Major land donation will protect 400 pristine Amelia Island acres: ‘I can’t see it being developed’

There could be bass — but no Bass Pro Shops.

An Amelia Island family has donated 396 undisturbed acres to the North Florida Land Trust — a move that will protect it from commercial development in perpetuity.

The donor, Jack Thornton, told First Coast Connect that he and his extended kin fished and frolicked on the land for many years — but were faced with a difficult decision as he and his wife began to age.

“I just can’t see it being developed,” he said of his thought process at the time.

Thornton, who originally hails from Atlanta and bought s second home on Amelia Island decades ago, conferred with his spouse and children as to the expanse’s future.

“The family consensus was to see if we could donate it to the land trust,” he said.

The property is a mix of salt marsh, mixes scrub-shrub wetlands and maritime hammock habitats, NFLT said in a celebratory press release that called the gift a “big win for conservation on Amelia Island.”

The property runs roughly two miles between Ft. Clinch State Park and Egan’s Creek.

“While assessing the property, NFLT staff have seen many native species, including white-tail deer, American alligators, bottlenose dolphins, roseate spoonbill, wood stork, snowy egret, great blue heron, great egret, anhinga and fiddler crabs,” NFLT wrote.

Thornton said he was gratified to know that the land he enjoyed with his grandchildren will remain untouched for others to explore.

“It’s just a beautiful piece of property,” he said.