Agenda 06/10/2025 Item #16A10 (Conservation Collier Annual Report, Program Manual, Public Solicitations for proposals from the public and an updated for the Board Conservation Collier Program Manual)6/10/2025
Item # 16.A.10
ID# 2025-1382
Executive Summary
Recommendation to accept the Conservation Collier Annual Report, Program Manual, and to solicit acquisition
proposals and applications from the public.
OBJECTIVE: Three (3) objectives included in this request are (1) Update the Board of County Commissioners (Board)
and the public on the Conservation Collier Program’s past, current, and planned activities pursuant to Conservation
Collier Ordinance requirements through the Conservation Collier Annual Report, (2) Solicit proposals and applications
from the public, and (3) provide the Board with an updated Conservation Collier Program Manual.
CONSIDERATIONS: In accordance with Conservation Collier Ordinance 2002-63, as amended Section 11.6., “There
will be an annual public meeting for the purpose of updating the Board and the public and for soliciting proposals and
applications if the program is in a buying cycle".
On November 3, 2020, the Collier County electors approved the Conservation Collier Re-establishment referendum with
a 76.5% majority. After the Referendum, the Program initiated Cycle 10 by accepting applications starting in February
2021 with the anticipation of funds becoming available in FY22. To date, the Program has acquired an additional 720
acres after the passing of the Referendum in 2020. There are currently 2,317 acres totaling $25,780,000 pending
acquisition.
The current total acreage acquired is 5,060 acres at 25 different locations as of April 1, 2025. Preserve management
activities are ongoing for all acquired properties except multi-parcel projects, where larger contiguous areas must be
acquired to manage in a cost-effective manner. The Program also continues to add public access to preserves.
The Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Committee recommended moving the Annual Report and Program Manual
forward for Board review during their meeting on April 2, 2025.
1. Annual Report: Please see the attached Conservation Collier Annual Report which provides the Program’s past,
current, and planned activities; and updates the Board on activities during 2024.
2. Solicitation of proposals and applications from the public: The Program requests public solicitation for
nomination proposals and for property owners to submit applications in the 2025-2026 selection and ranking
cycle, which is currently underway.
During Cycles one (1) through ten (10), ranking of property applications was done annually. During the Annual
Report update on April 26, 2022, Agenda Item #11B the Board requested staff to accelerate the acquisition of
environmentally sensitive land for conservation. Thereafter, cycle rankings were done two times per year for Cycles
eleven (11) and twelve (12). In September 2023 the Board requested streamlining of acquisition. Subsequently, the
Program moved to ranking properties on an ongoing basis. Therefore, the process has been revised to accelerate
acquisition and take applications to the Board for ranking on a monthly basis after review by the CCLAAC.
3. Updated Conservation Collier Program Manual: In accordance with Conservation Collier Ordinance 2002-63, as
amended Section 9.2. staff is providing an updated Program Manual. The amended Ordinance states:
The County Manager, or their designee, shall prepare and periodically update for presentation to the Board of
County Commissioners, a Conservation Collier Program Manual, developed by staff and the Land
Acquisition Advisory Committee, which, upon approval by the Board of County Commissioners, shall be
used as a guide for implementing the provisions of this ordinance, and shall also include the initial and
secondary criteria listed herein above for evaluating Conservation Collier Acquisition Proposals.
The Program Manual has existed and is provided to new staff and CCLAAC members as part of the onboarding
process. The Manual has been revised to reflect updated information including: grammatical revisions, amended
Ordinance numbers, revised Department, meeting day/time, Fund numbers, process and procedure updates.
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6/10/2025
Item # 16.A.10
ID# 2025-1382
This item is consistent with the Collier County strategic plan objectives to preserve and enhance the character of our
community and to protect our natural resources.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with approval of this item. However, funding related to
acquisition has been incorporated into the FY25 budget. Funding for Conservation Collier is budgeted annually within
Conservation Collier funds: Acquisition (1061), Maintenance (1062), Capital Projects (1063), Pepper Ranch
Conservation Bank (0673), Caracara Prairie Preserve (0674) as reported within the Annual Report.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: Fee simple acquisition of conservation lands is consistent with and supports
Policy 1.3.1(e) in the Conservation and Coastal Management Element of the Collier County Growth Management Plan.
There is no growth management impact associated with naming preserves.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item is approved as to form and legality and requires majority vote for Board
action. -SAA
RECOMMENDATIONS: To accept the Conservation Collier Annual Report and Program Manual as presented.
PREPARED BY: Summer Araque, Environmental Supervisor, Conservation Collier Program, Development Review
Division
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Annual Report 2024_BCC
2. Program Manual Update - 2025
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ________________________________________________ 4
Responsibilities __________________________________________________________ 4
History of Acquisition & Lands Inventory _______________________________________ 4
Program Costs FY24 ______________________________________________________ 5
Public Activities __________________________________________________________ 5
Committee members _____________________________________________ 6
Program Lands Acquisition Status _________________________________ 10
Program Land Management Status _________________________________ 12
Table 1. Preserve Status __________________________________________________ 13
Program Financial Status ________________________________________ 15
Table 2. Land Maintenance Expenses 5-year Average _________________________ 17
Table 3. – Summary of Conservation Collier Financial Activity for FY24 ____________ 18
Conservation Collier Programs ____________________________________ 19
Pepper Ranch Hunt Program _______________________________________________ 19
2023-2024 Hunt Season __________________________________________________ 19
Caracara Prairie Preserve Hunt Program _____________________________________ 19
Mitigation Programs _____________________________________________ 20
Caracara Prairie Preserve _______________________________________________ 20
Pepper Ranch Preserve _________________________________________________ 20
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Grants and Funding Assistance ___________________________________ 21
Volunteers ____________________________________________________ 22
2025 Objectives ________________________________________________ 24
Exhibits ______________________________________________________ 25
Exhibit A. 2024 Map of Conservation Collier Program Lands ______________________ 25
Exhibit B. Conservation Collier Preserves by Commission District _________________ 26
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INTRODUCTION
Responsibilities
The Conservation Collier Program (Program) is responsible for implementing the mandate of
the electorate of Collier County as provided by public referendum vote in November 2002, and
again in November 2006 confirming that mandate, to levy a 0.25 mill ad valorem property tax
for a period not to exceed 10 years for acquisition. Most recently, on November 3, 2020, the
electorate voted to implement another 10-year ad valorem tax not-to-exceed 0.25 mill. The
implementation of this ad valorem tax started in FY22 (October 2021). Once acquired,
protection, restoration, and management of environmentally sensitive lands acquired by the
Program in Collier County continues in perpetuity for the benefit of present and future
generations.
History of Acquisition & Lands Inventory
After the passing of the referendum in 2002, the initial acquisition phase occurred from 2004 to
2011. During that time, 4,055 acres of preserve land were acquired. In 2011 available funds
were appropriated into the maintenance trust fund as the program moved into a preserve
management phase, including opening the preserves for public access and managing and
hosting visitors. Therefore, between 2011 and 2020 there was not a regular funding source for
acquisition of conservation land.
The Program remained in a management phase until 2017 when the Board authorized the use
of management funds for the acquisition of more land. In 2018 and 2019, three (3) properties
totaling 237 acres were purchased for $3.1 million. These funds were subsequently paid back
to the management fund in FY22 after the initial funds from the 2020 referendum were received.
Since the re-establishment of the funding source for acquisition after the referendum in 2020,
an additional 97 parcels totaling 685 acres have been acquired for a total of 5,036 through
FY24 (September 2024). Thirteen (13) Conservation Collier preserves are currently open for
public use with various amenities for public passive recreational use.
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Program Costs FY24
Program expenses for FY24 totaled $11,855,420 including land management costs for all
preserves of $1,233,395, program administration and acquisition operations costs of $299,486,
and $10,322,539 for land acquisition. In addition, FY24 funding assistance, in the amount of
$155,315, was received for land management. The increase in budget was due to the
acquisition of new preserves.
