Orange County opened the Crosby Island Marsh Preserve, the County’s newest Green PLACE property, on Wednesday, July 17, 2019. These environmentally sensitive lands stretch more than 240 acres across both Orange and Osceola County, with a portion dedicated to the U.S. Forest Service for the Florida National Scenic Trail. The property is managed in such a manner as to protect and enhance ecosystem integrity, function and biodiversity and to provide a quality passive recreational outdoor experience for existing and future generations.

The Green PLACE (Park Land Acquisition for Conservation and Environmental Protection) program has successfully preserved 30 Green PLACE properties – more than 23,000 acres – since the inception of environmentally sensitive lands acquisition in Orange County.

The next ribbon cutting event is scheduled for Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at Hidden Pond Preserve. The opening of Hidden Pond Preserve will make this the 14^th Green PLACE property to be open for nature-based recreation. Two additional properties are currently in the development stage and will be opened in the future. Some parcels due to size, ease of access and location, including swamp associated with the Econlockhatchee River, will not be open for public use.