A once barren former celery farm in Sarasota County is now a thriving birding site replete with more than 21,000 native trees and plants taking root.

An 11-acre stretch of land next to a birding site is now open, marking the completetion of a project that turned a bare field into wildlife habitat. The new space has walking trails, a pond, and a place to watch birds.

The project protects the western edge of the so-called Celery Fields, just east of Interstate 75 on Fruitville Road, from nearby industrial development.

Once a sawgrass wetland, University of Florida records show the area was drained in the 1900s for celery production, then bought by Sarasota County to restore.

The new trees and acerage is part of a larger effort to protect 33 acres on the western edge of the Celery Fields. Big Waters Land Trust and Sarasota Audubon Society are leading the work.

The land forms a buffer between the Celery Fields and nearby industrial property. That matters for birds that nest, feed, and rest in the wetlands.

Sarasota County granted permanent conservation rights over three parcels there in 2019, which is like giving away the development rights. Big Waters Land Trust and Sarasota Audubon Society are restoring the land and providing public access.

The Celery Fields also hold stormwater to help protect neighborhoods in the area from flooding.

The other two parcels are scheduled for future, similar use.

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