- April 21, 2025
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Big Waters Land Trust has helped secure the protection of 34 acres on Sandpiper Key in Englewood, according to a mid-April statement from the conservation organization. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection purchased the land for $850,000, according to a spokesperson for Big Waters Land Trust.
The effort was years in the making, conservation officials say, and it will strengthen resiliency for the barrier island of Manasota Key.
Big Waters Land Trust first began working with the property’s "conservation-minded Realtor," Scott Polisar, to protect the 34 coastal acres in 2022, according to the statement.
Part of Charlotte Harbor, the land now set aside for conservation on Sandpiper Key is located within Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve in Sarasota County. It includes extensive mangrove forests and seagrass beds that help reduce erosion, store excess nutrients and improve water quality, according to a statement.
Making way for the state to purchase the land, Big Waters facilitated the incorporation of the parcels into the Florida Forever priority boundaries, according to a statement. Florida Forever is the state’s conservation and recreation land acquisition program through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The state used Florida Forever funds to purchase the property in January, according to a statement. The seller was a multi-person LLC, according to Sam Valentin, spokesperson for Big Waters Land Trust.
Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve will manage the 34 acres.
“If the community had not banded together to champion the protection of these 34 acres, they would not be conserved today,” Big Waters Land Trust President Christine P. Johnson says in the statement. “We thank local residents, Scott Polisar, and the state of Florida for working together to protect this special place — future generations will thank you too.”
Since its founding in 2003, Big Waters Land Trust has helped preserve more than 20,000 acres across over 60 different properties.
