BRADENTON, Fla. — Manatee County commissioners unanimously voted to purchase more than 13 acres of land to add to Pine Island Preserve.

The $40,000 purchase will come out of Manatee County’s conservation tax, allowing the preserve to span nearly 100 acres.

“The north end of Pine Island was acquired to help complete the site and to eliminate an out holding that was privately held that could potentially have been developed,” said Michael Elswick, who is a division manager for Manatee County’s Parks and Natural Resources Department.

Elswick has been in that position for 10 years and has seen the county change, but he’s also worked on projects that have ramped up efforts to conserve land.

“Since 2020, the county has been much more aggressive, responding to the expansion of development and starting to work with its own money ... to really start acquiring some of these places that were starting to disappear,” he said.

The land approved for purchase is at the northern point of Pine Island, near the mouth of the Braden River. The State Road 64 boat ramp is the closest access point to the island and can only be reached by boat.

“This place in particular is home to wood storks,” said Elswick. “There’s a bald eagle nest out there, or immediately adjacent to it. It helps protect their habitat. There’s a lot of mangroves that have a ton of benefit.”

He believes the efforts are proof that the county continues to value conservation.

“One of the big things is creating connectivity on the landscape. This is right along the greenways ecological network, going all the way from Tampa Bay and Emerson Point Preserve all the way up the river,” Elswick said.