Volusia Forever Receives Better Community Award

The Volusia Forever program will receive 1000 Friends of Florida's 2008 Better Community Award at the Volusia County Council meeting on Thursday, June 19, 2008. "Volusia Forever's Volusia Conservation Corridor provides a model for long-range planning to protect a region's significant natural resources and wildlife habitat linkages," notes 1000 Friends President Charles Pattison, who will be presenting the award.

A taxpayer-approved, twenty-year ad valorem tax funded program established in 2000, Volusia Forever targets the acquisition and improvement of environmentally sensitive, water resource protection, and outdoor recreation lands. The key is the Volusia Conservation Corridor, a mosaic of contiguous parcels of land, approximately 55,000 acres in size, set in the middle of the county. The acquisition of this area is highly suitable due to its large size, relatively intact natural systems, extensive wetlands and water resources, and critical habitat for migrating waterfowl, black bear and other important species. The area has excellent recreation potential, which should increase over time due to its close proximity to large urban areas and major transportation corridors.

"On behalf of the citizens of Volusia County, the County Council and staff, we are honored that 1000 Friends of Florida is recognizing the Volusia Forever Program," said Doug Weaver, Director of the County's Land Acquisition and Management Division, who oversees the Program.

In 2005, the Volusia Smart Growth Implementation Committee issued its final report on the vision of how the county should grow, following the principles of Smart Growth. It contains a map which includes the corridor among lands that should receive the greatest degree of protection. The Smart Growth process has received almost unanimous support from all sixteen municipalities in the county.

With other government partners Volusia County has acquired approximately 30,600 acres of land to date, by both fee simple and conservation easements. Of these acres, approximately 28,600 are within the Corridor. Approximately 16,000 of the 28,600 acres have been protected through conservation easements, helping to stretch limited financial resources and keeping the property on the tax rolls. The St. Johns River Water Management District has been the most significant funding partner in acquiring these conservation lands in Volusia County.

Volusia County's program has become a model for the region, with staff working with Flagler County and Lake County to structure their respective conservation lands acquisition programs. In 2003, the Volusia Conservation Corridor was expanded by the State to include approximately 19,000 acres of linkages to lands in Flagler County. The Volusia Forever program was recognized nationally in 2006 as one of six recipients of the County Leadership in Conservation Award, sponsored by the Trust for Public Land and the National Association of Counties.

1000 Friends' Better Community Award is presented annually for plans that have been implemented and projects that are completed that use the principles of Smart Growth to create livable, vital environments. "Volusia Forever reflects its visionary leadership which has resulted in protection of the significant environmental, recreation, and water resource lands of Volusia County and the Volusia Conservation Corridor in particular," noted Pattison. "We commend the Volusia County Council and staff for their vision."

1000 Friends of Florida is also presenting five other awards over the course of 2008.