Public Activities
Public activities at preserves during FY24 included adult and youth hunts, hiking, camping,
biking, horseback riding, volunteering, guided hikes, and presentations.
Please accept this report on the activities of Conservation Collier calendar year 2024.
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COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The primary purpose of the CCLAAC, as defined by the Conservation Collier Ordinance, has
been to assist the Board in establishing an Active Properties Acquisition List with qualified
purchase recommendations consistent with the goals of Conservation Collier. This is a 9-
member committee. Membership of the CCLAAC is intended to be comprised of broad and
balanced representation of the interests of Collier County citizens, including:
• Environmental, land management, and conservation interests
• Agricultural and business interests
• Educational interests
• General civic and citizen interests throughout the county.
Members serving as of during 2024, and their backgrounds and areas of expertise are:
Michele Lenhard – Vice Chair now Chair as of January 2023
(Educational/General Civic/Ecology/Conservation)
Ms. Lenhard was reappointed on February 28, 2025, for a 3-year term. Ms.
Lenhard relocated to Collier County 10 years ago from Ridgewood, NJ.
She currently serves as the Naturalist Program Chair for the Friends of
Barefoot Beach having completed the Florida Master Naturalist Program
training. While living in New Jersey she served on the local Board of
Education for many years. During her tenure on the Board, she was the
liaison to several State educational initiatives and achieved certification as a Master Board
Member from New Jersey School Boards. She and her husband owned and operated a records
and information management company as well as several commercial real estate entities in
New Jersey. Michele’s educational background is in environmental science. Early in her career
She worked in the scientific instrument industry.
Ron Clark - (Environmental/Conservation/Ecology/Land Management)
Mr. Clark was first appointed to fill the remainder of a vacant Advisory
Committee member term on February 11, 2022, and reappointed a to
three-year term on January 24, 2023. He has a Bachelor of Science in
Resource Management and is a retired Chief of Natural and Cultural
Resources for Big Cypress National Preserve following a 44-year career
with the National Park Service that included assignments in ten national
park units throughout the country. Ron arrived in south Florida in 1989 as
an Environmental Specialist and in 1995 began to undertake his role as
Principal Advisor and Supervisor of the team of scientists and technicians of the Preserve's
Natural and Cultural Resource Management programs. Ron has also served on the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service Florida Panther Recovery Team, is a past Chair of the National Park
Service Southeast Regional Natural Resource Advisory Committee and volunteered in a six-
year program as a Senior Technical Advisor for the U.S. Agency for International Development
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to protect orangutans and hawksbill sea turtles on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. Ron is also
the current Chair of the Land Evaluation and Management Subcommittee and served as Vice-
Chair of the CCLAAC this past year.
Gary Bromley – (General Civic/Citizen)
Mr. Bromley was reappointed on January 23, 2024, for a 3-year term. Mr.
Bromley has lived in Collier County for 6 years, originally from Westchester,
NY, where he served as an environmental educator. He has a Bachelor of
Science degree in social science work and is currently retired. This is Mr.
Bromley’s first time serving on a county board, but he is a member of the
League of Women voters where he participates on the Environmental and
Government Committees. He has also participated in efforts to place
constitutional amendments on voter ballots and has participated with the
Stone crab Alliance on environmental issues.
Rhys Watkins - (Conservation/Real Estate)
Mr. Watkins was reappointed on February 28, 2025, for a 3-year term.
Rhys was born and raised in Collier County where he spent time learning
about the natural beauty of Collier County through exploring the Big
Cypress Preserve and the Ten Thousand Islands. His first involvement
with Conservation Collier came as a volunteer while in middle school for
the original campaign to pass the referendum in 2002. Rhys currently
works in real estate and investments in Naples and has prior experience in
the hospitality industry in Naples and the defense industry in Washington, D.C. Rhys has a
master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.
John Courtright - (General Civic/Conservation/Environmental)
Mr. Courtright was appointed on September 13, 2022, for a 3-year term
and currently is serving as the Outreach Subcommittee Chair. John retired
November 2009 from Miami-Dade Fire & Rescue Department. He worked
for 30 years as a Fire Fighter/Paramedic. John volunteers with Big
Cypress National Preserve, CREW Trust, Paddle Florida, Conservation
Collier, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, UF-IFAS and Collier County. John has been
a resident of Collier County since 1986.
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Nick Pearson – (Environmental/Real Estate/Conservation/Ecology)
Mr. Pearson was appointed in July of 2023 for a 3-year term. Nick is a
lifetime resident of South Florida, growing up and appreciating the
outdoors in the Naples area since 1991. He earned a Bachelor of Science
in Marine Biology from Eckerd College (2013), during and after which he
spent time working with both Mote Marine Lab and the Florida Aquarium.
He has spent the last 8 years working as an environmental consultant in
the Collier County area.
Christopher Satter (Ecology/Conservation/Environmental/Educational)
Mr. Satter was appointed to the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition
Committee on April 23, 2024, for a 3-year term. Born and raised in Miami-
Dade and Broward County, he spent many weekends as a child visiting
his cousin in Golden Gate Estates, Naples, where they cut trails through
the woods, found fishing spots, and searched for native wildlife. He
earned a BS in Zoology from the University of West Florida and an MS
in Population Ecology from Virginia Tech, where he studied ocelot
population dynamics in Belize, Central America. He continued at Virginia
Tech for his PhD, focusing on the spatial ecology and resource selection of wild pigs in
Southwest Florida. Currently, he is a research associate on The Florida Panther Project,
focusing on panther population trends and spatial ecology.
Austin Howell – (Real Estate/Appraisal/Conservation/Environmental)
Mr. Howell was appointed on February 27, 2024, for a 3-year term.
Austin was born and raised in Naples and is an avid outdoorsman who
loves to spend time doing any outdoor activity with his two children,
Kinsley & Ryder, and his wife, Angie. Austin is Vice President of Soltura
Development Group where his everyday job roles allow him to truly
appreciate the need for Conservation in our County. In addition to being
a part of Conservation Collier, Austin is a graduate of both Leadership
Florida and Leadership Collier programs, as well as a founding member
of Habitat NextGen.
Oriany Brito - (General Civic/Interest/Real Estate)
Ms. Brito was appointed on February 27th, 2024, for a 3-year
term. Raised in the rural heart of Collier County, Oriany developed a
deep love and admiration for the natural beauty that surrounds her, from
the serene Picayune Strand State Forest to the vast expanses of the
Florida Everglades. These early experiences fostered her lifelong
passion for conservation and the preservation of our unique
environment. A dedicated advocate for nature, Oriany has actively
contributed to numerous environmental initiatives, lending her time and
energy to organizations such as CCA FL, STAR, Captains for Clean Water, and various local
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nature awareness events. In her professional life, Oriany serves as a property manager and
realtor in Collier County, where she combines her expertise in real estate with her commitment
to sustainability. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Gulf Coast University.
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PROGRAM LANDS ACQUISITION STATUS
The FY24 budget included a Conservation Collier Program tax levy of .2242 mil that generated
approximately $31,089,400. Twenty-four (24) percent of annual gross tax receipts were
deposited into the Conservation Collier Management Trust Fund to provide for long-term
management of lands managed by the Conservation Collier Program. The balance of tax
receipts was deposited into the Conservation Collier Acquisition Trust Fund and Project Fund
for use in acquiring environmentally sensitive lands and providing amenities.
Acquisition Cycle Process:
The Active Acquisition Lists (AAL) for each Cycle from 2003 to 2022 were taken to the Board
on an annual basis for ranking Cycles one (1) through ten (10). In April 2022 the Board
requested staff to accelerate acquisition, which resulted in the AAL being taken to the Board
two times a year. In April 2024, the Program moved to taking the AAL to the Board for review
as applications are received. Once the Board approves an AAL, by Ordinance staff obtains
appraisals and perform due diligence for the A-category properties on the AAL.
