Purchase of two additional parcels – in Buckingham and on Buck Key – will be pursued

FORT MYERS – The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to purchase 10 acres east of Stringfellow Road in St. James City, Pine Island, for $50,000. The land will be added to the Pine Island Flatwoods Preserve – Bayside, an existing Conservation 20/20 property.

The Conservation Land Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee recommended approval of this purchase by unanimous vote on June 19.

Closing costs are estimated to add up to $12,000 to the acquisition cost.

In other action Tuesday, the Lee Board of County Commissioners voted to pursue acquisition activity on two parcels:

• A 129.5-acre parcel located in Buckingham, south of the Orange River Road and east of Interstate 75 and north of Homestead Lane.
• A 14-acre in-fill parcel located in J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Lee County. The land is located about 500 feet east of Captiva Island, on an island known as Buck Key and is the last remaining privately owned infill parcel on Buck Key. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, which contains 6,525 acres in Lee County.

Both parcels were recommended for acquisition by CLASAC. Any purchase agreements will be returned to the Board for future consideration.

There are currently 31,444 acres within the Conservation 20/20 Land Acquisition Program.