Sarasota County and Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast announce the permanent protection of 40 acres within the Myakka River region in Sarasota County. This significant property links Old Myakka Preserve, located at the eastern end of Fruitville Road, to more than 120,000 acres of protected lands surrounding the Myakka River and the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh. The property is a rare remnant of longleaf pine forest and Florida scrub, most of which is gone in Sarasota County. The property’s surface waters flow into the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh and the Myakka River. Conservation of such rare scrub habitat and clean-water resources is vital to the future of the local environment. Sarasota County purchased the property using its Environmentally Sensitive Land Protection Program (ESLPP) funding, a voter-approved program that enables important natural areas to be purchased for conservation, protecting environmental assets for the public benefit. Conservation Foundation initiated the purchase of this small but critical property by working with the conservation-minded landowner, MAG Properties, Inc. “This strategic purchase is a good example of Sarasota County’s commitment to protecting the natural resources of our region,” stated Nicole Rissler, Director of Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources.

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