Status of Acquisition Cycles
Below is the status of each acquisition since the passing of the referendum in 2020:
History of recent Acquisition Cycles
There was a considerable response from sellers starting with Cycle 10 as this was the first time
target letters were sent county-wide (with the exception of two multi-parcel project areas) since
2010. Cycle 12A target letters were delayed in sending from February to October 2023 due to
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a backlog in closings from Cycle 10. This delay resulted in less applications for Cycle 12A than
previous cycles. Now that Cycles have moved from once a year ranking to ranking as
application are received this will help with distribution of workload on closings.
Multi-Parcel Project Areas:
Multi-Parcel project areas are a way to accelerate acquisition of parcels within a defined project
boundary. These properties have been ranked on the Active Acquisition list as A-category and
approved for market studies to be completed and offers made. Because properties are already
ranked as A-category, staff sends offer letters annually. Final approval of the purchase is done
by the Board purchase agreement. There are currently four (4) multi-parcel project areas.
The Red Maple Swamp and Winchester Head were established in 2004 and 2005.
• Red Maple Swamp – 246 acres (80%) of the project area of 305.8 acres has been
acquired
• Winchester Head – 109 acres (69%) of the project area of 158.4 acres has been acquired
The most recent multi-parcel project areas established in February 2023 after Board approval
are Panther Walk preserve and Dr. Robert H. Gore III preserve. These are both expansions of
existing preserve areas.
• Panther Walk - 66 acres (15%) of 426.1 acres has been acquired
• Dr. Robert H. Gore III – 259 acres (44%) of 590.7 acres has been acquired
The current status of all Conservation Collier acquisitions since Cycle 10 is on the Conservation
Collier website here: Acquisition Status Report (colliercountyfl.gov)
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PROGRAM LAND MANAGEMENT STATUS
Staff is working with contractors for the initial removal of exotic vegetation removal for newly
acquired properties including the recently acquired properties:
• Dr. Robert H. Gore – original 170 acres acquired 2018; additional 100 acres acquired
through FY24 with more being added
• North Belle Meade – new 256-acre preserve acquired in FY24
• Pepper Ranch – 84 acres added to this existing preserve in FY24
After initial exotic vegetation removal, contractors are hired mostly on an annual basis or
biannually depending on budget availability to perform maintenance exotic vegetation
treatments on twenty-four (24) of the preserves. After acquisition, trails are also installed by
contractors to provide public access where feasible. Access may not be feasible where a public
roadway does not yet exist or listed species need to be protected. Once trails are installed,
mowing occurs two to three times per month depending on the growing season. The Program
currently has one (1) Landscape Technician to perform these duties.
Management Funds are used to restore
and maintain natural lands through
activities including:
• Trail Maintenance
• Treatment and Removal of Exotic
Plant Species
• Restoration of native plant
communities through plantings
• Preserve Security and Resource
Protection
• Prescribed Burning
• Vegetation Mowing
All preserves except for Camp Keais Strand are actively managed. Camp Keais is not currently
accessible for management. Table 2 below (page 13) provides the status of each preserve
including whether it is open to the public.
Staff conducting prescribed burn at Caracara Prairie Preserve.
Photo by staff, Christal Segura
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Table 1. Preserve Status
Preserve Name Preserve
Acreage Preserve Status
Alligator Flag Preserve 18.46 OPEN - Trails
Brewers Landing 14.78 Resource Protection
Camp Keais Strand Preserve 32.50 Resource Protection
Caracara Prairie Preserve 367.70 OPEN - Trails
Cocohatchee Creek Preserve 3.64 OPEN - Trails
Dr. Robert H. Gore III Preserve 265.54 OPEN - Trails
Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park 11.64 OPEN - Trails, Boardwalk, Parking, Restrooms
Gordon River Greenway 51.05 OPEN - Trails, Boardwalk, Parking, Restrooms
Logan Woods Preserve 6.78 OPEN - Trails
McIlvane Marsh Preserve 385.89 Resource Protection
Nancy Payton Preserve 71.50 OPEN - Trails, Parking
North Belle Meade Preserve 295.83 Resource Protection - may provide public access in
future
Otter Mound Preserve 2.45 OPEN - Trails, Parking
Barfield Burrows 2.13 Resource Protection; viewing from sidewalk
Otter Mound Preserve –
Caxambas Dr. Tract 0.56 Resource Protection
Panther Walk Preserve 69.84 OPEN - Trails
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Pepper Ranch Preserve 2,655.20 OPEN - Trails, Parking, Restrooms, Visitor Center,
Biking
Railhead Scrub Preserve 135.36 Resource Protection - will open when road is built
Rattlesnake Hammock
Preserve 37.16 Resource Protection - in process of permitting
parking lot for public access
Red Maple Swamp Preserve 246.22 Resource Protection - may provide public access in
future
Redroot Preserve 9.26 OPEN - Trails
Rivers Road Preserve 96.64 OPEN - Trails, Parking
Shell Island Preserve 130.61 Resource Protection - adjacent to State lands
with boardwalk
Wet Woods Preserve 26.77 Resource Protection
Winchester Head Preserve 113.35 Resource Protection - may provide public access in
future when more parcels acquired
TOTAL PROGRAM ACREAGE 5,050.86
For more information about the Conservation Collier preserves go to:
www.ConservationCollier.com
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PROGRAM FINANCIAL STATUS
Conservation Collier spent approximately $122,900,801 on properties between 2004 and 2024,
acquiring and managing 5,050 acres in 24 locations throughout Collier County. Acquisition and
management funds are generated annually for up to another 10 years (starting from FY22) from
an ad valorem property tax of up to .25 mil, or $25 for each $100,000 in taxable property value
for property owners in Collier County. Additional income is derived from investment and
banking interest, grants, cattle leases, hunt fees, and the sale of Panther Habitat Units (PHUs).
At the Board’s September 21-22, 2023, final FY 2024 Budget Hearing, the Board approved a
reduction in taxes from the proposed millage neutral budget. As part of the strategy to achieve
rolled back millage rates for the coming year transfers of funds within the Conservation Collier
Acquisition Trust Fund and the Conservation Collier Management Trust Fund were established.
A total of $53,522,300 was initially budgeted for transfers to the General Fund (0001), the
Unincorporated General Fund (1011), and the Water Pollution Control Fund (1017). However,
this amount was reduced, with $28,895,864.75 transferred in FY 2024 from the Land
Acquisition Fund and $723,532.15 from the Conservation Collier Maintenance Fund to the
General Fund. No transfers are budgeted to the General Fund in FY 2025.
The Conservation Collier Program utilizes five active funds to manage Program financial
resources.
• Fund 1061, Land Acquisition Fund: for property acquisition activity.
• Fund 1062, Land Maintenance Trust Fund: the primary Conservation Collier operating and
maintenance fund. This fund also contains long-term Conservation Collier Maintenance
Trust reserves.
• Fund 1063, Conservation Collier Capital Improvement Fund: significant infrastructure
improvements.
• Fund 0673, Pepper Ranch Conservation Bank: was created in October 2018 to hold funds
for the Conservation Bank at this preserve.
• Fund 0674, Caracara Preserve endowment funds and Caracara Preserve maintenance
costs are accounted for in Caracara Preserve Trust .
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The Program is sustained from the ad valorem collected between 2004-2013 and starting again
in 2022. Funds collected between 2004-2013 were used to acquire and manage 4,345 acres
of preserve land in 21 different locations throughout Collier County and to open 13 of those
preserves to the public. Approximately 20% of the taxes collected were put into a fund for
management of existing preserve lands in perpetuity so that no additional tax collections would
be required for the management of those existing preserves.
