Save the Celery Fields

I was just eight years old the first time I visited the Celery Fields in 2016. I was in love with birds and had learned the Celery Fields was one of the best birding spots in our area. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, I saw grackles swirling in screeching flocks and purple martins navigating deftly between nest boxes; limpkins called out across the ponds and hawks soared overhead. This, I thought, is a magical place.

In the years since, the Celery Fields have been a constant source of wonder. They were where I saw my first Purple Gallinule and only Northern Harrier; where I learned how to catch butterflies, use a telephoto camera lens, and to avoid fire ants at all costs. I’ve watched Gallinule’s tend to their eggs and seen gators cruise the calm waters in the evenings.

You can imagine my dismay when I recently learned that the Celery Fields are in danger. Developer D.R. Horton is proposing a residential development adjacent to the Celery Fields. The property known as Smith Farm has long been agricultural land; with D. R. Horton’s proposal to develop it, Sarasota residents fear irreparable damage to the preserve and surrounding communities.

A Swamphen forages on a bright April day in the Celery Fields. (Photo Credit: Brice Claypoole)

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Why are the Celery Fields important? Obviously, they’re a haven for wildlife, but what other benefits do they provide?

The preserve reduces flooding, provides recreation, and supports the local economy, explains former Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton. I’ve called him because he’s an expert in land-use issues and was instrumental in creating the preserve in the 1990s.

The community “came up with the idea of turning Celery Fields into a flood plain storage area and an area for wildlife,” he says. “We invested a lot of public money in doing that and we didn’t invest that money to have a private developer come along and compromise [the multimillion-dollar project].”

The Celery Fields absorb stormwater, making them an important buffer against flooding and hurricane damage, threats we experienced all too clearly during last hurricane season. In addition, the 400 acres of wetlands on the property filter our water, making it safer for humans, fish, and wildlife. Thaxton warns that’s all at risk: the proposed development “is going to compromise the integrity of the Celery Fields and it’s going to exacerbate downstream flooding.”

D. R. Horton wants Smith Farm rezoned so they can build 126 homes adjacent to the Celery Fields—a 2420% increase from the five homes allowed under the current zoning. This intense building would disturb the ecosystem with light pollution, noise, and traffic. Runoff from the flood-prone property may pollute the preserve, harming birds and endangering down-stream water quality, while impervious surfaces threaten increased flooding in surrounding communities.

The Smith Farm severely flooded after Hurricane Debby in 2024. (Photo Credit: Tom Matrullo)

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As it turns out, I’m not the only one who loves the Celery Fields and fears for their future. When I began exploring this issue, I found a unified community of advocates. Organizations like Sarasota Audubon and SCAN have spread the word about this threat and rallied people to speak with local officials. Their efforts paid off last November when the Sarasota Planning Commission recommended denial of D. R. Horton’s rezone petition.

Now we face the final obstacle: on Wednesday, the Sarasota County Commission will decide whether to rezone the property. It’s essential for everyone who loves Sarasota’s nature, who’s concerned about flooding, or depends on clean water to get involved. Email the commissioners and attend the hearing at the Sarasota Administration Building on February 12 and ask commissioners to defend the Celery Fields—one of Sarasota’s most precious places.

Sandhill Cranes walk amongst cattle on the Smith Property in August, 2024. (Photo Credit: Brice Claypoole)