May 13, 2026
A major land preservation deal has taken nearly 1,300 acres in Volusia County off the table for future development.
The Volusia County Council voted unanimously May 5 to purchase River Bend Ranch, a 1,299-acre property in southern Volusia County, for $20.1 million through the Volusia Forever land conservation program, according to a news release from the county.
The property was previously owned by River Bend Ranch Reserve LLC, an Oviedo-based entity represented by Maury L. Carter & Associates, Inc. The property last sold in 2018 for $5 million, according to the Volusia County Property Appraiser.
The property is within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and contains upland pine habitat, cypress swamp, freshwater marsh, wet prairie and cabbage palm hammock. Wildlife that can be seen on the property includes white-tailed deer, gopher tortoise, Florida sandhill crane, black bear and a variety of wading birds and raptors, according to the release.
Read the full article: https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2026/05/13/volusia-county-land-conservation-river-bend-ranch.html