Tatum Sawgrass Conservation Area

This 25-acre property in Manatee County is a significant natural area along a small creek that feeds the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh.

The Story

Conservation easements are a creative and flexible way to permanently protect land that remains privately owned. Big Waters received this conservation easement donation in July 2018 from the Myakka Conservancy, the original steward. Recognizing our focus on protecting the Upper Myakka River and restoring the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh, the Myakka Conservancy transferred this important protection area to us to ensure the perpetual protection of the property. The conservation easement was originally donated by Daphne Scott to keep the uplands and swamps in their natural condition to provide invaluable habitat for fish, plants, and wildlife.

Why it Matters

This 25-acre property in Manatee County is a significant natural area along a small creek that feeds the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh. The 2,500-acre Tatum Sawgrass Marsh is the largest and most altered of the floodplain marshes that is essential for water quality, flood protection and biodiversity of the Myakka River. The conservation easement property is located across River Road from the 1,213-acre conservation easement held by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) which protects a significant portion of the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh. Conservation extends southward to the 1,105-acre Triangle Ranch easement protecting three miles of the Myakka River, to Big Waters' Upper Myakka River Preserve, and on to the Myakka River State Park and over 130,000 acres of conserved lands. Both publicly and privately owned lands buffering the Myakka River are essential for the health and vitality of the river, the nationally-recognized Charlotte Harbor estuary, and the Gulf of Mexico.