Environmental Stewardship And Conservation

Farmton represents one of the largest privately conserved landscapes in Central Florida. The property protects tens of thousands of acres of wetlands, forests, and wildlife habitat through permanent conservation easements while continuing traditional land uses such as forestry and ranching that help maintain healthy ecosystems.

Approximately 75 percent of the Farmton property is designated for permanent conservation, protecting wetlands, forests, wildlife habitat, and ecological corridors. More than 46,000 acres have already been placed into permanent conservation easements, preserving the land in perpetuity and maintaining critical areas within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor is a statewide network of connected public and private conservation lands that allow wildlife to move safely between habitats across Florida. By linking forests, wetlands, ranchlands, and other protected natural areas, the corridor helps maintain healthy ecosystems, protect water resources, and support wildlife movement, including species such as the Florida black bear and bald eagle.

Farmton plays an important role in this network. The property includes significant natural systems such as Spruce Creek Swamp, Crane Swamp, Cow Creek, and Sandy Drain, which support diverse wildlife and help protect regional water resources. The large areas of permanently conserved land help preserve connected landscapes that contribute to the Florida Wildlife Corridor and ensure these important habitats remain protected for future generations.

In February 2025, an additional 4,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land at Farmton was placed into permanent conservation easements, bringing the total protected land at Farmton to more than 46,000 acres. These conserved lands protect wetlands, wildlife habitat, and important connections within the Florida Wildlife Corridor while ensuring that large portions of the property remain preserved for future generations.

In April 2026, a groundbreaking to celebrate the create of the Edgewater Wetland Park will take place. Click here for more information about the Edgewater Wetland Park. 

Outdoor Recreation

Residents of the region have long enjoyed the recreational opportunities on the Farmton property.

Deering Preserve at Deep Creek provides licensed public access for kayaking and canoeing on a waterway reminiscent of old Florida, with towering cypress at every turn that will eventually take adventurers to the St. Johns River. For more information about Deering Preserve at Deep Creek, visit Volusia County’s website here.

The private Farmton Hunt Club manages the majority of the hunting activities on the property in accordance with an approved wildlife management program and state game laws. Annual game studies are conducted and strict compliance with safety and other regulations is required.

Walking, hiking and bike riding are also popular within Farmton, particularly on the East Central Regional Rail Trail. As development begins in Deering Park over time, connections to the regional trail system within the community will be expanded and emphasized.

East Coast Regional Rail Trail

The East Central Regional Rail Trail runs through the Farmton property from the Osteen at SR 415 east along Maytown Road, underneath I-95, and then north to Edgewater, with a connection from Maytown Road south to Titusville.

The trails in Volusia County are part of much larger trail network, including the 250-mile Coast to Coast Connector, the five-county St. Johns River-to-Sea loop, and the East Coast Greenway, planned to connect 15 states with 3,000 miles of trails from Maine to the Keys.

Open to the public with various parking areas, the trail is paved and easily accessible, with views ranging from pine flatwoods, open marshes, cypress swamps, pastures and mature canopy forests.

For more information about the East Central Regional Rail Trail visit: Volusia County’s website orRails to Trails Conservancy.

Water Resources

Water availability, quality, and conservation are vital concerns at Farmton.

The water resources on the property are carefully managed for sustainable operations without impacts to the aquifer, wetlands or upland habitat.

Water resources on the property also help to provide responsibly sourced water to their constituencies.

Farmton Water Resources LLC and the City of Titusville provide water from a portion of the Farmton lands located in Brevard County to the citizens of Titusville through TIFA LLC, a joint venture. TIFA provides 2.75 million gallons a day of raw water from a well field designed for sustainable operations and protection of the ecosystem.

Farmton Services LLC provides irrigation water for agricultural operations through a 2 million gallon a day allocation and may provide water for future development up to 1 million gallons per day.

Sustainability and Conservation

The Farmton landbase stretches over significant environmental resources such as Spruce Creek Swamp, Crane Swamp, Cow Creek and Sandy Drain as part of a connected system of uplands and wetlands.

Almost 75% of the Farmton Tract will be preserved forever.

Approximately 41,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands have been permanently protected through various conservation easements. The Farmton Mitigation Bank easements cover approximately 23,000 acres. The Farmton Local Plan easements cover an additional 18,000 acres. Both sets of easements include perpetual maintenance and annual monitoring.

Through careful stewardship, these lands provide connected wildlife corridors and habitat, regionally important wetland systems, aquifer recharge and compatible recreation.