The Lee County Board of Commissioners preserved more than 40 acres of land in North Fort Myers on the Caloosahatchee Tuesday after approving another purchase dedicated to the 20/20 Land Acquisition program.

The 40.56 acres — seven parcels — are located on the east side of Moody Road on the northern bank of the river.

The property owner is responsible for removing improvements on the subject property at their expense.

According to the agreement, “there are currently one, or more unoccupied houses, sheds, fences, boat dock/launching pad, former swimming pool, and other above ground and underground improvements on the property.”

The agreement states that the boat dock and seawalls will remain, while wells and septic tanks, as well as removing swimming pool concrete and filling it with clean dirt, grading and leveling the ground shall be done.

The seller has obtained a proposal from HONC Destruction, Inc. which will do the demolition work after closing.

“I will proudly make a motion to approve,” District 4 Commissioner Brian Hamman said. “It’s amazing. This is going to be a jewel to have this preserved forever. I think it’s going to be great for our district.”

The commissioners approved the purchase agreement for $7.9 million and an estimated closing cost of $20,000. The property appraisals were $8 million and $8.1 million.

There are currently 31,444 acres within the Conservation 20/20 Land Acquisition Program.

“Unless you attend these meetings, people don’t realize how much 20/20 land we have purchased,” Chair Mike Greenwell said.

He said people have said the commissioners do not do anything to slow down development in the county, or help preserve the area.

“We do it constantly. We try to be strategic about the pieces we pick,” he said.