Pasco County Adds 318 Acres Of Lands To Ecological Corridor

PASCO COUNTY, FL — As part of its ongoing commitment to conservation and habitat protection, Pasco County’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program has purchased 318 acres in the North Pasco (Starkey) to Crossbar Ecological Corridor.

Pasco County now protects more than 1,700 connected acres of conservation land in this corridor alone, and manages more than 5,400 acres in total.

“Pasco County’s conservation successes have been impressive, and it was great to see some of the protected lands in person,” said wildlife biologist and ecologist Dr. Jay Exum during a recent tour. “The ecological corridors serve as a perfect framework for conservation, and land acquisition is an important part of the comprehensive strategy to protect these unique linkages across the county and the region.”

Exum was instrumental in the identification and design of Pasco County’s ecological corridors and the creation of the ELAMP program. Exum played an important role in developing the conservation element of the county’s Comprehensive Plan, which provides for protection of the ecological corridors and led to the Ecological Corridors Ordinance adopted by the Pasco Board of County Commissioners in 2016.

“The 1,700 contiguous acres represents a regionally significant conservation resource for present and future generations,” said Pasco County Natural Resources manager Dr. René Brown. “This is an exciting acquisition for Pasco County.”

The ELAMP was created in July 2004 to purchase environmentally sensitive lands throughout Pasco County. ELAMP ensures those lands protect the natural community, connect natural tracts of land, conserve native plant and animal populations, enhance recreational opportunities and expand environmental education.

Funding is provided through a portion of the Penny for Pasco surtax.