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The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens (JAG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and park in Jacksonville, Florida, similar to Tree Hill Nature Center, and organized for the purpose of developing a unique natural attraction on a city-owned, site.〔("1445 Millcoe Road" ) Duval County Property Appraiser〕 The arboretum officially opened on November 15, 2008, and the Sierra Club of Northeast Florida stated, "Development of this park is truly a community project of a size and scope never before undertaken by a volunteer organization."〔("Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens Grand Opening" ) Florida Sierra Club, November 2008〕 ==History== Between 1941 and 1961, the ''Humphries Gold Mining Company'' harvested zircon and other minerals required for the production of titanium. Strip-mining removed organic matter and nutrients from the soil, which left white sand, barren of vegetation.〔 After mining ended, it became an urban wild and unofficial dump site for appliances, cars, tires and other junk.〔("Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens" ) Garden Traveller website〕 The city of Jacksonville purchased the property for use as a buffer from a wastewater treatment plant during the 1970s, and left alone for thirty years, 13 separate ecosystems developed, including oak hammock, fresh water ravine, upland sand hill and salt marsh.〔〔〔("Behind the Scenes: The Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens" ) University of North Florida, Continuing Education opportunities〕 A group of conservation-minded nature lovers recognized the site's value and founded the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens (JAG) as a non-profit organization in March, 2004.〔 Professionals with knowledge of science, nature or design were recruited for the board of directors. In 2006, the Jacksonville City Council approved bill number 2006-234, which granted a 20-year lease and $250,000 to pay for paving the parking area, creating a development plan, and construction of a walking trail.〔Kormanik, Beth: ("Arlington shares its natural serenity" ) Florida Times-Union, March 28, 2006〕〔("City Council meeting agenda" ) Florida Times-Union, March 28, 2006〕 The tract was surveyed and mapped, a master plan was created, support was solicited from local businesses, and volunteers began to remove dumped junk and shape the landscape.〔〔("History" ) Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens website, About〕 A colony of gopher tortoises required relocation when the parking lot was constructed. While working on that project, a board member became so knowledgeable about wildlife relocation that she became licensed by the state.〔Rabhan, Anna: ("A brush with nature" ) EU Jacksonville, April 23, 2011〕 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a location on the north side of the property as a relocation site for gopher tortoises.〔 Area builders who need to remove the protected species from a construction site can use the JAG—for a $500 donation.〔Reese, Rhonda: ("Arboretum will show off improvement with celebration" ) Florida Times-Union, October 25, 2008〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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