3,800 Acres of Flagler Land Purchased for Conservation

The Flagler County government on Thursday is closing on a purchase of 3,800 acres of environmentally sensitive lands for conservation. The area will become the Big Cypress Swamp Nature Preserve. The section of land being purchased lies west of Espanola and north of SR-100. It extends from just above the northernmost properties along SR-100 up almost to Flagler Estates. Most of this land is made up of wetlands and forest that provide habitats for multiple endangered species. Flagler County is purchasing the land for $6.05 million. The closing on the sale occurs Thursday. Much of the funding for the purchase comes from the state government as part of its Florida Wildlife Corridor Initiative. The program was formed in 2010 and funded with billions of dollars by the state legislature in 2021. Many of the species throughout the Florida Wildlife Corridor – which currently encompasses almost 18 million acres – are considered at risk of extinction. These include some of Florida’s most iconic animals, such as the Florida panther, West Indian manatee, and American flamingo. “The preserve contains upland and wetland habitats including mesic flatwoods, wet flatwoods, basin swamp, hydric hammock, and freshwater marsh – which provides foraging and nesting habitat for a variety of wildlife species including rare and imperiled species such as the wood stork, the eastern black rail, and the eastern indigo snake,” said Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Natural Resources Manager Erick Revuelta. “The site is also home to a large population of the Florida black bear.” The process that led to the county government’s purchase of these 3,800 acres began over a year ago. In February 2025 the Land Acquisition Committee reviewed the project. The County Commission fast-tracked the item in March. In late April an appraisal was returned. A purchase and sale agreement was reached in August. The final step in purchasing the land is Thursday’s closing. “Management of the property is likely to include the reintroduction of prescribed fire as well as invasive species control,” Revuelta continued. “As part of the development of a management plan for the preserve, county staff will evaluate the site for potential use for wetland mitigation to offset impacts associated with county projects such as new roadways, parks, fire and police stations.”