History
Early History
The earliest known history of the NATL area begins in 1901 when the property was purchased by the Richbourg family. The family used the land for cultivating crops (although the type of crop is unknown) and cattle grazing. In 1944, C. Richbourg and his wife sold 192 acres to the State of Florida, including the parcel of land that is present day NATL.
Development of the university
In the 1950s, during the construction of the Medical Science building, NATL was used as a dumping area for clay and excavation debris. The sinkhole in the southern SEEP area was also being used as a burn pit during this period. Harvested grasses brought to the site for burning account for the presence of many non-natives such as Cogon grass and elephant grass. The dumping area contained a raised mound which was used as a golf-driving range. The UF Golf Team practiced here, and the area eventually became known as "Freeman's driving range".
By 1990, the park-and-ride lot, the Harn Museum, the Entomology and Nematology building, and the Southwest Chiller Plant had all been built surrounding what is now NATL. A retention pond was excavated to accommodate for runoff from the roads and parking lots, which later was transformed into the SEEP.
Birth of NATL
In May 1993, the urbanization of areas north and east of what is now NATL stimulated the formation of a Planning Group, consisting of 15 persons who wanted 45 acres of the tract now known as NATL-west designated a “campus natural area and outdoor teaching laboratory.” The Planning Group selected Dana Griffin (Botany), Joe Schaefer (Wildlife Ecology & Conservation), and Tom Walker (Entomology & Nematology) to draft a proposal to that effect. A draft was completed, circulated, and revised. The final proposal was endorsed by faculty in all departments that were likely users of the area and submitted to Campus Planning in July 1993. It was endorsed by the University Land-Use and Facilities Planning Committee in May 1994.
With encouragement from IFAS Dean for Academic Programs Larry J. Connor, a Natural Area Advisory Committee, with members representing the principal users, was organized in September 1994. Its charge was to plan the development and management of NATL.
Additions to NATL
In 1997, NATL was allowed to annex about an acre of the Surge Area immediately north of the mini-warehouses. In 2005, as part of the 2005-2015 update of the Campus Master Plan, NATL was expanded to include the 11 acres that became NATL-east and west of Natural Area Drive the boundaries of NATL were redrawn to annex about three more Surge Area acres.