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Flagler County land management reports $20 million ESL fund, prescribed burns and feral-hog captures
Summary
The county's land-management staff said they manage about 12,000 acres, have roughly $20 million available for environmentally sensitive lands (ESL) acquisitions, conducted nine prescribed burns (411 acres) in FY2025, and reported 412 feral hog captures this year as part of an invasive-wildlife program.
Flagler County's land-management division presented an annual update Nov. 17 highlighting conservation acquisitions, invasive-species control and habitat management.
The division's director told the board the county manages about 12,000 acres across 17 parks and preserves and five Florida Communities Trust sites and currently has roughly $20 million in ESL funds available for land purchases and easements. The director said recent work includes completing the purchase of 3 Creeks Preserve, closing on Marlowe, and progressing on the Peterson contract.
Staff reported nine prescribed burns in fiscal year 2025 totaling about 411 acres and said prescribed fire is a planning-intensive activity that supports ecosystem health and public safety. Land-management staff also described invasive-plant work: 285 acres treated using a mix of hand clearing, girdling and herbicide, with GPS tracking of crews to ensure follow-up treatments.
On wildlife, the division described a feral-hog program that uses an IT-based dashboard to track sightings and place traps. Staff said they captured roughly 412 hogs this year, concentrated in Beulah Creek and Grand Swamp, and that capture numbers are beginning to decline in some targeted areas as trapping and habitat work continue.
The director credited partnerships — including recent help from the North Florida Land Trust and IT support for mapping and drone reconnaissance — and said staff will report back on the trust contract after the first full year of performance.
What happens next: staff will continue invasive-species treatment, pursue ESL acquisitions and return with periodic updates to the board. Community volunteer engagement and educational events are planned to support ongoing stewardship.