Since FY22 an ad valorem property tax of up to .25 mil for 10 years has provided the Program
with a new funding source. Previously, Conservation Collier Ordinance 2002-63 provided that
up to seventy-five percent (75%) of all revenues collected for Conservation Collier may be used
for acquisition and that management funds shall be no less than twenty-five percent (25%) of
revenues collected in one year. In any given year, the land management operational costs are
far less than the 25% collected. The balance of funds collected are deposited into the
Conservation Collier Land “Trust” Fund 1062 reserves so that the Program can manage
preserve lands off the interest revenue of a minimum fund balance in perpetuity (if practicable).
Prior to FY24, the goal of the Program was to maintain $40 million as the reserve minimum
fund balance to allow for funding the management of the preserves in perpetuity. Therefore,
the FY23 Management Trust Fund reserve balance was approximately $40 million. On October
10, 2023, the Board approved an amendment to the Ordinance allowing for the use of the
Conservation Collier Acquisition and Management Trust Funds for any County Purpose
deemed to be in the best interest of the public. On March 26, 2024, the Board approved a
subsequent amendment to the Ordinance deleting the provision added by the October 10,
2023, amendment, and adding language allowing for withdrawal of funds from the Conservation
Collier Acquisition and Management Trust Funds in the event of an emergency as determined
by the Board of County Commissioners. As a result, the Management Trust Fund reserve
balance was reduced to approximately $23 million in FY24. Section 6 of the ordinance was also
revised in 2024 to state that “the Board will set the millage rate for the Conservation Collier
Program, which may not exceed 25 mills and set the percentage of revenues each Fund will
receive for that fiscal year.”
With the goal of funding the management of the preserves in perpetuity with the ad valorem tax
collected within the established 10-year period(s), the established minimum Conservation
Collier Management Trust Fund balance will be reviewed and adjusted after each acquisition
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cycle. Annual preserve management operating expenses will be programed at or below annual
revenues from interest, leases, and other revenue to ensure this minimum fund balance is
maintained.
Table 2. Land Maintenance Expenses 5-year Average
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Table 3. – Summary of Conservation Collier Financial Activity for FY24
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Conservation Collier Programs
Events, and Community/Educational Outreach
Pepper Ranch Hunt Program
Two separate hunt programs exist at Pepper Ranch Preserve - a public hunt program that is
open to all Collier County residents, regardless of age, and an FWC sponsored youth hunt
program that is open to youth aged 12-17 (12-15 for youth turkey hunts). Although youth from
Collier County are given first choice of youth hunt participation, youth hunts are open to all
Florida youths if openings cannot be filled by Collier County residents. Hogs are considered a
nuisance species and are hunted without limit. Staff conduct annual deer surveys to set quotas.
2023-2024 Hunt Season
One hundred twenty-seven (127) applications were received for the public hunting season.
Twenty (20) public hunter permits were utilized. A total of 2 deer, 5 turkeys, and 5 hog were
harvested from the public and youth hunt that took place during the 2023-2024 hunting season.
A total of 8 hunts are scheduled at Pepper Ranch Preserve during the 2024-2025 hunting
season, including 5 public and 3 youth hunts. Four (4) of the public hunts are hog hunts, 1 for
deer, and 1 for turkey. Youth hunts include 1 turkey hunt, 1 deer hunt, and 1 squirrel/hog hunt.
Caracara Prairie Preserve Hunt Program
Caracara Prairie Preserve is established as part the Corkscrew Marsh Unit of the CREW
Wildlife Environmental Area (WEA). This allows for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission regulated public hunting for hog and spring turkey to occur within Caracara Prairie
Preserve as part of the CREW Corkscrew Marsh Unit. FWC manages these quota hunts.
Beginning in 2022, CREW Corkscrew Marsh Unit check stations are no longer staffed and
harvest results are reliant on hunters self-reporting.
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MITIGATION PROGRAMS
Conservation Collier has followed 2007 Board direction (6/26/07, Agenda Item 10A) in pursuing
both wetland and Panther Habitat Unit (PHU) mitigation credit for those properties where the
opportunity exists. Wetland mitigation credit generation has not been economical for the
Program to pursue. The costs associated with wetland mitigation bank establishment within
Conservation Collier lands are high, because only hydrologic restoration can provide the “lift”
or “functional gain” necessary to generate credits. Credits are not provided by state or federal
agencies for exotic vegetation removal since this restoration activity is already required as part
of the Conservation Collier Program. The Program has pursued PHU mitigation credits at
Caracara Prairie and Pepper Ranch preserves.
Caracara Prairie Preserve – All PHU credits have been consumed. The Conservation
Collier Program received a total of $1,301,600 in revenue over FY14 and FY15 for the PHU
credits. This revenue is estimated to fund 25% of routine
management costs and 100% of costs associated with US
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) PHU mitigation
requirements. Interest generated from the dedicated
Caracara Prairie Preserve Management Fund is allocated
annually for exotic vegetation removal and restoration of
Caracara Prairie Preserve.
Pepper Ranch Preserve – The Pepper Ranch Preserve Panther Habitat Conservation
Bank was certified by the USFWS on January 29, 2019. The Panther Habitat Conservation
Bank allows multiple County projects to be mitigated through the preservation and
enhancement of Pepper Ranch Preserve. The agreement provided for 8,669 PHU credits
expected to be used for development of future County projects at a cost savings of
$1,077,123.25.
Since 2019, 2,703.61 PHUs have been purchased from County Divisions to mitigate for four
different County projects generating a total of $1,518,450 in revenue for management of Pepper
Ranch Preserve. There are currently 5,965.39 PHUs remaining in the Conservation Bank.
Interest generated from the dedicated Conservation Bank Trust Fund is allocated annually for
exotic vegetation removal and restoration of the Conservation Bank portions of the Pepper
Ranch Preserve.
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GRANTS AND FUNDING ASSISTANCE
Conservation Collier has actively pursued grants and funding assistance for both acquisition
and management purposes. Currently, there have been no awards for land acquisition, but
many for management, primarily for the removal of invasive, exotic species but also for needed
equipment and plant community restoration. Exotic removal grants and funding assistance
have come from state and federal government agencies, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Partners Program) and the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) through
the Invasive Plant Management Section (IPMS). The table below shows the amount of funding
assistance obtained during FY24. The total value of grants awarded to the Program for land
management since 2003 is $1,401,231.
Preserve Agency Grant or Funding
Assistance
Amount
Awarded
Fiscal Year
Funding
Assistance
Pepper Ranch (707 acres) State Funding Assistance $129,599 2024
Red Maple Swamp
(114.72 acres)
State Funding Assistance $25,717 2024
Total 2024 $155,316 2024
Looking ahead to FY25, in addition to the funding assistance applied for annually staff has
requested Board approval to apply for additional types of funding assistance with FWC for FY24
and FY25. The details of these applications will be provided with the 2025 Annual Report.
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VOLUNTEERS
During 2024, Conservation Collier was the grateful recipient of 1,349.75 volunteer hours.
Volunteer tasks accomplished include: • Preserve monitoring and maintenance • Trail (including mountain bike trails) creation and maintenance • FWC Youth Hunt guides • Wildlife surveys • Vegetation management • Restoration Plantings • Workdays to assist with Special Projects
One Conservation Collier volunteer workday in 2024 included working with the Oracle
corporation to conduct trail maintenance at the Pepper Ranch Preserve.
Work Day at Pepper Ranch Preserve with Oracle
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Conservation Collier continues to partner with local Scout troops to enhance preserve
amenities on public trails. The above does not include Eagle Scout projects where total hours
worked are not collected. The following are Eagle Scout projects completed for Conservation
Collier during 2024:
• Joshua Segura- Alligator District, SW Florida Council Troop, 243 Pepper Ranch
Preserve.
Installed 100 trail markers, trail blazes, and two map boxes on the Pepper
Ranch Preserve Sunflower Trace trail in March 2024.
Scout project at Pepper Ranch Preserve
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2025 OBJECTIVES
1. Acquire newly approved lands as and place them under management.
2. Continue to accept donation properties under the Land Development Code Offsite
Preservation Option.
