Bobby Jones Golf & Nature Park

Located within the City of Sarasota, this land is critical to protecting water quality and provides opportunities for community enjoyment.

The Story

On January 10, 2022 the Sarasota City Commission voted unanimously to conserve this park with a conservation easement. Phase I of the golf course and park construction began March 4, 2022, and in November 2023, the City of Sarasota Parks and Recreation Department rolled out ideas for additional amenities to the park for Phase II, as funding permits. Click here to visit their website and learn more. The park is now open to the public. In 2024, work began to plant thousands of trees throughout the nature park area and we continue to collaborate with the City to enhance this land for the benefit of people and nature.

Why it Matters

The historic Bobby Jones Golf Club of nearly 300 acres plays a significant environmental role for the region. Enormous volumes of storm water, including runoff from as far away as the Mall at University Town Center, are retained and filtered by the property before flowing into Sarasota Bay. The almost 300 acres of green space situated within an urban area serve as habitat for birds and many other wildlife species. In a February 2024 bird count, Sarasota Audubon Society counted 76 different bird species onsite! New and existing trees on the property also play a critical air quality role by processing carbon from the atmosphere, thereby improving local air quality, cooling the region, and helping to counter climate change.

Just the Facts

~300

acres

Date Acquired

2022

Located within the City of Sarasota
Big Waters worked with the City of Sarasota to conserve the entire property so that it will always be open to the public as outdoor recreation space
The park opened to the public on December 15, 2023