Nestled between East Orange Ave, Paul Russell Rd, Tram and Blairstone Roads, lies a 600-acre privately owned forest known as the English Property in southeast Tallahassee. In March 2022, the Tallahassee City Commission voted to rezone the area for commercial and residential mixed-use. The move has alarmed environmentalists. Now, the state’s conservation land-buying program, Florida Forever, could be coming to the rescue.
The property is a hub of biodiversity that contains different ecosystems and geological features like wetlands, springs and sinkholes. It, along with most of the North Florida and South Georgia region, also sits atop the Floridan Aquifer, which provides most of the region's drinking water. Protecting the English forest, say its advocates, would mean preserving many different plant and animal species.
Local residents have formed a movement known as Save The English Forest (Save TEF). Save TEF has proposed an English Forest Preserve to protect part of the land while allowing it to still be used by the community.
Under the proposal, a protected zone of the property would be comprised of 250 acres with a three-mile passive nature trail running north to south from Orange Ave. to Tram Rd.
“All the projects have a sponsor and all the sponsors will be giving a 3-5 minute presentation in front of ARC at that time,” says Save TEF organizer Mark Okasako, explaining the format of the upcoming meeting of the state’s Acquisition and Restoration Council of Florida Forever, which will take up the proposal Friday.
“So, basically just a highlight of your project, and an ask of support for a favorable first vote. They will also be opening it after each presenter to public testimony in support or opposition of the project.”
Mark and Midori Okasako created Save TEF after receiving a rezoning notice in the mail. They became concerned about the environmental impact the potential development of the property would have, especially when it comes to local water quality.
In the past year, concerns about the increase in development have already been observed. A study from McGlynn Labs made by Sean McGlynn, a local marine biologist, notes an increase in nitrogen levels. McGlynn, in an earlier Tallahassee Commission meeting, discouraged any new development on the property without more assessment of the land.
“As far as the comp plan goes, I don’t think any development, or it says new development, should be done until all the natural features are identified, and I don’t feel that they have been,” he said.
Brian Lupiani, a member of both the Wakulla Springs Alliance Board of Directors and Save TEF, is concerned about the health of the aquifer, and the network of caves, and springs that run through this area.
“The aquifer in this area feeds into Wakulla Springs, and not just the park, but it’s really groundwater for a lot of Wakulla County, and so it’s people’s drinking water. So you know anything that can be done to keep that from getting messed up, the better.”
The English Property is privately owned land that’s passed down through generations of the English family. Their support was crucial to getting the conservation proposal before Florida Forever. The current owner has signed a letter expressing willingness to cooperate, and while it may not be an outright endorsement, it offers more hope than previous attempts have received in the past.
“They’re not in support of, nor are they against it. Basically, what they’ve done is they’ve signed a letter of willingness, which is required by Florida Forever. It just says that they’re willing to consider any purchase bids made by the state of Florida.”
There’s also no guarantee that the ARC of Florida Forever will say yes to the plan. Friday’s 9 a.m. meeting will determine that. If the proposal does get a favorable vote, it will move on to an evaluation process that will decide whether the English Forest gets added to Florida Forever’s 2024 Priority List.
“I know it’s going to be a competitive process, but we’re all hoping for the preservation of nature,” says Midori Okasako.