3. Continue to develop public access for acquired properties as directed by the Board of
County Commissioners.
4. Continue to implement land management practices at all preserves as outlined in each
Board-approved Land Management Plan.
5. Continue to implement the Collier County Hunt Program at the Pepper Ranch Preserve.
6. Secure grant funding and funding assistance wherever possible.
7. Look for any and all ways to reduce expenditures without sacrificing quality of land
management and public access amenities.
8. Continue to pursue mitigation opportunities on acquired lands.
Cocohatchee Creek Preserve Photo by staff, Angel Kelley
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EXHIBITS
Exhibit A. 2024 Map of Conservation Collier Program Lands
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Exhibit B. Conservation Collier Preserves by Commission District
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Conservation Collier
Land Acquisition Program
Program Manual
Updated April 2025
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Conservation Collier Program ___________________________________________________ 6
2002 Referendum _________________________________________________________________________________ 6
2020 Referendum _________________________________________________________________________________ 6
Chapter 2 – Planning and Responsibility ____________________________________________________ 8
Chapter 3 – Development of an Active Acquisition List (AAL) ________________________________ 12
Chapter 4 – Policies and Procedures _______________________________________________________ 13
Chapter 5 – Program Finances / Budget ____________________________________________________ 15
Budget __________________________________________________________________________________________ 15
Purchasing Policy ________________________________________________________________________________ 15
Chapter 6 – Land Management ____________________________________________________________ 15
Chapter 7 – Program Documents (click on for link to document) ____________________________ 17
References _______________________________________________________________________________ 18
Exhibits/Program Documents _____________________________________________________________ 18
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Executive Summary
Conservation Collier was created in 2003, after a November 2002 voter referendum in which voters
approved creating a taxpayer-funded conservation land acquisition program. To pay for the program
taxpayers agreed to a property tax increase of up to .25 mills for up to 10 years and bonding for up
to $75 million. During the years of 2003-2012 the property tax was collected. An ordinance was
developed and approved by the Collier County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) in
December 2002. By March 2003, a nine-member citizens’ advisory committee representing a
variety of professional, technical and community backgrounds was appointed. The program began
operations in March 2003 with the hiring of a staff coordinator. The goals of Conservation Collier
are to acquire, protect, restore and manage environmentally sensitive lands in Collier County for the
benefit of present and future generations.
Update: As of November 2020, another referendum was passed to re-establish up to a .25 mil ad
valorem tax for ten (10) years to continue to fund the Conservation Collier Program’s acquisition
and management of environmentally sensitive lands. The implementation of this ad valorem tax
started in FY22 (October 2021). Once acquired, protection, restoration, and management of
environmentally sensitive lands acquired by the Program in Collier County continues in perpetuity
for the benefit of present and future generations.
Prior to the start of the program, community members and environmental organizations worked
along with County legal staff to develop Ordinance 2002-63. The ordinance’s goal is to provide the
framework and basic procedures for implementation of the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition
Program. It describes the purpose and intent of the program, identifies how the Acquisition and
Management Trust funds will operate, identifies the role of the Land Acquisition Advisory
Committee, describes the specific criteria that will be used to screen and evaluate potential
acquisitions, and sets forth procedures for selection and placement of parcels/ projects on the Active
Acquisition List. In addition, the ordinance provides a focus for management activities and a
timeline for development of management plans. Finally, the ordinance identifies responsibilities of
the County Manager or his/her designee and provides for sunset of the Ad Valorem tax, inclusion in
the Laws and Codes of Collier County, and conflict and severability for each portion of the
ordinance.
The Program Manual is the document that identifies policies, procedures and standards for program
activities. The objectives of the program manual are:
1. To provide one resource including the policies, procedures and standards for operation of
the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Program.
2. To identify responsibility for specific program operations.
3. To provide consistency and uniform management for Program operations.
4. To identify general property management activities and to ensure consistency in
development of management planning even though individual property management plans
may vary depending on the nature and circumstances of the resources being managed.
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Introduction
Collier County is Florida's 62nd county, the largest county by land at 1,997 square miles and the
fourth largest county by total area at 2,305 square miles, which includes 307 square miles that are
covered by water. It is the 19th most populous county in the state, with 416,233 people (2002
7/1/2024 estimate). Population density is reported at 124.1 208 per square mile (2024), though this
does not take into consideration that close to 70% of County lands are held in public conservation
status and are only sparsely inhabited. If only the developed acreage is used to calculate it, the
density shoots to over 695 per square mile.
The population was much less in 1923 when Barron G. Collier, a wealthy northern businessman,
founded Collier County. At that time, Naples itself had already become a tourist destination for the
elite, but development was limited to coastal areas. Eastern lands contained a vast mosaic of
seasonally flooded pinelands and cypress sloughs, interspersed with upland “islands”. The 1930
census showed 2,883 people living in Collier County. The population has roughly doubled with
each subsequent decade. By 2030, the population is expected to be 443,000, which will be 222
persons per square mile, over four times less than the current density of Lee County to the north and
over six times less than the current density of Miami-Dade County to the east (U.S. Census Bureau)
(www.e-florida .com).
Early county industries included cypress logging, hunting, fishing and farming, as well as tourism.
A long growing season and plenty of water made farming attractive, though soils were generally
nutrient-poor and unsuited for farming, being either too wet or drought-prone. Early farmers took
advantage of wetland edges, where water was always near the surface even in the dry season. Most
of the rural lands, except for the deeper sloughs and flow-ways, have been farmed or are currently
being farmed, primarily for tomatoes and citrus.
In 1954 the Audubon Society started acquiring lands for conservation by buying the beginnings of
the now 11,000-acre Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in northern Collier County. In 1974 Congress
created the 729,000-acre Big Cypress National Park in Collier, Monroe and Dade Counties. Other
lands have also come into protected status under state or federal programs, including Collier
Seminole State Park, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, Rookery Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve, Florida Panther and 10,000 Islands National Wildlife Refuges, Del-Nor Wiggins
Pass State Park, Barefoot Beach Preserve, Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW)
lands and the Southern Golden Gate Estates, now called Picayune Strand State Forest. Presently
close to 70% of Collier County has been purchased by the state of Florida and federal government
for conservation purposes. These conserved lands consist primarily of cypress-dominated forested
wetland systems.
Residential development of inland areas did not begin in earnest until the 1960s, when the Gulf
American Land Development Corporation (GAC) platted a 183 square-mile subdivision in the
western half of the Big Cypress swamp, known as Golden Gate Estates. This area was divided into
the 94 square-mile Northern Golden Gate Estates, north of Alligator Alley (now I-75) and the 89
square-mile Southern Golden Gate Estates. With no plan for evaluating or managing the
environmental consequences of installing a massive road and canal grid system, and few regulatory
laws to check development activities, GAC constructed hundreds of miles of canals and lime rock
roads before going bankrupt. Environmental consequences of these actions evident today include
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over-drainage, causing increased threat of severe wildfires; alteration of overland water flows to
receiving estuaries, causing damage to fish and shellfish nurseries; and invasion of exotic plant
species, causing decline in habitat quality for native wildlife. While the 93-square mile Northern
Golden Gate Estates has continued to develop the Southern Golden Gate Estates has been purchased
by the State of Florida and is now part of the 8.4 billion-dollar Comprehensive Everglades
Restoration Project.
As Collier County continued to develop through the 1980s, citizens, via community planning
exercises, began to identify the need to publicly acquire and protect natural lands in and around
growing urban areas to preserve disappearing types of native plant communities, provide habitat for
native wildlife species, protect surface and ground water quality and preserve local aesthetic
characteristics. Gaining momentum through the 1990’s, as population and the pace of development
increased, this community awareness resulted in the creation of the Conservation Collier Program.
