Lee Commissioners vote to pursue Conservation 20/20 purchases in Bokeelia and Lehigh Acres
FORT MYERS – The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to pursue the purchase of two parcels through the Conservation 20/20 program, each of which is adjacent to already preserved land.
The parcels are:
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3.42 acres within the Greenbriar Flowways area and north of the Conservation 20/20 GS-10 Preserve, a 625-acre preserve located west of Joel Boulevard and north of Greenbriar Boulevard in Lehigh Acres.
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1.99 acres immediately adjacent to the 5-acre Heron Pond preserve and near the 400-acre Buttonwood Preserve, a Conservation 20/20 preserve. The parcel is south of Pine Island Road in Bokeelia and west of Little Pine Island Mitigation Bank.
The Conservation Land Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee (CLASAC) recommended approval of both parcels.
In April 2019, the Board approved the purchase of the 624-acre GS-10 Preserve through the Conservation 20/20 program. The property includes a water management and restoration project by the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District (LAMSID).
The Board and LAMSID entered into memorandum of understanding to partner on the management of the land. The land management plan provides a general overview to construct a filter marsh to provide flood mitigation, TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) credits for improving surface water quality, and to provide for nature-based recreation.
There are more than 31,300 acres within Conservation 20/20, Lee County’s land acquisition and management program. Conservation lands help the county protect drinking water, enhance water quality, provide nature-based recreational opportunities, protect areas from flooding and provide wildlife habitat. For more information, visit www.Conservation2020.org.