Lee County’s successful Conservation 20/20 land acquisition program has purchased a total of 31,722 acres since the electorate approved the program in 1996. 

A county ordinance passed in 2021 pledged to replenish the acquisition fund so that the willing-seller program could continue to purchase ecologically sensitive properties. In 2016, 84% voted again to reauthorize the popular program. 

“These properties contribute a multitude of benefits, including storm protection, flood control, water recharge, wildlife habitat, public access, and recreation,” said SCCF Policy Associate Holly Schwartz.

Unfortunately, Lee County staff recommended not to replenish the land acquisition fund for the next fiscal year due to economic hardships related to hurricane recovery. The county will continue to purchase qualified properties with the remaining acquisition funds, but will do so on a tiered point-system basis.

The balance of the land acquisition fund contains approximately $19 million, with an estimated $47 million in nominated properties waiting to be purchased. 

One casualty of the decision not to replenish the acquisition fund may be the previously nominated Sanibel Community Church property (nomination #666).

This nomination was placed on the ‘Tier 2’ property nomination list recommended by staff and approved by the Conservation Land Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee (CLASAC) at their meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

For more information on the tiered acquisition system, please refer to the county’s Power Point that was presented to the CLASAC.

“There still may be a possibility for the properties on the Tier 2 list to be purchased, but it’s contingent on how the properties on the Tier 1 list are processed,” Schwartz said.

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners will adopt the county-wide budget at the final budget public hearing on Sept. 16. SCCF continues to support the county and the successful Conservation 20/20 program and will strongly encourage the commissioners to replenish the program in future budgets.

“As successful as the Conservation 20/20 program is, thousands of acres of wetlands and forested uplands in Lee County are converted to high-density residential and commercial uses each year,” Schwartz said. “We must continue to strive for a balance to intensive development to protect our dwindling environment and our tourism-based economy.”