TAMPA, Fla. — For years, hundreds of acres of land sat protected right next to the University of South Florida.

But the future is uncertain for the forest preserve, even as people are joining the fight to save it from development.

Ryan Hurley, an environmental policy student at USF started an online petition to save the preserve that now has close to 20,000 signatures.

“Any kind of development will have negative effects on the environment,” said Hurley.

The petition even gained the attention of Hillsborough County. Board members said they want to look into saving the property and are willing to help.

USF officials recently started exploring options for potential projects on the 500-plus acre preserve, and while university officials say they’re simply looking right now, no plans are set.

Hurley said doesn’t want to see anything happen to the site.

Any potential plans would have to leave an area of federally protected wetlands alone, but Hurley said that’s not enough and some Hillsborough County Commissioners agree.

At a commission meeting last week, the board approved sending letters to lawmakers and the Governor, as well as USF’s President and Board of Trustees, asking them to preserve the site. The county even said it’s willing to partner to manage the preserve.

Hurley said he hopes that happens because this piece of land is extremely important.

“The upland habitat is home to a lot of endangered species and threatened species, the wetlands provide valuable services like mitigating flooding and pollution and even the golf course is a valuable barrier,” said Hurley.

USF is accepting responses through May 24.