Palm Bluff Preserve expansion gets green light
Posted On: May 11, 2022
Thanks to a partnership between Volusia Forever and the St. Johns River Water Management District, a large conservation area near Osteen is about to get even bigger.
Over the years, Volusia Forever and the water management district have joined efforts to preserve huge swaths of the county’s natural landscape and wildlife corridors. The water management district manages one of the more popular preserves – the 3,321-acre Palm Bluff Preserve, which provides wooded vistas and trails for the public to hike, ride horses and bicycles, camp out, and commune with nature.
On April 5, the Volusia County Council approved a $3.1 million cost-sharing agreement between Volusia Forever and the district to purchase 854 acres of property adjacent to Palm Bluff Preserve and acquire a conservation easement to another 422 acres of adjacent land. And the St. Johns River Water Management District sealed the deal on May 10 with a unanimous vote of approval. Under the agreement, Volusia Forever will contribute $1.3 million and the St. Johns River Water Management District will put up $1.1 million. Volusia Forever’s share will come from revenue generated by a voter-approved tax that funds the program.
According to Mike Register, the St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director, the joint venture is a shining example of how government entities can collaborate to preserve Florida’s conservation lands, water resources and the environment.
“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Volusia County and their commitment to environmental protection through Volusia Forever,” said Register. “As communities in and around Florida continue to develop, it is more important than ever that we continue to protect the natural habitats and settings that inspire people to move here. We look forward to collaborating with Volusia County and other government partners on important initiatives like this in the future.”
The properties contain an ecologically sensitive mix of forest and wetlands that are important for preservation, habitat protection, recreational use and groundwater recharge. The easement will connect with the Volusia Conservation Corridor, which runs north to south through the center of the county and serves as a connected and protected habitat and passageway for wildlife. These purchases will expand the corridor to more than 40,000 acres.
