The Lee Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted Tuesday, Aug. 6, to move forward with due diligence on Conservation 20/20 acquisition for a 14-acre infill parcel on Buck Key, the largest uninhabited island in Pine Island Sound.

Located in the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the land lies about 500 feet east of Captiva Island and is the 335-acre island’s last remaining privately owned parcel.

“We would like to thank the commissioners for taking an important next step forward in preserving this unique natural resource,” said SCCF CEO James Evans.

SCCF, the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society, the Refuge, and others attended the May 15 meeting of CLASAC (Conservation Land Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee) and spoke in favor of acquiring the land through the Conservation 20/20 program.

Preserving Buck Key enhances the resiliency of Captiva Island and protects critical mangroves, a rare tropical hardwood hammock, and essential fish habitat for important gamefish such as snook, redfish, sea trout, and tarpon, as well as roosting and nesting sites for a myriad of wading birds like herons, egrets, ibis, among others.

CLASAC recommended this parcel for acquisition to the commissioners. Now that the BOCC voted to pursue this acquisition, the next step is to negotiate purchase agreements, which will then be returned to the board for future consideration. 

The majority of land on Buck Key has already been preserved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, SCCF, and the State of Florida and is managed under an agreement with the Refuge.  

The waterfront land was listed for sale in June 2023 for $21 million, as “ideal for luxury residential homesites or a private estate.”

SCCF will continue to share updates on the process.