Today, urban areas in Collier County are nearly developed and rural lands are under intensifying
development pressures. Growth management rules have been established to direct growth away
from the most environmentally sensitive rural areas and a focus on preservation of urban greenspace
and wildlife habitat corridors has emerged. Quality of life issues, encompassing the general well-
being of people and the quality of the environment in which they live, are also foremost in growth
management concerns. The Conservation Collier Program was developed to work along with other
growth management tools at the local level to promote and maintain a high quality of life in Collier
County for residents and visitors.
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Chapter 1 - Conservation Collier Program
2002 Referendum
A referendum was conducted in Collier County in November 2002. The ballot question was as
follows:
Conservation Collier: Acquisition and management of environmentally sensitive, water resource
lands, and public open space
Shall Collier County be authorized to acquire, preserve and manage environmentally sensitive
lands for the protection of water resources, wildlife habitat, and public open space by issuing bonds
up to seventy-five million dollars payable from ad valorem taxes not exceeding one quarter of one
mill for a period of ten (10) years, and bearing interest at a rate not exceeding the maximum legal
rate:
Yes [For Bonds] ________
No [Against Bonds] ________
The Collier County electors approved the Conservation Collier referendum with a 60%
majority. This voter approval did include approval to obtain bonds.
2020 Referendum
A referendum was conducted in Collier County on November 3, 2020. The ballot question was as
follows:
Reestablish funding for Conservation Collier to protect water quality, water resources, and wildlife
habitat
Shall Collier County reestablish the levy of a .25 mil ad valorem tax for 10 years for the purpose of
continuing to acquire, preserve and manage environmentally sensitive lands, and provide
compatible public access wherever applicable to such lands, for the protection of water quality,
water resources, wildlife habitat, and public open space in perpetuity?
YES __
NO __
The Collier County electors approved the Conservation Collier Re-establishment referendum with a
76.5% majority. This voter approval does not include the issuance of debt to acquire
environmentally sensitive land.
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Program Purposes, Intent and Scope
Acquire, protect and manage environmentally sensitive lands that contain natural upland or wetland
communities, native plant communities, endemic species, endangered species habitat, a diversity of species,
significant water resources, or outstanding aesthetic or other natural features, maximizing the protection of
Collier County’s rarest, most unique and endangered habitats.
Purposes and Intent
• Preservation of lands that offer the best human social value, including equitable distribution
across the County, possibilities for natural resource-based recreation, enhancement of local
ecological awareness and the aesthetic setting of Collier County.
• Protection of sensitive lands that serve to recharge the County’s aquifers, protect wetlands
and surface water resources and provide flood control.
• Acquisition and protection of lands containing the most biological value, biodiversity, listed
species habitat, connectivity, restoration potential and ecological quality.
• Protection of existing conservation lands by acquiring, protecting and managing adjacent
properties in order to enhance and buffer their environmental integrity and add to resource
connectivity.
• Restoration of natural functions, as necessary, to impacted and vulnerable habitats.
• Implementation of the objectives and policies of the Collier County Growth Management
Plan in order to preserve and protect environmental protection areas designated in the Plan
and other natural forest resources, wetlands, endangered species habitat and vulnerable rare
habitats.
• Identification of Collier County’s best and most endangered environmental lands for
acquisition, protection and management by evaluation of the biological and hydrological
characteristics and vulnerability of the resource to degradation or destruction and feasibility
of managing the resource to maintain its natural attributes.
• Management of environmental resources to provide appropriate natural resource-based
recreational and educational opportunities for Collier County’s school age population and
the general public about the uniqueness and importance of Collier County’s subtropical
ecosystem.
• Leveraging of Conservation Collier funds to cooperate with other acquisition, conservation
and management programs in order to increase acquisition opportunities where consistent
with the purposes of the Conservation Collier Program.
Scope
The Conservation Collier Program scope is identified in the governing ordinance, 2002-63. The
protection of environmentally sensitive lands is defined to mean:
“…land which contains natural upland or wetland communities, native plant communities, rare and
endangered flora and fauna, endemic species, endangered species habitat, a diversity of species,
significant water resources, or outstanding aesthetic or other natural features” (Section 5.6).
A multi criteria matrix follows key principles of conservation lands selection including
complimentarily (a strategy to identify and protect rare habitats not currently protected), flexibility
(looking at many ways of combining properties to provide a network of local biodiversity reserves),
and irreplaceability (identifying hotspots for conservation priority) (Pressey et al, 1993).
Management of lands incorporating public access is an important element of program scope. Lands
purchased with Conservation Collier funds are to be made available to the public for use in a
reasonable and environmentally friendly manner appropriate to each specific parcel and at the same
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time, be consistent with the preservation, enhancement, restoration, conservation and maintenance
of the resource. Examples of potential permitted uses include educational opportunities for school
children and the general public, hiking, nature photography, bird watching, kayaking, canoeing,
swimming, hunting and fishing.
Chapter 2 – Planning and Responsibility
Planning a land acquisition strategy
The Acquisition Cycle
Planning involves allocating responsibilities and developing strategies so that the program functions
to fulfill its goals. Some strategies are outlined in the ordinance and others will be developed as
properties are purchased in order to maximize potential to achieve as many goals as possible. One
basic strategy is to determine how to manage grouping parcels for evaluation, ranking and selection.
Based on the first-year experience with the length of time it takes for a parcel to move from
evaluation to ranking, selection and acquisition at initial staffing levels, a one-year cycle has
emerged as a functional timeframe. This timeframe allows for solicitation of parcel applications,
property site visits, research, preparation of a detailed property report (the Initial Criteria Screening
Report), presentation by staff to the CCLAAC for ranking and finally presentation to the BCC for
approval of the Active Acquisition List.
Target Protection Areas
The first step in acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands is to identify those lands where
significant environmental resources exist. One strategy identified in the ordinance is assignment of
“Target Protection Area” status to specific areas where high quality environmental resources are
thought to more likely occur or be needed. The ordinance identifies Target Protection Areas (TPAs)
as those areas where program criteria and needs are most likely to be met. TPAs are broad general
areas of the county identified in Ordinance 2002-63, Section 10.3(1-4), including:
• All designated Urban lands on the Future Land Use Map of the Collier County Growth
Management Plan with predominantly native vegetation.
• Northern Golden Gate Estates
• “Sending” lands
• “Habitat and Flow way Stewardship Areas”
There is a requirement in the Conservation Collier ordinance to send letters of inquiry to all
property owners within these Target Protection Areas and there are approximately 117,000 such
properties. Mailing to all property owners simultaneously is expensive and could result in receipt of
more responses than the program can manage with allocated resources. Therefore, a strategy for
outreach mailing will be developed at the beginning of each cycle, to identify the highest tier of
value potential (based on percentage of vegetative cover and parcel size) for each TPA and send
letters to owners soliciting interest in selling. These strategies will be developed by the CCLAAC or
one of its subcommittees and recommended to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for
approval by formal Resolution. Once approved, staff will send owner interest letters to those
property owners who fall under the Resolution guidelines for that cycle. During subsequent cycles,
additional tiers of value potential or specific areas will be identified, and owner interest letters will
be sent until all property owners in all TPAs have received an owner interest letter, or until program
funds have been spent.
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Developing program policy and procedures
The Conservation Collier Program staff will work with the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition
Advisory Committee (CCLAAC) and its subcommittees to develop program policies and
procedures, staff will research what policies and procedures are typically used by other land
acquisition programs, make written suggestions, present them to subcommittee or committee
members at regular meetings, and work with direction and suggestions offered by members, to
finalize policies and procedures.
Responsibility of Collier County Staff
The role of the Collier County Growth Management Community Development Environmental
Manager & Supervisor will be to facilitate the CCLAAC in its function as a citizen advisory
committee, to follow the requirements as defined in the Conservation Collier Ordinance (2002-63),
to keep the Board of County Commissioners apprised of program progress, to provide an avenue for
incorporation of community input through public communication, and to maintain Program records,
including minutes and summary notes of all Committee and Subcommittee meetings.
