The University of Florida has moved to develop a major new outdoor classroom on the edge of Gainesville after acquiring 2,660 acres now called the Hickory Sink Forest to serve the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences.
New land expands university-managed forest resources
The land, purchased as part of a larger transaction that also included funding for a university golf course, nearly doubles the acreage managed by UF’s forest school. University officials and the new land manager have begun initial work to prepare the property for use by students, researchers, hunters and members of the public for special events.
UF hired Cully Lord as the first land manager for the Hickory Sink Forest. Lord, who previously worked for the city of Gainesville’s natural resources division, said he began on-site infrastructure work in June 2026. That work includes constructing fire breaks, removing fencing and planning for prescribed burns and invasive species control to restore the site’s native habitats.
“To me, this was like a higher calling. If your higher calling that you felt in life was in your backyard almost, why wouldn’t you go for that opportunity?”
The property offers a mix of sandhill and karst terrain, features that provide varied conditions for ecological study and land-management training. University officials describe the site as a living laboratory where students and scientists can test forest management techniques and monitor ecological responses over time.
- Size of property: 2,660 acres
- Initial management activities begun: June 2026
- Planned public opening: special events and an open house in October 2026
How the acquisition came about
The Hickory Sink Forest arrived in UF’s portfolio through a purchase that accompanied a separate university project. When the university allocated $39 million in state funding for a 550-acre parcel intended for a championship golf course, the deal included the additional 2,660 acres now designated for forest management and research.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Teaching forest acreage | 2,660 acres |
| Golf course parcel funded | 550 acres |
| Legislative funding cited | $39 million |
| Initial on-site work began | June 2026 |
Officials say the Hickory Sink Forest creates a generational opportunity for UF’s School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences to draft and implement a long-term conservation and management plan. For students, that means expanded field-based courses and research projects; for researchers, new terrain and ecosystems to study; and for the public, a potential venue for outreach and education.
Lord has emphasized the preparatory nature of his early work, noting that infrastructure and habitat restoration must be in place before the forest can serve as a fully equipped living laboratory. Planned management steps — such as prescribed burning and invasive-species control — reflect standard restoration approaches used across Florida’s fire-adapted landscapes.
University and school officials have announced plans to open the forest for limited public activities, with an open house scheduled for October 2026. Details about long-term public access, hunting opportunities and formal research programs have not yet been finalized publicly, and officials are expected to outline those in the coming months as the conservation plan is developed.
For Gainesville residents, the new teaching forest represents both a conservation gain and a local resource for education and outdoor activities. As the university moves from acquisition to active management, local stakeholders including municipal natural-resource staff, conservation groups and academic researchers will be watching how the Hickory Sink Forest is developed and integrated into UF’s broader land stewardship mission.
