Within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, flanked by the Ochlockonee and Aucilla rivers, lies the Red Hills ecoregion. Its rolling terrain and red clay soils set it apart from much of the southeastern coastal plain. Historically, these uplands were dominated by shortleaf pine, hickory, and oak forests, rather than the more familiar longleaf pine savannas found elsewhere in the region. While much of this landscape has been converted to plantations, working lands, or urban sprawl, the small 96-acre pocket of the Hickory Preserve still remains in northeast Tallahassee.

My wife and I pulled into the Miccosukee Land Cooperative on a mid-January morning. This community is where the Hickory Preserve Board was formed, with the goal of protecting and restoring the parcel adjacent to it. An invitation had been extended to the public for a guided hike through this relatively new preserve. With clear weather and wind rustling the leaves, we gathered our water bottles and joined a small group gathering on the lawn. There we met Ken and Tom, who would lead the hike. Both serve as officers on the Hickory Preserve board, which is working towards securing a conservation easement to support land management and restoration efforts.

Ninety-six acres might not feel small when you’re walking it, but in the world of land conservation, it often is. That reality became a roadblock for the board when exploring long-term options for the preserve, as many organizations prioritize much larger tracts. 

The threshold between the co-op and the preserve is marked by a hand-built wooden gate. As we passed through, our guides explained that this property is one of the few remaining examples of intact shortleaf pine–hickory–oak woodland. It provides habitat for a range of wildlife: bobcats, opossums, raccoons, migratory birds, and countless insects. We passed a maple swamp and a dry streambed. During wetter seasons, streambeds will swell and carry water through the wetlands to Black Creek and eventually the St. Marks River. Just as important is the role these forests play in recharging the Florida aquifer. In fact, the majority of forests within the Red Hills serve as lands with a high aquifer recharge rate providing both an ecological and economic value. 

We continued through the woods, walking and talking, following a trail blazed by ribbons tied to tree trunks. Small flags marked the locations of wildflowers. A reminder of where not to mow. As I talked with Tom and Ken, their passion for this place was unmistakable. This place neighbors their community, and they wanted to keep it wild. The Hickory Preserve board worked hard to protect this land, and there is still much work ahead to fully restore it.

Hickory Preserve may be just 96 acres, but within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, its influence extends far beyond its boundaries. By protecting forests, wetlands, and recharge areas in the Red Hills, the preserve helps keep landscapes connected—allowing wildlife to move, water to flow, and ecosystems to function as they should. In a state growing as rapidly as Florida, places like this show how small parcels, when thoughtfully conserved and managed, can play an essential role in a connected future.

That afternoon made it clear that this group not only cares deeply for the land but wants to share it with the community. We finished our hike by passing through another wooden gate and were promptly invited back to Ken’s house for tea and scones.