A controversial land swap proposal that could have opened the door to potential development on local conservation land has been yanked following widespread opposition — including a scathing objection from President Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff.
Longtime Florida power broker Susie Wiles helped to sink the plan, vehemently slamming it as “outrageous” and a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” in a statement to The Tributary.
The proposal, submitted by a private company known as Upland LLC, aimed to trade 600 acres of protected land in the Guana Wildlife Management Area for 3,000 acres of conservation land located elsewhere around the state.
The plan drew immediate concern from local officials, environmental advocates, and residents over the risk of development in a sensitive ecological area and a lack of transparency about the company and its intentions.
On Monday night, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that the proposal had been withdrawn.
A spokesperson said Upland had informed the agency of its decision to no longer pursue the exchange.
In a letter to the state, a representative for Upland cited “public sentiment resulting from misinformation” as the reason for backing out.
“To be clear, there was never any intention to develop the acquired land for commercial or community development purposes,” an Upland attorney wrote to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. “Rather, the swap would have resulted in additional acres for Florida land conservation.”
The company maintained that the swap would have expanded the total amount of land under conservation and denied any plans to develop the Guana tract, though specific details about how the land would be managed were scant.
Opposition to the swap cascaded quickly once the plan became public last week.
Hundreds of residents turned out to protest over the weekend, and a bipartisan group of local officials prepared to take formal action.
Local officials — including members of the St. Johns County Town Board — publicly opposed the swap.
The agenda item had appeared on a state panel’s docket for discussion this week, but concerns mounted amid a lack of clarity about who was behind Upland LLC and what exactly the company intended for the Guana land.
Though the proposal stated that “a majority of the wetland habitats will be avoided to ensure they are under conservation in perpetuity,” it offered few concrete assurances, prompting speculation about possible housing or commercial development.
Environmental organizations like Audubon Florida celebrated the withdrawal as a victory for conservation and community advocacy.
Meanwhile, Upland signaled that similar proposals may surface in the future. In its letter to the state, the company said it remains committed to preserving Florida’s natural habitats and looks forward to continued discussions about supporting the state’s conservation goals.
