Governor Rick Scott and the Cabinet agreed Tuesday to spend $16 million to preserve Horn Spring Woods, a vast, 11,000-acre swath of wilderness in Leon and Jefferson counties and the biggest purchase of its kind in more than a decade.
Known as Great Horn Woods, the property includes 10 natural springs and 10 miles of frontage along the St. Marks River. Outdoor enthusiasts and environmentalists lined up to praise the move, including Audubon of Florida’s Eric Draper.
“This is really, really an exciting day. And you can tell the amount of enthusiasm there is for this project represented here at the meeting. And I think throughout the state of Florida people are going to be cheering about this one.”
The project creates a buffer linking the St. Marks Preserve State Park to the north, the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area to the east and the Natural Bridge Battlefield State Park to the south.
