ELAMP acquires land and expands Crews Lake Wilderness Park

Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources is pleased to announce its Environmental Lands Acquisition Program (ELAMP) purchased a total of 116 acres of land for conservation in May, 2017 with the acquisition of the following two properties, nominated by the landowners:

• On May 3, 2017, Pasco County acquired approximately 19 acres of land in southeast Pasco County, east of Paul S. Buchman Highway and south of the Hillsborough River along Jerry Road. The property is in the Hillsborough to Green Swamp Ecological Corridor and the Hillsborough River Ecological Planning Unit and is neighbored by County-owned wetland mitigation managed by ELAMP, Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) property, and two additional ELAMP projects.
• On May 30, 2017, Pasco County acquired approximately 97 acres of land in north central Pasco County, on the east side of Shady Hills Road and Lenway Road, with the entrance to Crews Lake Wilderness Park bordering on the north. Conserving the land will help protect habitat at the headwaters of the Anclote and Pithlachascotee rivers; aid a north/south ecological corridor; and provide other environmental benefits. Additionally, the complementary acreage will allow the expansion of Crews Lake Wilderness Park from 232 acres to 424 acres, when combined with a previous adjacent acquisition. The added space will increase the original park boundary to allow for the future expansion of passive recreational amenities.

The Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program (ELAMP) was created in July, 2004 to purchase environmentally-sensitive lands throughout the 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.

To learn more about Pasco County’s ELAMP, including an ELAMP map and a list of properties on the acquisition list, click here: http://bit.ly/2ntczaM.