Bald eagles, gopher tortoises, wading birds and native amphibians at risk of having their homes taken away have Conservation Florida to thank for a new piece of protected habitat in Central Florida.
D Ranch Preserve in western Volusia County recently transformed from privately held ranch land — which was at risk of turning into shopping centers and homes — into a protected piece of public land. The property comprises 476 acres of wetland, flatwoods, scrub and open pasture habitat east of Lake Monroe with 3.5 miles of scenic trails for visitors to explore.
“D Ranch is a really special property and a huge conservation win — not only for the region but for the state,” said Traci Deen, president and CEO of Conservation Florida. “Central Florida is growing so fast. We’re losing critical connector pieces. This property adds to a larger conservation landscape and that is significant.”
This parcel is a small part of an 11,000-acre ranch landscape that was broken up over time. A vast majority of that land is now protected in Lake Monroe Conservation Area and Beck Ranch Park; D Ranch was the missing piece to finish this land conservation puzzle.
“It’s one of the most phenomenal experiences hiking out there and knowing that you’re really close to Orlando but you’re also in the wild,” Deen said. “There are mornings where we’ll see a bobcat race by and then hear the call of the sandhill cranes. We’ll see a bald eagle and the footprints of an otter family. I’m taken aback by how much life there is out there.”
Conservation Florida received the land donation from an anonymous donor in 2019, then spent years working on land management and restoring native flora and fauna. This is the first property open to the public in the statewide nonprofit land conservancy’s collection of protected lands.
“There is a strong desire for public access to the property and I think the community at large is going to fall in love with the property the way we have,” Deen said.
In addition to the public opportunities for hiking, birdwatching and nature photography presented by this land, the property serves as an important wetland to mitigate flooding.
“This property lies within the Lake Monroe watershed. We see this property serving Central Florida every time there’s a large rain event, after hurricanes or during a particularly rainy summer,” Deen said. “The northern portion of the property will be 6 to 9 inches underwater. It will store water and clean it before it makes its way back to Lake Monroe. Imagine that being paved over and losing that ecosystem and its benefits.”
As visitors find their way to D Ranch to experience the wild land, Conservation Florida plans to work on converting the barn at the front of the property into a nature center — thanks to funds from Volusia ECHO and the Big Nova foundation — while stewarding the land through prescribed burns and invasive species management. In the future, Deen said the nonprofit hopes to add equestrian access to the property, additional trails and a wildlife viewing boardwalk.
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If you go
D Ranch Preserve is open from dawn to dusk daily at 2655 Reed Ellis Road in Osteen. Pets are not permitted except for service animals. For more information, visit conservationfla.org.
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