What Will Happen to 65,000 Acres in Alachua County Close to Uinversity of Florida

At recent meetings continuing for months, Plum Creek Timber Company, the largest land owner in the county, is discussing what to do with the 65,000 acres it owns in Alachua County.  Plum Creek's primary business is harvesting timber, mostly pine trees in this area, so a long term hold is expected.  Todd Powell, senior director of real estate for Plum Creek, says the company is preparing a 50 year outlook.  The Gainesville Chamber of Commerce hopes some of the land will be put to more intensive use soon.

Plum Creek is the largest private land owner in Florida, having passed St Joe, and one of the largest owners in the country with 6.4 million acres.  Much of it's land has been put in conservation easements prohibiting development while retaining the right to continue managing timber for harvest, including 24,000 acres in Alachua.  Plum Creek expects to keep between 50,000 and 60,000 acres in trees here.

The Sun published an article last week targeting some of the desires. People in east Gainesville close to Hawthorne want land in that area developed with users generating jobs. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) studies may aid in developing crops that could be processed close to the CSX rail and to US 301, a primary route for trucks hauling fresh food north.  A majority of the blue berries and strawberries grown in Florida were created by IFAS.  Some of the pine woods have good soil for such.

If you are looking for land, call Henry Rogers of CBC Benchmark, Inc at 904-421-8537.