About

Our History

The Land Trust of Dade County was founded in 1988 by a group of citizens dedicated to

preserving South Florida’s environmental and historic heritage. Led by founding president, Sallye Jude, the organization’s first project was the preservation of the home of renowned environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the adjoining Cole property.

With the support of community leaders, legislators, foundations, businesses, and hundreds of individual donors, the Land Trust worked to secure the properties. The State of Florida acquired the Douglas home in 1992, and in 1993 the Land Trust acquired the adjacent Cole property at 3754 Stewart Avenue. Together, these properties helped preserve an important part of South Florida’s environmental and cultural history.

Over the years, the Land Trust remained committed to the stewardship and preservation of these historic properties.

 In 1999, the organization was entrusted with stewardship of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas House. While that stewardship later returned to the State of Florida, the Land Trust continued to advocate for the preservation and appropriate future of the site, including participating in the 2018 and the 2019 stakeholder initiatives coordinated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  In December 2024, the Land Trust finalized the sale of the Cole property to the State of Florida, bringing a significant chapter of its original preservation mission full circle. More than three decades after its founding, the Land Trust of Dade County continues to honor the vision that inspired its creation: protecting the places that connect South Florida’s natural environment, history, and community to future generations.