ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - Thousands of people fear they’ll lose access to a major hiking, hunting, and fishing area just outside metro Atlanta.

Pine Log Wildlife Management Area is 14,000 acres in Cherokee and Bartow Counties, less than an hour drive from downtown Atlanta. The land is part of a 19,000-acre property put up for sale in May.

Aubrey Corporation has privately leased the land to Georgia Department of Natural Resources for the last 45 years.

Jim Ramseur of Lee & Associates is handling the sale, which he explained was prompted by increased development in the area. Ramseur says offers are already coming in – and he expects more in the future. He could not share who the potential buyers are, but offered insight toward what could happen next.

“Continued enjoyment of green space, as well as the need for smart development of housing and live, work, play projects, are an essential part of the growth plan for the area and these ±19,500 acres are right in the heart of that path,” said Ramseur.

An offering memorandum detailing the sale was released May 23 to potential buyers. Ramseur hopes to close the sale by the end of this year.