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TALLAHASSEE – The state today completed the purchase
of approximately 481 acres from The Trust for Public
Land that will expand Florida’s award-winning state park
system. Located in Suwannee County, today’s purchase
will more than double the size of Peacock Springs State
Park, which now will offer more than 750 acres of land
for visitors to enjoy.
“With this purchase, we are protecting one of
Florida’s vital springs and cave systems by
incorporating it into one of our award-winning state
parks,” said Florida Department of Environmental
Protection Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “Through
programs such as Florida Forever and the Florida Springs
Initiative, we can ensure our precious natural resources
are preserved, while still providing public access and
recreational opportunities.”
Peacock Springs State Park includes two major
springs, a spring run and six sinkholes - all in near
pristine condition. The park is home to one of the
longest underwater cave systems in the continental
United States. Approximately 28,000 feet of underwater
passages have been explored and surveyed by cave divers,
including the property just purchased. The springs and
cave system attract local, national and international
visitors for scuba and cave diving. The park also
provides areas for picnicking and grilling, and includes
hiking trails with signs that describe the underwater
cave system beneath visitors’ feet.
“Florida’s freshwater rivers and springs are some of
our most precious – and most sensitive – natural
assets,” said Andy McLeod, interim director of The Trust
for Public Land’s Florida office. “We were very pleased
to work with the state to ensure Peacock Springs’
preservation, and particularly pleased that Floridians
have had the foresight to approve the Florida Forever
program so that critical lands like these can be
acquired.”
Florida’s state park system is one of the largest in
the country with 159 parks spanning more than 725,000
acres and more than 100 miles of sandy white beach. From
swimming and diving in rivers and springs to birding and
fishing or hiking and riding on natural scenic trails,
Florida’s state parks offer year-round outdoor
activities for all ages. Battle re-enactments and Native
American festivals celebrate Florida’s unique history,
while art shows, museums and lighthouses offer a window
into Florida’s cultural heritage.
The 10-year, $3 billion Florida Forever program
established by Governor Bush and the Florida Legislature
in 1999 conserves environmentally sensitive land,
restores waterways and preserves important cultural and
historical resources.
The Florida Springs Initiative, established by
Governor Jeb Bush in 2001, is the first comprehensive,
coordinated plan to restore and protect Florida’s more
than 700 freshwater springs. Last year the Florida
Springs Initiative set aside more than $300,000 to
protect spring ecosystems, water quality and flow within
Florida’s award-winning state park system.
The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit
land conservation organization that conserves land for
people to enjoy as parks, gardens, historic sites, rural
lands, and other natural areas, ensuring livable
communities for generations to come. In Florida, TPL has
protected more than 300 sites, many of which focus on
preserving water quality and public access to the
state’s lakes, rivers and springs. For more information
about TPL, go to www.tpl.org/florida.
For more information on the Florida Forever program,
visit www.FloridaForever.org. For information on Florida
State Parks, visit
www.FloridaStateParks.org. | 
