USF Forest Preserve

An organizer for a group that's been fighting the University of South Florida administration over a proposal to develop a preserve in Tampa said he was “quite surprised” about the sudden retirement of USF’s president.

As USF reviews development proposals for a wooded preserve and golf course on the northern edge of the Tampa campus, a recent fine arts graduate is releasing a short film about student activists who are working to save the parcel of land.

Most of the plans include building apartments, hotels, and restaurants, but one hopes to preserve the land entirely.

With development ideas due on Monday, the USF Faculty Senate passed a resolution stating they are “vehemently opposed to any development or destruction of the forest preserve.”

University of South Florida students and faculty were joined by indigenous rights activists on Friday to protest the college's inquiry into developing its nature preserve and golf course.

Hillsborough County was under the impression that the USF Forest Preserve was already protected. Since it isn't, commissioners are exploring all the ways they can conserve the parcel.