One could call John Nash an accidental forester. The Bradenton native took a meandering path to the world of trees and timber that now dominate his life in rural Levy County. Nash set out on his path because he fell in love with hunting wild turkey, and discovered through some of Florida’s iconic turkey experts that a properly managed forest is key to a lifetime of successful turkey hunting.
Nash met the consummate Florida turkey expert Lovett Williams when they were both turkey hunting at Fisheating Creek in the Everglades. Williams was a legendary wildlife biologist and chief of Florida’s Bureau of Wildlife Research before starting his own wildlife research business in the 1980s. Williams, who held a PhD in wildlife ecology from the University of Florida, researched and wrote about wild turkey ecology, biology, hunting and land management before he died in 2014.
All it took for John Nash to become a forester was visiting Williams’ timber property in Glades County and understanding that a well-managed forest was crucial for adult turkey habitat and the survival of poult offspring.
“I learned so much from Lovett Williams, and now from Marcus Lashley (Professor at UF’s Wildlife Ecology Conservation department) on how to manage a forest for wildlife habitat and timber,” said Nash. “I love these forests and I’m in this for the long haul.”
So, Nash and his wife, Allison, found their ideal turkey timberland, called Osceola Pines, in Florida’s Nature Coast, and have worked for decades to restore its native habitat and manage the trees for long-term timber stand improvement. Allison is a founding member and president of the nonprofit Florida Women’s Landowners Association, who now helps other landowners learn proper land stewardship.
The more Nash learned about forestry, the more he knew he wanted his forest to remain just as it is forever. That’s when Nash started considering a conservation easement for his property.
The 545-acre tract in the Waccasassa River watershed is now under a permanent conservation easement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services through its Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP). Additional funding was provided through a partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The Florida Conservation Group (FCG), a non-profit dedicated to protecting Florida’s natural and working lands, facilitated the easement.
The project’s joint funding partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) was aided by the Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT), a regional land trust based in Gainesville. Their Forest to Gulf RCPP project is a seven-county plan to protect critical habitats including pine forests.
Besides the vast greenery provided by the forest and hammocks at Osceola Pines, there is evidence of ancient indigenous cultures who left behind pot shards, arrowheads and spearpoints. There is also a legacy of the turpentine (naval stores) industry, which was one of Florida’s largest and most important economic sectors in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The process involved cutting a “catface” into pine trunks, and attaching a metal gutter to funnel sap into Herty cups for collection. These “catface” scars are still visible at Osceola Pines, along with some of the turpentine cups.
“I’m more of a beneficiary of this land and its history,” said Nash. “This particular property has a lot of turpentine history, railroad history and Native American history, some of it dating back thousands of years, which I wouldn’t have learned had I not met (FCG executive director) Julie Morris eight years ago to start this conservation easement.”
Since taking over the forestry operation in western Levy County, John and Allison have conducted extensive ecological restoration on the property, which includes streams flowing into the Waccasassa River, which is designated as an outstanding Florida waterway due to its important contribution to waters of the Gulf.
John is very involved as the immediate past president of the Florida Tree Farm Program, and the couple were named Tree Farmers of the Year in 2017. They balance timber production with wildlife habitat management and restoration, especially for wild turkey, and integrate professional assistance from agencies like the Florida Forest Service, USDA-NRCS and Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Understandably, Nash loves forestry almost as much as he loves to turkey hunt. His property is located in an important, but disappearing section of Florida’s Wildlife Corridor, and he sees lots of wildlife besides turkey. Black bear, indigo snakes, and wading birds are common visitors to the area. Osceola Pines also has a major influence on the quantity and quality of water recharging the aquifer. Its location between the Suwannee and Waccasassa rivers bolsters connectivity between existing conservation areas such as the Goethe Wildlife Management Area and Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park, among others.
He may not have grown up in the forestry business, but Nash is as enthusiastic about trees and timber as any professional forester and his North Florida timberland is thriving.
“I believe in managing for long-term benefits. We’ve lost pulp and lumber mills here, but I believe you still have to keep thinning your forest to keep it healthy, and that’s the only way to manage for wildlife too,” said Nash. “I wanted to do something special for this place, and with this conservation easement, I can reinvest in wild turkey conservation.”