- April 8, 2026
Flagler County on Thursday will close on the largest single Environmentally Sensitive Lands acquisition in the program’s history.
The county has been working for more than a year to purchase 3,800 acres in central Flagler that will become the Big Cypress Swamp Nature Preserve and encompasses almost the entirety of the swamp. The swamp is a regionally significant wetland system that constitutes the headwaters of White Branch – a tributary that flows into Crescent Lake and the St. Johns River.
Flagler County closes on the $6.05 million 3,800-acre purchase on April 9. This is a significant purchase as the location is a critical part of long-term regional conservation efforts, securing an important link between thousands of acres of natural lands in the Ocala-to-Matanzas Conservation Corridor.
“The preserve contains upland and wetland habitats including mesic flatwoods, wet flatwoods, basin swamp, hydric hammock, and freshwater marsh – which provides foraging and nesting habitat for a variety of wildlife species including rare and imperiled species such as the wood stork, the eastern black rail, and the eastern indigo snake,” said Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Natural Resources Manager Erick Revuelta. “The site is also home to a large population of the Florida black bear.”
The acquisition is a partnership between Flagler County’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands Program and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Funding for the project was provided by the State of Florida as part of a “Florida Wildlife Corridor Initiative” championed by former House Speaker Paul Renner.
The Big Cypress Swamp Nature Preserve will be managed by the county’s Land Management Department.
“Management of the property is likely to include the reintroduction of prescribed fire as well as invasive species control,” Revuelta said. “As part of the development of a management plan for the preserve, county staff will evaluate the site for potential use for wetland mitigation to offset impacts associated with county projects such as new roadways, parks, fire and police stations.”
Acquisition timeline:
