The land was acquired to preserve and protect an urban wilderness area containing sensitive plants and animals from surrounding development.

[3][4] The TIITF board is composed of the Florida Governor and the cabinet (Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services).

Arlington residents from church and civic organizations formed Preservation Association for Tree Hill (PATH) during that summer and begin negotiating for the purchase of 21½ acres.

Governor Reubin Askew personally delivered the check to PATH, and in December, the Florida Department of Natural Resources provided funds for the state to acquire the first 21.92 acres.

Lucille Heine (Cortese) -a local celebrity- became Tree Hill's first paid Executive Director in 1987, primarily to administer the increasing number of grants received, contracts for services, and programs offered.

[11] In 2004, the center donated the remaining Stein property to the city of Jacksonville for the creation of Tillie Fowler Regional Park.

[11] Several live displays of animals, including gopher tortoises, possums, goats, chickens, fish and snakes, were added in 2009.

[18] In 1946, Horace Arnold gave 11 acres of undeveloped land in Mandarin to the Duval County School Board to be saved for posterity.

[24] The Mandarin Community Club organized and circulated a petition to stop the sale and advocated creation of a nature classroom.

Howard Landers and Tom Atkins, the principals of Landers-Atkins Planners, agreed to develop a project master plan at no charge, and Quinton White, marine biologist at Jacksonville University, performed the biological study.

The experienced leadership at the Tree Hill Nature Center agreed to oversee development and operation of the sister site.

The preserve was initially open only to the students at Loretto Elementary, but tours by groups from other schools gradually increased over the years.