Staff will fulfill this role by coordinating committee and subcommittee meetings, providing public
notice of all meetings, preparing and distributing meeting agendas to the committee and general
public, and distributing information and data. Staff will draft and maintain the Conservation Collier
Manual and create and maintain the internet website. Staff will also serve as contact for the public
and liaison between the CCLAAC and the BCC.
Staff will prepare an Active Acquisition List, reflecting CCLAAC recommendations and BCC
approval. At an annual public meeting, staff will update the Board and public and solicit new
proposals and applications.
Staff will prepare an annual program budget, prepare Purchase Agreement Executive Summaries,
and present these to the BCC for review and approval.
Staff will provide all conceptual and final management plans for properties and will manage
contracts for any consultants hired to assist in development of a management plan or to perform
management activities. Staff will also coordinate management, via cooperative management
arrangements with other agencies and entities, for all agencies and entities sharing management
responsibilities.
Real Estate Services Department staff will lend support by providing an estimated appraisal value
and working with the County Attorney’s Office to coordinate all negotiations, contracts and
agreements.
The County Attorney’s Office will provide support by coordinating with the Real Estate Services
Department for all negotiations, contracts and agreements and by providing legal advice to staff, the
CCLAAC and the BCC regarding Program operations and issues.
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Responsibility of Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Advisory Committee
(CCLAAC)
The CCLAAC is a County Board organized under Ordinance 2001-55. Composed of nine members,
it will operate under an elected Chairman and Vice Chairman. Members are appointed by County
Commissioners. They will be permanent residents and electors of Collier County and will offer the
technical, professional, scientific, financial, business or administrative expertise necessary to
accomplish the purposes of the Conservation Collier Program. The CCLAAC will meet on the
second Monday first Wednesday of each month in a publicly noticed meeting to discuss and
advance the Conservation Collier Program.
CCLAAC members may form subcommittees, in which to develop, review and recommend actions
regarding specific aspects of the Program. These Subcommittees may be changed upon
recommendation of the CCLAAC and staff, but at present include:
1. Lands Evaluation and Management Subcommittee
2. Outreach Subcommittee
3. Ordinance, Policy and Rules Subcommittee
Members of the CCLAAC will provide assistance to County staff within their individual areas of
expertise.
The CCLAAC will review and evaluate, at a publicly noticed meeting, projects and parcels to be
considered for purchase and will provide a recommended ranking for those parcels and projects to
the BCC for their approval. This ranking will take the following format: Parcels or projects will be
classified as either A, B or C; parcels within the A category will be further classified as 1,2 or 3
(Explanation of ranking categories can be found in Chapter 3, Screening Criteria and Ranking
Section).
Members of the CCLAAC will not themselves nominate properties for evaluation but will direct
any nominations for acquisitions to county staff for initial review before bringing the project back
for evaluation by the full committee.
The CCLAAC will review and make recommendations on all conceptual management plans for
acquired parcels.
The CCLAAC will review proposed boundary modifications and multi-party phased acquisitions
and provide recommendations to the BCC for their approval.
The CCLAAC will review and make recommendations regarding the Conservation Collier Program
Manual.
The CCLAAC will develop policies and procedures, within the Conservation Collier Ordinance
scope, direction and authority, which will facilitate the acquisition and management phases of the
program.
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Responsibility of Board of County Commissioners (BCC)
The BCC will appoint CCLAAC members as necessary according to procedures identified in
Ordinance 2001-55.
The BCC will review and approve the Conservation Collier Manual as proposed by staff and
recommended by the CCLAAC.
The BCC, after recommendation by the CCLAAC, will evaluate for final approval the Target
Protection Mailing Areas List (TPMA), outreach mailing strategy and the Active Acquisition List
(AAL).
The BCC shall periodically review and update both the TPMA and AAL in accordance with
Conservation Collier goals, procedures and criteria.
The BCC will be the authorizing body for all bond issues.
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Chapter 3 – Development of an Active Acquisition List (AAL)
Eligibility and the Application process
The application process is the starting point for properties entering the program. A signed
application by all owners of record will constitute a qualified submission. At the time of application,
owners will be advised of the estimated time frame for the cycle selection process and advised that,
if selected, a state-certified appraiser for value will submit a professional appraisal for the
parcel/project, from which an offer price will be determined.
As Conservation Collier is a willing seller program, properties can come under Conservation Collier
review only after owner application. Owners can request and fill out an application or a third party
can “nominate” a parcel. Staff will send a letter to the owners asking about willingness to sell. Staff
will also send Interest letters to property owners whose property is within established Target
Protection Mailing Areas (TPMA). The parcel/project will move forward for evaluation only after
the property owner submits a standardized Application and Questionnaire available at
www.conservationcollier.com indicating willingness to sell.
Staff will accept all nominations of properties, either by the owner or a third party, (Form a.). Staff
will send a letter to the property owner, asking if there is a willingness to sell the property. If there
is a willingness to sell or if the property was nominated by the owner, staff will provide an
Application and Questionnaire to the owner. Staff will then process the parcel/project for evaluation
and ranking.
Screening Criteria
A site visit is conducted by staff. It is then determined whether the parcel meets the following
criteria (Section 12.1(a-h):
a. Lands featuring one of the Critical Lands and Water Identification Project (CLIP) Priority 1
Natural Communities found in Collier County: Upland Hardwood Forest, Scrub, Coastal
Upland, Dry Prairie, and Upland Pine.
b. Lands featuring one of the CLIP Priority 2 through 4 Natural Communities found in Collier
County, including Pine Flatwoods and Coastal Wetlands.
c. Lands featuring other native natural communities.
d. Lands offering cultural values, appropriate access for natural resource- based recreation, and
the enhancement of the aesthetic setting of Collier County.
e. Lands which protect the most water resource values, including aquifer recharge, water
quality, wetland dependent species habitat, wildfire risk reduction, storm surge protection,
and flood control.
f. Lands containing the most biological value, including biodiversity and listed species.
g. Lands which enhance and/or protect the environmental value of current conservation lands
through function as a buffer, ecological link, or habitat corridor.
h. Lands within a Board- approved target protection mailing area.
In addition to the above criteria, those lands proposed for acquisition will be evaluated based on:
1. Comparative size - to prefer the larger of similar parcels,
2. Vulnerability to destruction - to prefer the most threatened of qualified parcels
3. Overall resource quality - to prefer the highest quality of similar parcels,
4. Estimated feasibility and cost of management - to prefer the most manageable parcels.
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Staff has developed a scoring form to objectively measure how a property meets these criteria. This
Secondary Criteria Scoring Form is provided in the Program Documents (Chapter 7), and may be
modified from time to time upon recommendation by staff and approval by the CCLAAC. The
score obtained through the Secondary Criteria Scoring Form is incorporated into the Initial Criteria
Screening Report (ICSR), which is presented both in written form and orally summarized at a
public meeting for all properties.
Ranking – CCLAAC development of the Active Acquisition List (AAL)
The ranking process begins after staff has presented an ISCR for a property. The CCLAAC will, at
a publicly noticed meeting, make a formal recommendation for a ranking of the property under
review placing it on a list known as the Active Acquisition list (AAL). The AAL will separate
properties into 3 categories, A, B and C. The A category is comprised of those properties
recommended to be actively pursued for acquisition. The A category properties are further
prioritized into 1, 2 and 3-categories, giving direction to staff as to which to pursue first. The B
category is comprised of those properties that are of interest but are not recommended for active
pursuit at that time. B Category properties are held for consideration for one calendar year. The C
category is comprised of those properties that are not recommended for acquisition. After the
CCLAAC creates the AAL, it will be forwarded to the BCC for review and approval. The BCC has
final authority over selection of properties for purchase and may approve the list, change the order,
or remove or add properties to the list. However, properties added to the list must be similarly
vetted.
