After opening the 476-acre D Ranch Preserve in Volusia County earlier this year, Conservation Florida has unveiled plans for a nature center set to launch in 2027.
The nonprofit will repurpose an empty barn already on the property to build out a new $2.5 million nature center with two floors and 8,000 square feet of space. Visitors will be able to visit the center — which will include classrooms, exhibits and a wraparound porch — as their gateway to the preserve.
“So far, the reception has been fantastic. The community is really rallying around the idea of the nature center being built. This is a great expansion of the property,” said Traci Deen, Conservation Florida’s CEO. “We are hoping that this will be a gateway into the wild beauty of Florida and a gathering place for the community at large.”
Conservation Florida has secured $600,000 in Volusia ECHO (environmental, cultural, historical, and outdoor recreation) funds for the project, plus a dollar-for-dollar matching gift from the Big Nova Foundation for all funds raised through the end of the year.
“We’re incredibly honored to give back to our local community by matching gifts to Conservation Florida,” said Sarah Asma, executive director of the Big Nova Foundation, in a news release. “Our family grew up in the lakes, rivers, and springs around here in Florida, so it’s important to us that our kids and grandkids can do that as well.”
There is a $400,000 funding gap left to raise before construction can begin on the building. Deen said she hopes the nature center can serve as a “classroom for wild Florida” and a place where visitors of all ages can learn through interactive exhibits and guided programming.
D Ranch Preserve in Osteen presents 476 acres of protected land, including scrub habitat and wetlands. The land is open for hiking, wildlife viewing and nature photography. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
“This is a place where kids can come on a field trip and fall in love with wild Florida or see a gopher tortoise for the very first time,” she said. “This is a place where new Floridians can learn that wild Florida is their home too, and experience it and learn about it.”
Conservation Florida received the land donation from an anonymous donor in 2019, then spent years working on land management and restoring native flora and fauna. This is the first property owned and managed by Conservation Florida that’s also open to the public.
This parcel is a small part of an 11,000-acre ranch landscape that was broken up over time. A vast majority of that land is now protected in Lake Monroe Conservation Area and Beck Ranch Park; D Ranch was the missing piece to finish this land conservation puzzle.
A group of representatives from Conservation Florida, stakeholders and community members gather for the unveiling of nature center plans at D Ranch Preserve in Volusia County. (Courtesy Conservation Florida)
“Central Florida is growing rapidly, as all of us who are locals know. Protecting places like D Ranch Preserve is growing more and more critical every single day,” Deen said. “D Ranch Preserve has already hosted so many people who are eager to get outside and explore wild Florida.”
Visitors to the preserve can currently experience 3.5 miles of hiking trails — open from dawn to dusk daily — while keeping an eye out for bobcats, gopher tortoises, black bears and rare flora like the pine lily. The public land comprises flatwoods and scrub habitats, open pasture and wetlands, which help mitigate flooding in the Lake Monroe watershed.
The northern portion of D Ranch Preserve in Osteen comprises wetland habitat. The land is open for hiking, wildlife viewing and nature photography. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
Conservation Florida will begin fundraising for phase two of the project after raising the money required to build the nature center. Future plans include the buildout of interactive exhibits, scenic overlooks, equestrian parking and trail improvements.
“The community has really rallied around the property and vision for the nature center, and we can’t wait to bring that vision to life,” Deen said.
Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.
If you go
D Ranch Preserve: Open daily from dawn to dusk. 2655 Reed Ellis Road in Osteen;
352-376-4770, ext. 716; conservationfla.org/d-ranch
