Farmton Frequently Asked Questions

Forestry is the science and practice of managing forests and woodlands to meet human and environmental needs, and it has been a central part of Farmton’s land management for decades. Responsible timber management helps maintain healthy forests by thinning overcrowded tree stands, removing diseased or storm-damaged trees, and promoting diverse forest habitats. Healthy forests support wildlife, protect water resources, and provide renewable materials used in everyday products.

Farmton Tree Farm has been owned by the descendants of the William Deering family since 1925. For over a century, the Deering family has managed the land using sustainable forestry, ranching, and conservation practices aimed at preserving the long-term health of the property.

Yes. Farmton continues a long Florida tradition of forestry, cattle ranching and agriculture, including partnerships with ranching operations such as Adams Ranch. Sustainable grazing practices help maintain healthy pastures, reduce wildfire risk, support biodiversity, and preserve Florida’s agricultural heritage.

In the early 2000s, economic pressures in the timber industry created uncertainty for large landholdings like Farmton. Without the Farmton Local Plan, the property could have been sold and subdivided into thousands of ranchettes, which would have fragmented wildlife habitat and increased wells, septic systems, and roadways across the landscape. Instead, the Farmton Local Plan preserves most of the land while allowing carefully planned growth in limited areas.

The Farmton Local Plan concentrates development in compact, planned areas, allowing the majority of the property to remain protected as large continuous conservation lands. This approach helps avoid sprawl while preserving natural ecosystems, wildlife corridors, and working agricultural landscapes.

The Deering family views Farmton as a generational legacy. For over 100 years they have managed the property as working agricultural land while protecting its natural resources. Their long-term vision is to ensure the land continues to support conservation, agriculture, and responsible growth for generations to come.

The long-term goal is to create a generational legacy of stewardship where the majority of the land remains permanently protected, agriculture and forestry continue, wildlife corridors remain intact, and carefully planned communities coexist with nature. Farmton aims to demonstrate how conservation, working landscapes, and responsible growth can exist together for generations to come.

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

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. More than 46,000 acres of the Farmton property are permanently conserved, helping conserve large, connected landscapes within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and ensure these important habitats and corridors remain protected for future generations.

Approximately 75 percent of the Farmton property is planned 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 helping maintain critical wildlife corridors across the region.

In February 2025, an additional 4,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land at Farmton was placed into permanent conservation easements connected to the sustainable new community of Deering Park. This expanded the total protected land at Farmton to more than 46,000 acres. These conserved lands are within the City of Edgewater and help protect wetlands, wildlife habitat, and important connections within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, ensuring that large portions of the property remain preserved for future generations.

The Edgewater Wetland Park is an environmental restoration project being developed in partnership with the City of Edgewater to help improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon. The project will redirect excess treated reclaimed water from the city’s wastewater facility away from the lagoon and into newly created wetlands on the Farmton property. These wetlands will naturally filter nutrients, recharge the aquifer, and provide new habitat for birds and other wildlife. The project will also create scenic and recreational opportunities while helping reduce nutrient discharges into the lagoon.

Conservation lands require ongoing stewardship. At Farmton, land management practices include prescribed burns to maintain forest health, removal of invasive plant and animal species, sustainable forestry practices, and habitat restoration and monitoring. These activities help maintain biodiversity, improve forest resilience, and reduce wildfire risks. Conservation areas are monitored by agencies such as the St. Johns River Water Management District, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and environmental organizations.

Environmental projects associated with the Farmton vision include initiatives such as the Edgewater Wetland Park, which will help improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon. The project will create wetlands that filter nutrients, recharge the aquifer, and provide additional wildlife habitat. The stormwater system for Deering Park is designed and being constructed to reduce offsite discharges and improve water quality. Native plants for landscaping reduce the need for fertilizer and chemicals, as well as creating habitat for butterflies and dragonflies.

The East Central Regional Rail Trail is a paved multi-use trail that runs directly through the Farmton property. The trail travels from Osteen at SR 415 east along Maytown Road, passes underneath Interstate 95, and continues north toward Edgewater, with a connection from Maytown Road south to Titusville.

This trail corridor crosses a diverse landscape of pine flatwoods, open marshes, cypress swamps, pastures, and mature forests, offering scenic views of the natural environment that surrounds the Farmton property.

The East Central Regional Rail Trail is part of a much larger regional and national trail system. These connections include the 250-mile Coast-to-Coast Connector, the five-county St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop, and the East Coast Greenway, a planned 3,000-mile trail system connecting 15 states from Maine to the Florida Keys.

These connections allow cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts to travel across large portions of Florida and the eastern United States through an interconnected trail network.

Yes. The East Central Regional Rail Trail is open to the public and includes multiple access points and parking areas throughout Volusia County. The paved trail is designed to be accessible for a wide range of users, including walkers, runners, cyclists, and families.

The portion of the East Central Regional Rail Trail that runs through the Farmton area offers views of several distinct Florida ecosystems. Trail users can experience pine flatwoods, wetlands, marshes, cypress swamps, ranchlands, and mature forest canopy areas, providing a unique opportunity to observe wildlife and native landscapes while enjoying outdoor recreation.

A mitigation bank is a protected natural area where wetlands, streams, or wildlife habitats are restored, enhanced, or preserved to compensate for environmental impacts that occur in other locations. When a project affects wetlands or other regulated resources, developers may purchase mitigation credits from an approved mitigation bank. Those credits fund the restoration and long-term management and protection of environmentally valuable lands.

Mitigation banks are carefully regulated and monitored by state and federal environmental agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Florida environmental regulatory agencies. These agencies review restoration plans, establish performance standards, and ensure that restored habitats are protected and managed over the long term.

State and federal environmental regulations require projects to first avoid and minimize impacts to wetlands wherever possible. When impacts cannot be avoided, mitigation may be required to offset those impacts. Mitigation banks restore, enhance, and permanently protect wetlands and natural habitats in advance, creating large, professionally managed conservation areas that provide long-term ecological benefits. This approach often results in greater environmental value than smaller, isolated mitigation projects.

Deering Park is designed around the concept of living in a park. The community is adjacent to and connects with large surrounding conservation areas, wildlife corridors that connect protected habitats, and extensive trail systems and greenways that link neighborhoods with nearby natural areas. These connections will allow residents to easily access outdoor spaces and regional trails such as the East Central Regional Rail Trail while preserving the natural character of the surrounding conservation lands. Native landscaping, integrated stormwater systems, and other low-impact design practices will help protect natural ecosystems while supporting responsible community development. For more information visit www.deeringpark.com.