Rocky Ford Preserve

This incredible landscape is a factory of biodiversity, on land and in water.

The Story

Big Waters Land Trust served as the acquisition agent for Sarasota County’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program (ESLPP) between 2007 and 2014. During that time, we used our land conservation expertise to preserve a number of properties through this program that are considered iconic natural areas. The Rocky Ford Preserve was selected because of its beautiful oak hammocks, shoreline on the Myakka River, and adjacency to other conservation land. The land was purchased in 2008, and effectively absorbed into Pinelands Reserve.

Why it Matters

The Rocky Ford Preserve is located on the Myakka River, across from Carlton Reserve. Protection has precluded development in this area, keeping the river wild and scenic for future generations. Additionally, the land is now part of over 130,000 acres of conservation lands on the Myakka. This incredible landscape is a factory of biodiversity, on land and in water. The Myakka River flows to Charlotte Harbor, supplying the clean water necessary for healthy fisheries, including tarpon, snook, grouper, and shrimp. The Rocky Ford Preserve is located on what may be the most beautiful part of the Myakka River. Called “Rocky Ford,” it takes its name from the limestone outcroppings that hang over the water and line the shallow rocky bottom. During low water, the water trickles over the rocks, making the most wonderful sound.