Tree Hill's History

Tree Hill was organized in 1971 to initially preserve what is now a fifty-acre urban wilderness in Arlington just north of the Arlington Expressway on Lone Star Road. Four and one-half acres were donated in 1973 by Robert Cury, Martin Stein and Walter Hirshberg. The remaining acres, acquired in 1975 and 1990, are owned by the State of Florida. This property is leased to the City of Jacksonville and sublet to Tree Hill, Inc.

In 1985, an administrative, exhibit and laboratory facility was built, at an approximate cost of $425,000. The principal sources of funding included a $75,000 PECO grant, a $50,000 DNR grant, and a $125,000 matching grant from the Jessie DuPont Ball Religious Charitable and Educational Trust. The building replaced an old garage and a mobil home, acquired with the original land, that housed the original program and administrative offices. In 1999 a $200,000 building renovation was funded by the City of Jacksonville.

At the Arlington site, Tree Hill has operated an environmental education program since the 1970’s, targeting elementary schools under a contract with the Duval County School Board. Over the years other programs developed including a senior citizen program funded by the Stevens Foundation and an energy conservation program funded by JEA. Currently, Tree Hill provides environmental and energy education programs to public and private elementary students, and the general public, as well as training and inservice workshops to teachers, nature encounters, and guided tours.

In 1990, Tree Hill negotiated an agreement with Duval County School Board to manage a twelve-acre preserve adjacent to Loretto Road Elementary School for educational purposes. The property consists of a mixture of jurisdictional wetlands and uplands boredering the heavily wooded Oldfield Creek. Loretto Nature Center was dedicated on July 3, 1996.

In 1998, 10.3 acres adjacent to the Arlington site known as the Lone Star Stables was acquired with funding from the Florida Communities Trust. This expands Tree Hill Nature Center to include 50 acres. Plans for the new property include additional parking, a new entrance, an “energy-smart” center, expanded gift shop, outdoor amphitheater and indoor and outdoor study areas. Phase I is scheduled for completion in January 2004 through a grant provided by the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program.