A Florida red-shouldered hawk in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Flint Pen Strand, which contains several land parcels acquired by Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 program.

The future of the highly popular and successful Lee County Conservation 20/20 program is uncertain.

On Sept. 16, after community members sent hundreds of letters and dozens of citizens attended two meetings to support the conservation land-acquisition program, the Lee County Board of County Commissioners did not include funding for the program in their 2025-26 budget.  

Conservation 20/20 has conserved 31,700 acres since it was first passed by voter referendum in 1996, and it was reauthorized in 2016 by an overwhelming 84% vote. This year, it will continue to operate on its dwindling funds — currently at $19 million — which is far less than the Lee County Conservation 20/20 ordinance-required minimum of $40 million.  

“The Acquisition Fund should maintain a fund balance not more than $100 million and not less than $40 million. Once the fund balance drops below this amount, the County will replenish the fund,” the ordinance states.

Currently, the Conservation 20/20 program has $47 million worth of property nominations in the queue.

“In addition to the budget with no new funding, the Commissioners passed a new tiered acquisition process that will move forward with pursuing nine properties deemed most appropriate for the program,” said SCCF Policy Associate Holly Schwartz. “The rest of the nominations will wait in a holding pattern until they are reevaluated once the acquisition process for the Tier 1 properties has been fully completed.”

The Sanibel Community Church property (nomination 666) landed on the ‘Tier 2’ list, making a timely purchase of the property by the Conservation 20/20 program unlikely.  Click here for a list of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 properties.

“This accomplishment should be celebrated, and the program should be funded into the future. Lee County ranks among the fastest growing communities in the state, with a University of Florida population estimate for 2030 of 918,000 people,” Schwartz said. “With 86,000 homes currently in the development pipeline, growth continues to permanently change our landscape. For the sake of our water quality, storm protection and wildlife habitat, Lee County must continue to acquire conservation lands to balance the explosive growth Southwest Florida continues to experience.”

Due to outpouring support for the program, the Lee County Commissioners have committed to holding a workshop to discuss the future of Conservation 20/20. While public input is not permitted at County Commission workshops, there are other avenues to communicate your support for this program.

Count on SCCF to let you know when this workshop is scheduled and how to let the Commissioners know why Conservation 20/20 is important to you.