County partners with DeLand to purchase 128 acres of conservation land

Posted On: February 8, 2023

With funding from the voter-approved Volusia Forever program, the Volusia County Council approved a cost-share agreement with the City of DeLand to purchase a 128-acre property southeast of downtown DeLand. The property will become a conservation area to protect its ecological value and a passive park with trails and water access for all residents to enjoy.

The cost-share agreement stipulates a $4.3 million purchase price, with the county funding 70% and the city 30% of the purchase. The city approved the agreement during its Jan. 17 meeting and committed to funding the long-term habitat management, passive recreational park and ongoing property maintenance. Within one year after closing on the property, the city will develop land management and conceptual plans for the passive recreational elements that will be offered.

The property qualified for partial Volusia Forever funding because it met many criteria for evaluating environmentally sensitive lands and their conservation value. The majority of the property is an upland habitat with scrubby flatwoods and some wetlands that provide refuge to many rare species of plants and animals, including the endemic Florida scrub jay.

The scrubby flatwoods are classified as “imperiled in Florida” due to their rarity by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory. The St. Johns River Water Management District has also identified the property as a high groundwater recharge area for the Floridan aquifer.

Volusia Forever was created in 2000 when the citizens of Volusia County voted to tax themselves .2 mills over 20 years to protect the county’s natural biodiversity. Voters renewed it for another 20 years during the November 2020 election. To stretch these dollars as far as possible, Volusia Forever forms partnerships with federal, state, the water management district and local cities that are committed to protecting natural resources. Approximately 39,000 acres have been acquired since the beginning of the program.