildlife.

A close-up features a brown-gray, scaley tortoise.
A black and white bird rests on a tall, leafless branch.
A brown rabbit is camouflaged against the forest floor.
A black snake slithers over orange sand and into a dark burrow.
A close-up features a brown-gray, scaley tortoise.

Tortoise Territory: Gopher tortoises create burrows in the sandy, well-burned soils of nearby properties, offering a home for snakes, frogs, insects and many other creatures. © David Printiss/TNC

A black and white bird rests on a tall, leafless branch.

Songbirds Delight: An eastern towhee perches in a sparse oak tree on the Telogia Creek property. © Craig Kotilinek

A brown rabbit is camouflaged against the forest floor.

Wild Rabbits: An eastern cottontail rabbit hides among deer moss and pine needles on the Telogia Creek property. © Craig Kotilinek

A black snake slithers over orange sand and into a dark burrow.

Home for an Indigo: Eastern indigo snakes travel over restored longleaf forest lands that surround the new acquisition. © FWC

By protecting this property alongside other critical conservation lands, TNC and its partners are helping advance the statewide vision of the Florida Wildlife Corridor: a connected network of lands and waters that allows wildlife to move, habitats to remain resilient and Florida’s natural systems to function across the state. Together, these protected places help link conservation areas into the connected corridors that wide-ranging species need to survive and thrive.

This effort represents another important step in TNC's long-term commitment to conserving the Apalachicola River region. Financial support from TNC donors was critical in making this acquisition happen. By protecting key areas like Telogia Creek, TNC, our donors and our partners are helping build a future where wildlife can move safely across Florida’s forests, rivers and wetlands for generations to come.

A map shows the subject property in red, with adjoining TNC properties and state park lands in purple and light green. A 2024 purchase, Cola River Land and Timber, is outlined in black.
Map of Telogia Creek/KMN A map shows the subject property in red, with adjoining TNC properties and state park lands in purple and light green. A 2024 purchase, Cola River Land and Timber, is outlined in black. © Jill Fidrych/TNC
An aerial image showing a green forest illuminated by golden sunlight. A sandy road runs through rows pine trees.
Road to Restoration Rows of pines grown for timber, with patches of old growth pines and a sandy road, will be ideal habitat for gopher tortoise and indigo snakes once it is restored. © Craig Kotilinek

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.