Conservation Florida Partners to Permanently Protect Lake Marion
Photo by Anna Crocitto @anna_crocitto
639 Acres of Scrub Habitat and Everglades Headwater Nearly Lost to Development
HAINES CITY, Fla. (May 9, 2024) — 639 acres of prime Lake Marion waterfront property — once at-risk of destruction for suburban sprawl — are now permanently protected.
Conservation Florida, a dynamic driver of land conservation in Florida, joined with six dedicated conservation partners, including the Bellini Family, Polk County Natural Lands and the Department of Defense, to conserve a key piece of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
"Conserving this Lake Marion property wasn't just about safeguarding its shores; it was about saving a piece of our home for generations to come," said Conservation Florida CEO Traci Deen. "We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our partners and dedicated supporters whose unwavering commitment made the permanent protection of this exceptional site possible."
The property — one of the last pieces of unprotected Florida scrub in Polk County — was listed for sale in 2020. After murmurs of developer interest spread, Conservation Florida went to work. Right on the water's edge of Lake Marion, the property boasts three and a half miles of shoreline, meaning significant water impacts for the Northern Everglades if it were to be lost to development.
With the critical Lake Marion land on the market, at-risk, Conservation Florida worked against the clock, partnering with conservation buyer Arnie Bellini who generously purchased the property and held onto it, giving the organization time to pull together a conservation deal and build partnerships.
“The Bellini Family loves the wild places of Florida and wanted to preserve this beautiful and ecologically sensitive land for the citizens of Florida,” said Arnie Bellini. “Polk County residents deserve to keep this land as part of their heritage and enjoy it forever as a new Polk County park.”
With the property in friendly hands, Conservation Florida teamed up with Polk County to orchestrate the conservation of 639 acres within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
After acquisition approval by the Polk County Commission, the land is to become an environmental park for public use and recreation, forever protected.
"Land like this conserved Lake Marion property is what makes Polk County home," said District 3 Polk County Commissioner Bill Braswell. "I'm proud to have supported it."
“This is a private-public conservation success story, said Tabitha Biehl, Polk County Land & Water Natural Areas Manager. “The protection would not have been possible without all the partnerships focused on the goals of conserving one of the largest unprotected rosemary scrub habitats remaining in Polk County.”
The protection of this critical Lake Marion was complex to say the least. For the first time in history, Resilient Florida funding was used to support inland efforts, solidifying the impact this land has on the headwaters of the Everglades. Pulling the project off involved a land swap, two conservation easements, four real estate transactions, one generous conservation buyer, and teamwork with Wildlands Conservation, USFW, Polk County, and the Department of Defense.
"It was an honor to work with such a broad and diverse group of partners and contribute to the protection of this property within the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape,” said Lt. Col. Buck MacLaughlin. The shoreline property will support military readiness.
Footage by Anna Crocitto
This specific area in Polk County has seen considerable residential growth over the past several years. Located south of Poinciana Villages, a 47,000-acre community housing more than 100,000 residents — this wild land was at-risk for the same.
With roughly 1,000 new residents arriving to the sunshine state every day, Lake Marion Creek census projections predict populations of nearly 50,000 by 2028 — nearly doubling its 28,376 population.
With that influx comes a price. Florida rosemary, sand skinks, gopher tortoises, fox squirrels, and other threatened and endangered species all run rampant on this Lake Marion property as well. Lake Marion is home to hardwood forests, scrublands, sandhill, hardwoods, freshwater marshlands and swamplands.
As a public park, Polk County residents will now always be able to appreciate the wild beauty. It will now be forever known as Bellini Preserve and enjoyed by Floridians and our guests for generations to come.
“As a Polk County native, I’m proud of the role Conservation Florida played in seeing this property conserved," said Adam Bass, Conservation Florida Vice President of Conservation. "I am grateful to the partners that helped make conserving this beautiful slice of Polk County a reality."
This Lake Marion land protection project was made possible by the Bellini Family, longtime supporter of Conservation Florida and dedicated conservationist.
For more information, contact:
Sarah Shepard, Communications Manager
About Conservation Florida
Conservation Florida is a statewide accredited land conservancy working to conserve Florida’s water, wildlife, wild places, and protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The organization’s conservation projects support Florida’s native plants and wildlife, fresh water, wildlife corridors, family farms and ranches, the economy, and nature-based recreation. Since its founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has prioritized strategic and evidence-based land protection and has saved more than 35,000 acres of critical habitat.