Undeveloped property on an island in Florida known for its beauty, tranquility and outdoor activities will be protected land because of its purchase by the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

There will be guaranteed conservation and public access on more than 100 acres on Black Hammock Island because of the acquisition, according to a May 2 news release. The city of Jacksonville, Fla., helped fund the acquisition with Trust for Public Land.

“These areas will now be protected for future generations," Timucuan Superintendent Chris Hughes said in the release. "The city of Jacksonville, North Florida Land Trust, Trust for Public Land and Florida State Park partners that along with the National Park Service comprise the 7 Creeks Recreation Area will certainly benefit from these additional acres."

Additionally, Florida was recently conveyed 241 acres as part of the Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park, the release said. This land, with the new National Park Service land, will make sure the area remains in conservation and open publicly.

“Adding these parcels would link the existing parks in the 7 Creeks Recreation Area to provide an uninterrupted habitat for wildlife, vegetation, protection and enjoyment of the natural and cultural resources,” Hughes added, according to the release.

Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve has a long cultural history - more than 6,000 years, the National Park Service reported. The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve was established Feb. 16, 1988, after it gained Congressional approval, and President Ronald Reagan signed the bill that created the preserve, which consisted of lands in Duval County and left out all controversial territory in Nassau County.

“One of the last unspoiled coastal hammock and marshlands on the Atlantic coast, Black Hammock Island is beloved by locals for hiking, birding canoeing and fishing, but has been at risk for development,” Trust for Public Land Senior Project Manager Doug Hattaway said in the release. “Trust for Public Land has been working for years to ensure this land not only remains untouched and open to everyone who loves to get outside but protects it as a crucial landscape in creating climate resilience against extreme weather events like hurricanes, warmer weather and rising sea levels.”