The state Department of Environmental Protection and Southwest Florida Water Management District have purchased the development rights of undeveloped land as a buffer for Horse Creek.
It's a tributary of the Peace River, which provides drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people. Keeping these wetlands safe from development is considered crucial to the health of the downstream Charlotte Harbor estuary.
It's located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, which is part of a network of connected environmentally sensitive lands.
The property contains several threatened species, including the gopher tortoise, Eastern indigo snake, Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, and the Florida burrowing owl.
Water district officials thanked the Doyle Carlton family for agreeing to the deal, which allows them to continue ranching but prevents development. It protects nearly 11 miles along Horse Creek.
“Preservation of this hydrologically important land helps increase the protection of Florida’s unique natural landscapes and wildlife habitats, as well as water quality,” DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton said. “We are grateful to the dedicated ranching families like the Carlton family for their commitment to conserving these vital working lands in perpetuity.”
The purchase price for this conservation easement was $37,818,750 and once the Southwest Florida Water Management District finalizes their purchase of the ranch’s remaining acres, the Horse Creek Ranch Florida Forever project will be complete.
