NORTH PORT, Fla. — A win was recorded for conservationists in Sarasota County after they added over 25 acres to the collection of publicly owned land under environmental protection.
The county is now the new owner of environmentally sensitive land located on the western bank of the Myakka River near South River Road and South Tamiami Trail in North Port.
County leaders announced the purchase this week even though the transaction has been completed on Dec. 21 of last year.
The transaction was a fee-simple purchase negotiated with the land owner and cost the county $752,000
The money came from the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program aimed at acquiring land for protection and consists of tidal marsh, mangrove swamp and various types of hammock habitats.
County officials said that taking ownership of the and can protect it for the greater good of the environment and the community.
"It provides foraging opportunities for native wildlife, both terrestrial and aquatic. It is tidal so we do see manatees and another aquatic life that comes into the property," said Brie Ondercin, land acquisition coordinator for Sarasota County.
"We always tried to buy properties along the river to provide for the protection to both the water quality of the river, but also the shoreline and create a Greenway corridor," said Ondercin.
The county plans to use the property for boat protection, passive recreation and possibly future trails, access for picnicking, wildlife observations and watershed views.
"We do need to do some initial cleanup which consists of exotic removals, so maybe some removal of all fences, or there's a little bit of debris that's collected from storm damage," she said.
County leaders have said this approach to land acquisition has become necessary due to the development demands required by the areas growing population. There is also the urgency to ensure water quality within the area's watershed, and maintain the diverse natural habitat to enable the sustainability of endemic and other occurring species.
"This not only sets a standard for our county but also the state of Florida. We're trying to protect as much land as we can for future generations to enjoy, but also to help create some more resiliency in our land," said Ondercin.
Since the inception of the land protection program in 1999, officials say Sarasota county has been able to secure and protect more than 40,000 acres of land parcels through free and simple purchases as well as extensive conservation efforts and partnerships.