Pasco County Acquires 4G Ranch in Historic Land Deal

Pasco County and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services acquired 4G Ranch, a 1,893-acre property north of Land O' Lakes, in a 50/50 partnership through the county's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program.

The purchase creates a wildlife corridor linking the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Conner Preserve to the south with Pinellas County's Crossbar/Al Bar Ranch to the north. The land preserves agricultural property, protects wildlife movement and plant dispersal, and connects to an undercrossing built by the Florida Department of Transportation on State Road 52 to reduce animal-vehicle collisions.

"Acquisitions mean we can slow down a lot of growth and development," Board Chair Jack Mariano said. "1,900 acres of preserved land slows down traffic and protects wildlife."

Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson called the project an example of state, local and private landowners working together. "By preserving 4G Ranch, we are safeguarding productive agricultural land, protecting our natural resources, and ensuring that future generations can enjoy the rural way of life that makes Pasco County and Florida so special," Simpson said.