Land Management

Please contact Resource Stewardship Division at 386-943-7081 with any questions.

    IMPORTANT

• Weather conditions are favorable for Volusia County’s Resource Stewardship Division to conduct a 144 acre prescribed fire today, Wednesday, February 21st on Deep Creek Preserve located inbetween New Smyrna Beach and Osteen. The burn will take place north of Colony Road to the east of Big Powerline. There will be no impact to public trails. Objectives of the burn include maintaining fire dependent ecosystems and reducing wildland fuel loads. Ignition will begin at approximately 10:00 AM.

  For more information about the burn, call the Resource Stewardship Division at 386-943-7081.

• Gemini Springs Conservation Area: sections of the Blue and Orange Trails have standing water please use caution when using these trail segments.

• View Conservation Lands
• For camping reservations please call (386) 943-7081 or visit the camping reservations page 

Mission statement: To manage, in perpetuity, the county's conservation, environmentally sensitive and important water resource lands using a program of professionally accepted principles of resource and ecosystem management for the benefit of, and enjoyment by, present and future generations.

The Land Management activity is responsible for the management, enhancement and restoration of more than 38,000 acres located in Volusia County.  The majority of the acreage was acquired through two Volusia County voter approved acquisition programs, the 1986 Endangered Lands program and the 2000 Volusia Forever program.  With the passage of the Volusia Forever referendum in November of 2020, Volusia County will be adding to these protected Conservation Lands.  These lands have been and will be acquired for conservation purposes, while allowing passive recreation by the residents of Volusia County and others wishing to visit them.  Compatible passive recreation includes hiking, biking, bird watching and wildlife observation.  In addition, primitive and group camping is allowed on the following properties:

Hickory Bluff Preserve, Wiregrass Prairie Preserve, Longleaf Pine Preserve, Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve, and Lake George Forest & Wildlife Management Area. 

A camping permit must be obtained by calling the Resource Stewardship main office at (386) 943-7081.

Special Use Authorization Permits for activities not listed on our standard passive recreation list, must have the approval of the Land Management Activity.

Historically, nature provided all the tools needed to maintain healthy habitats. With the advent of fire suppression, fragmentation due to development (roads, powerlines, cities, etc.), past forestry practices, exotic species and user impacts natural lands are rarely as resilient as they were in the past. Most of the remaining habitats are overgrown with a complete canopy of trees and a dense understory of shrubs.  An abundance of trees and shrubs have replaced natural grasses and herbs as the major component of the understory. Loss of habitat quality and quantity has dramatically affected the naturally occurring animal species. Human intervention (management) is now needed to provide the factors necessary for a healthy forest. Learn more about the living forest and how the County controls forest fires.

Visit the Conservation Lands Map to see all protected forest land in Volusia County.

The County Council approved a formal set of land management and conservation goals and objectives which can be found in Resolution 2003-80. This resolution provides staff guidance on management, restoration and public use. In addition the County Council in 2006 approved Chapter 82, Article III, Volusia County Code of Ordinances which details allowances, prohibitions and permitting for the public use of Conservation Lands.