City purchase keeps property natural, free of homes
Published on February 20, 2026
Naturally PSL Community Trust to help preserve green spaces and places
The City of Port St. Lucie today officially established the Naturally PSL Community Trust, a City-affiliated non-profit organization dedicated to acquiring, conserving and activating land for public benefit.
On Friday morning, City Council formally voted to create the Community Trust, which will provide opportunities for preservation through public and private funding to secure land, improve water quality and wildlife habitat and increase access to nature.
Soon after, City officials held an event announcing the formal acquisition of the Rosser Lakes property – nearly 105 acres located between Interstate 95 and Rosser Boulevard that were once slated to become homes but now will be preserved for generations to come. The Parks and Recreation Department will open up this site for public access in two weeks, and is applying for grant funds to develop more amenities to support public access while preserving the site’s natural beauty.
As Port St. Lucie continues to grow, residents have made their priorities clear: neighborhood parks and natural preserves rank as one of the community’s top priorities. Currently, 72% of developable land in Port St. Lucie is already built, putting a premium on preserving access to green spaces.
To develop ideas to address this challenge, the City initiated a year-long innovation project engaging more than 1,000 residents with the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins and the Centre for Public Impact. Ideas generated included the land bank, trust and environmental stewardship awards.
Early progress is already underway, with 273 acres of land acquired or in the pipeline as part of the Naturally PSL Land Bank – a City initiative to acquire, conserve and activate land within Port St. Lucie. The Rosser Lakes property was the first to be acquired as part of the Land Bank.
The Community Trust will support the Land Bank through fundraising and direct monetary or in-kind contributions. The Trust will be guided by a five-member board comprised of residents and key City departments, supported by a dedicated team focused on grants, communications, finance and donor development. A public website will provide transparent updates on acquisition priorities, progress and impact.
Friday’s event was a celebration of the City’s commitment to land preservation. Tours were held of the Rosser Lakes property and City leaders joined residents to plant cypress trees in honor of the inaugural Naturally PSL Environmental Stewardship Awards Program recipients who were named last year:
- Community Impact Award: Volunteers at the Oxbow Eco-Center, for providing more than 20 years of environmental education, trail maintenance and Earth Day leadership.
- Emerging Environmental Leader Award: Summer Wayne, for her leadership in 4-H, the City of Port St. Lucie Youth Council and her participation on the All-America City Team.
- Green Schools Award: The Key Club at St. Lucie West Centennial High School for revitalizing Kiwanis Park through student-led cleanups.
- Good Neighbor Award – Community Cleanups: Wayne Landry, for leading the City’s largest Adopt-A-Street group and promoting litter prevention.
- Good Neighbor Award – Master Gardeners: Julie Norsworthy, for inspiring pollinator gardens and educating residents on Florida-friendly landscaping.
Nominations for the 2026 Environmental Stewardship Awards are now open, with award winners being recognized at an April event celebrating the City’s 65th anniversary. Visit the Environmental Stewardship Awards page to nominate someone for one of the five award categories. Nominations will close April 1.
For more information about the Naturally PSL initiative, visit www.cityofpsl.com/naturallypsl.