BUCKINGHAM, Fla. — Nancy Hutto loves Buckingham.
"It's peaceful and quiet," she said.
She can listen to the birds. Her husband Ted can feed the fish and her cattle can bask in the sun.
For 46 years, she's called Buckingham home, but two minutes around the corner from where she lives, Hutto said their way of life was threatened.
Hutto said, "The people that are out here, rural, that's our way of life, and we want to keep it that way."
Hear why Buckingham wants the community to maintain its rural integrity in Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades' report:
She fought alongside her community to make sure 129.56 acres, on Orange River Boulevard, didn't see construction crews come through.
"There's not many rural areas around Fort Myers anymore. East Lee county and Alva are pretty much it," Hutto said.
Conservation 20/20 is a land acquisition and stewardship program to protect natural areas in Lee County. It's led the county to protect about 30,000 acres of land.
Commissioner Kevin Ruane said, "The item carries unanimously."
Loud applause and cheering erupted from the Buckingham community members dressed in red at the meeting.
The celebration was a long time coming.
Don Blackburn started the Buckingham Community Rural Preserve in 1990 to stop developers from purchasing the land.
"I still can't believe it happened because it's been something in the works for 35 years, and I'm just very pleased about it, so happy," Blackburn said.
He said the fight was worth every minute.
"We want to keep the integrity intact and that's why we fight so hard to keep that," Blackburn said.
A different part of Southwest Florida's paradise.
"Buckingham is a unique place," Hutto said.
She and her neighbors hope it stays that way.
