Group pushes for 29-acre Boca Ciega Bay property to become new Pinellas County preserve
Land in Boca Ciega Bay Preserve
A largely untouched piece of land surrounded by development could become Pinellas County's newest preserve. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. - A largely untouched piece of land surrounded by development could become Pinellas County's newest preserve.
The West Klosterman Preservation Group is pushing the county to acquire a combined 29-acre property in and around Boca Ciega Bay, with the goal of protecting its natural habitat while eventually giving the public new ways to enjoy the area.
Pinellas County Land Proposal
The backstory:
The larger property, nicknamed "Roasted Turkey Island," covers about 28.5 acres and is made up of two properties owned by the same entity.
Most of the island is wetlands, with mangroves, trees and habitat for seabirds and other wildlife.
The preservation group also wants the county to acquire a separate 0.6-acre property near Duhme Road and 48th Avenue North.
Together, the properties would make up what the group is calling the Duhme Road Reserve.
The group's vision includes removing invasive species, including Brazilian pepper, from the upland portion of the property and restoring it as upland habitat.
The island itself would remain protected as natural habitat.
The group says county leaders have been interested in the property for years. The preservation group recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with the two property owners, which could help pave the way for a potential county purchase.
If an agreement is reached, the county could potentially use Pennies for Pinellas funding to help pay for the acquisition.
The proposal could eventually include limited public amenities designed to minimize the impact on the natural habitat.
Those ideas include a soft kayak launch and a nature-friendly parking area.
The group also envisions potentially creating a walkway or other access to the island in the future.
Those improvements are part of the group's vision and are not yet finalized.
This would be the West Klosterman Preservation Group's second major preservation project.
In 2024, the group helped raise money and build support for Pinellas County's purchase of the 14-acre West Klosterman Preserve in Palm Harbor.
WK Preservation Group president Tex Carter said, "It's a very quick success after the completion of our first project. And so that will help us with the branding and the momentum and help other people see that it really is possible to get out there and save natural habitat in Pinellas County."
The group says the Boca Ciega Bay project could build on that effort and demonstrate that additional natural habitat can be preserved in a developed area.
Pinellas Public Meeting
What's next:
The West Klosterman Preservation Group, along with Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott and a representative from County Parks and Recreation, is hosting a town hall Monday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the City of Seminole Parks and Recreation Department.
If the county and property owners reach an agreement, the proposal could go before the Pinellas County Commission for a vote as early as October or November.
The Source: FOX 13 spoke with Tex Carter, president of the West Klosterman Preservation Group, about the proposed acquisition and the group's plans for the property. Information about the potential county purchase and public meeting was provided by the group and county representatives.