An impasse arose at the 11th hour over invasive plant removal costs. The seller insisted the buyer - the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, a nonprofit land trust - needed $229,000 for invasive plant removal costs to rid the land of Brazilian peppers and melaleuca trees before the scheduled Aug. 11 closing. The group was short by more than $126,000 with the deadline days away.

One of the top last-minute donations was $52,000 from The Brunckhorst Foundation. Donors gave through savepineisland.org, conservationfoundation.com and through independent online appeals such as one spearheaded by landscape photographer Clyde Butcher.

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