Florida couple bought a swamp to protect wildlife; then 275 wood storks nested there

Jim Stevenson (left) and Tara Tanaka (right) at their wildlife sanctuary in Florida. A Florida couple made an unusual decision more than a decade ago when they bought a 45-acre cypress swamp beside their home in Tallahassee, Florida, rather than allowing the land to be cleared or developed. Jim Stevenson and Tara Tanaka purchased the swamp in 2007 after recognising its importance as a wetland habitat. What followed was years of hands-on conservation work that transformed their private property into a refuge for birds and other wildlife. By 2022, the US Fish and Wildlife Service reported that the sanctuary was home to 275 nesting wood storks, along with herons, egrets, ducks, alligators, otters, beavers, foxes and other animals. Their effort also helped preserve an important wetland ecosystem close to a growing urban area.The Florida couple bought a swamp to protect itStevenson and Tanaka had already lived beside the wetlands for years when they became concerned that the cypress swamp could eventually be cleared. They decided to purchase the adjoining 45 acres in 2007, turning land that could have been viewed as undesirable or developable into a privately managed wildlife preserve. ...