Sportsmen's land trust closes $1.4M deal

BRADENTON — The Sportsmen's National Land Trust, a nonprofit organization founded to conserve outdoor recreation sites statewide, finalized its first major land purchase, a 680-acre tract in Levy County.

The Bradenton-based land trust paid $1.4 million for the property, according to a release. The trust plans to set aside the unnamed parcel, next to the Goethe Wildlife Management Area, for outdoor recreation like camping, hunting and fishing.

The tract, about 100 miles north of Tampa, is home to Florida black bear, whitetail deer, bald eagles, turkey, squirrels and other wildlife common to Florida, says Jerry Marlar, a land trust board member and local accountant. David Wilcox, a Bradenton attorney who is president of the trust's board, adds that the land is ideally located because more than half the state lives within 2.5 hours of the property. The trust plans to deed the land to the state in a ceremony this fall.