SANFORD, Fla. — Conservation and development are taking center stage in Seminole County as commissioners are looking at protecting rural enclaves within urban areas.

David Bear is a lifelong Floridian, and the president of Save Rural Seminole.

“What I love about Florida is being able to take them out to the springs, take them out to the wilderness area where they can do some hiking and see what real natural Florida is,” Bear said.

Bear’s advocating has led to a change in Seminole County. He now sits on the Seminole Forever board, looking at rural areas to buy with the general fund to preserve as natural lands for the public to use.

The Seminole County Board of Commissioners is set to finalize a revamp in the application process for natural lands during Tuesday’s meeting.

“Once that’s approved, then the committee will accept applications and will start reviewing parcels to see if this is a good use of the Seminole Forever funds to buy this parcel,” said Bear.

The county is also conducting a year-long study about how to protect rural enclaves in urban areas. The areas under consideration include Lazy Acres near Longwood, and Oak Hollow near the Orange County line.

The program is something commissioner Bob Dallari said is needed as Seminole County continues to grow.

“What should we do to protect those areas or what should we do to ensure that whatever is happening today that we like continues to happen and whatever happens that we don’t like doesn’t happen for the future? We should always be looking at that,” Dallari said.

As for Bear, he’s happy about the progress Seminole County has made when it comes to conservation and protecting rural areas.

“It’s important to recognize positive places when you’re there. Seminole County isn’t perfect by any means. Nobody should misinterpret that. But we are in a pretty darn good place today between leadership and the community activists,” said Bear.