Chapter 4 – Policies and Procedures
General Policies and Procedures
Collier County, a political subdivision of the State of Florida, will acquire lands in a manner
consistent with the intent of Collier County citizens as set forth in the Conservation Collier
referendums of November 2003 and November 2020. The main goal of the program will be to
acquire lands in fee simple title, partial title, and donation or through conservation easements from
willing sellers to achieve the program’s purpose and intent - to preserve environmentally sensitive
lands in Collier County for the benefit of present and future generations. Lands acquired will be
managed to protect significant environmental resources and to provide reasonable public access to
citizens in an environmentally friendly manner. Conservation Collier Program Staff and the
CCLAAC will seek out, identify and obtain partnerships and grant funding where possible to
promote the successful implementation of the acquisition and management phases of the
Conservation Collier Program.
General Reporting Requirements
Acquisition Partnerships
In administering the Conservation Collier Program, staff and the CCLAAC will seek to coordinate
acquisition and management initiatives with various public and private entities, including
municipalities within the county and the Collier County School Board. Conservation Collier will
seek to partner with these state and federal agencies, where possible, to purchase, restore and
manage environmentally sensitive lands in Collier County. Some types of public partnership
funding are identified as follows:
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State
Beginning July 1, 2002, proceeds from the Florida Forever bond issues are distributed annually
from the Florida Forever Trust Fund to the following state agencies:
• Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
• Florida Forever Lands
• Recreation and Parks
• Greenways and Trails
• Water Management Districts, locally the South Florida Water Management District
(SFWMD)
• Florida Communities Trust (FCT)
• Department of Agriculture/Forestry (DOA / DOF)
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC)
Florida Statute 125.355 governs the proposed purchase of real property by a County. Conservation
Collier conforms to this provision except that it will not utilize the exemptions from s. 119.07(1) to
keep appraisals private prior to executing an options contract. Conservation Collier’s procedures
must not conflict with property acquisition rules established by Collier County ordinances.
Federal
Federal programs that promote partnerships for land acquisition, restoration and management at the
local level include the Department of Transportation (DOT), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). In FY 2004, Congress appropriated $423.1
million for these programs.
• The DOT, through the Alternative Transportation Program, administers the ISTEA grants
for greenway development.
• The FWS administers the Coastal Program, protecting coastal resources; the Partners
Program, seeking to cooperatively protect sensitive lands and the North American Wetlands
Conservation Fund, which provides grant funding for protection of wetlands and wetland
dependent species.
• The LWCF provides funding for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants, Private Stewardship
Grants, Landowner Incentive Grant Program, Cooperative Endangered Species
Conservation Fund, North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, and programs in the
Cooperative Conservation Initiative (CCI), which include National Park Service, Fish and
Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management Challenge Cost Share programs.
Private
Private partnership potentials include The Conservancy of SW Florida, the National and Florida
Audubon Societies, CREW Land and Water Trust, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, and
the National and Florida Wildlife Federations.
The Conservation Collier Ordinance states one of the purposes and intents of the program is to
cooperate actively with other acquisition, conservation, and resource management programs,
including, but not limited to such programs as the State of Florida Conservation and Recreation
Lands Program, the Florida Forever Land Acquisition Trust Fund, and the Save Our Rivers
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Program, where the purposes of these programs are consistent with the stated purposes of
Conservation Collier. These purposes must be incorporated in any written memorandum of
agreement and approved by the Board of County Commissioners before such partnerships are
realized.
Alternatives to Fee Simple Title
Acquiring conservation easements is one way to protect the landscape short of fee simple
acquisition. This means of protecting larger landscapes has worked in other Florida Counties. In
Collier, however, it was determined that easements typically cost 80% of fee simple acquisition and
can present barriers to public uses. The Conservation Collier Committee determined in early
meetings that fee simple acquisition is preferable.
Chapter 5 – Program Finances / Budget
Budget
Revenue Sources
Conservation Collier is funded by an up to .25 mils property tax, levied for a 10-year period. There
may be opportunities for revenue of properties acquired, including forestry, cattle leases and
mitigation. Whether this is appropriate will depend on the activity and the current rules and agency
cooperation. Staff will explore opportunities for revenues other than the millage.
Program Cost Centers
The Conservation Collier Program has the following Cost Centers:
1061 – Acquisition Trust Fund
1062 – Land Management Trust Fund
1063 – Capital Projects Fund
0673 – Pepper Ranch Bank
0674 – Caracara Prairie
Budget Procedures
Staff will work with Corporate Financial & Management Services and Operations & Regulatory
Management Division staff to develop the annual Conservation Collier budget.
Purchasing Policy
The goal of a purchase policy is to develop a fair method for compensation of property owners for
sale of their property to the program. The policy will be to make one an offer, considered up to
100% of fair market value, with possible negotiation not to exceed the fair market value appraisal.
The method for determining the offer price shall be consistent with section 125.355, F.S., and will
follow the purchase policy identified in Resolution 2007-300, unless superseded.
Chapter 6 – Land Management
Resource Protection Needs
Land management activities will be those that protect and enhance the goals of the Conservation
Collier Program as identified in Section 4 of the Conservation Collier Ordinance (2002-63, as
amended).
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Management Strategies
Management Strategies employed shall be those that are current best management strategies and
serve to:
• Restore, maintain and protect environmentally sensitive lands that contain natural upland or
wetland communities, native plant communities, rare and endangered flora and fauna,
endemic species, endangered species habitat, a diversity of species, significant water
resources, or outstanding aesthetic or other natural features, maximizing protection of
Collier County’s rarest, most unique and endangered habitats.
• Offer the best human social values.
• Recharge County aquifers and protect wetlands and surface water resources.
• Protect the environmental integrity of existing conservation lands.
• Restore natural functions to the landscape.
• Implement the County’s Growth Management Plan objectives.
• Make the sites available, with minimal risk to the site, to educate Collier County’s school
age population, residents and visitors about the uniqueness of Collier County’s subtropical
ecosystem and natural communities.
• To cooperate actively with other acquisition, conservation and resource management
programs when the purposes are consistent with those of Conservation Collier.
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Chapter 7 – Program Documents (click on for link to document)
1. Ordinance No. 2024-17, 2019-03 – Amends Ordinance 2002-63
2. Resolution No 2023-10 Purchasing Policy revision (one section)
3. Ordinance No. 2006-58 – Exceptional Benefits Ordinance
4. Ordinance No. 2011-38 - Preserve Use Ordinance
5. Ordinance No. 2001-55 – New Member Ordinance
Ordinance No. 2009-16 – Amendment of sections eliminating term limits and deleting
Review of Boards
6. Ordinance No. 2004-05 – Ethics Ordinance
7. Resolution No. 2007-300 - Purchase Policy
8. Resolution No. 2008-132 – TDR Conveyance Procedures
9. Resolution No. 2010-213 – Offsite Preserve Donations Resolution
10. Resolution No. 2018-135 Amended Fee Policy
11. Resolution 2002-265 - Original Ballot Question
12. Resolution 2006-111 – Second Ballot Question
13. Sunshine Law Training
14. Committee Member Lists - Note that lists are provided for your knowledge of whom your
fellow members are; you must adhere to the provisions of the Sunshine Law regarding any
contact with fellow committee members.
15. Committee Procedures
16. Maps
a. Target Mailing Protection Areas
b. Acquired and Approved properties
17. Forms
a. Donation Application
b. Initial Screening Criteria
c. Property Scoring (for ICSR)
d. 8-B Member Conflict of Interest
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References
Florida Forever website. https://floridadep.gov/lands/environmental-services/content/florida-forever
Pressey, R.L., Humphries, C.J., Margules, C.R., et al., (1996). Beyond Opportunism: key principles
for systematic reserve selection. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 8, 124-128.
Exhibits/Program Documents
Conservation Collier website:
www.conservationcollier.com
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