Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet have approved funding to protect over 20,000 acres of conservation land in Florida. The decision, made on September 30, represents an investment of $167.25 million in the state’s natural resources. Six of the properties are located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, while another acquisition will expand Cary State Forest in Duval County.
The approvals also included a separate measure to convey a 2.63-acre parcel next to Miami-Dade County’s Freedom Tower for use as the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library.
“Yesterday’s approvals protect more than 20,000 acres of Florida’s most important landscapes,” said Alexis A. Lambert, Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. “By conserving these lands, we are preserving clean water, safeguarding wildlife and ensuring future generations can experience the Florida we know and love.”
The land acquisitions include several notable projects:
– In Collier and Hendry counties, two conservation easements and one acquisition totaling 13,375 acres within the Caloosahatchee Big Cypress Corridor will help connect major protected areas such as the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and Big Cypress National Preserve with Dinner Island Wildlife Management Area. These lands support both imperiled species like the Florida panther and agricultural activities.
– In Putnam County, a 3,094-acre conservation easement within the Little Orange Creek Corridor will serve as a link in the Ocala-to-Osceola Wildlife Corridor. The property is undergoing restoration to improve forest health and wetland protection.
– Martin County’s Bar-B Ranch project involves a 1,670-acre conservation easement adjacent to water treatment infrastructure linked to Everglades restoration efforts. This ranch aids regional water quality improvements benefiting nearby estuaries and ecosystems.
– Osceola County’s Big Bend Swamp/Holopaw Ranch project adds a 1,400-acre easement that connects existing conservation lands while maintaining wildlife crossings under major highways.
– In Duval County, a previously residentially zoned 543-acre parcel will be added to Cary State Forest for habitat protection and public recreation.
– Okaloosa County will see an additional four acres added to Norriego Point Beach Access and Park in Destin for improved public access.
Additionally, permanent agricultural land conservation easements were approved over more than 10,000 acres through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program run by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Further details about these land approvals are available on the department’s website.
