Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved measures to protect over 20,000 acres of conservation land in Florida. The total investment for these acquisitions is $167.25 million. Six of the protected properties are located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and one acquisition will increase the size of Cary State Forest in Duval County.
The approvals also included the transfer of a 2.63-acre parcel adjacent to Miami-Dade County’s Freedom Tower for use as the site of the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library.
“Yesterday’s approvals protect more than 20,000 acres of Florida’s most important landscapes,” said Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “By conserving these lands, we are preserving clean water, safeguarding wildlife and ensuring future generations can experience the Florida we know and love.”
The approved land deals include two conservation easements and one acquisition totaling 13,375 acres in Collier and Hendry counties within the Caloosahatchee Big Cypress Corridor. These areas help connect several significant wildlife habitats such as the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Dinner Island Wildlife Management Area. The lands offer habitat for endangered species like the Florida panther while continuing agricultural activities.
A separate 3,094-acre conservation easement was approved within Putnam County’s Little Orange Creek Corridor project. This land forms part of a key wildlife connection between Ocala and Osceola forests and supports efforts to restore native forest habitats while protecting wetlands that contribute to water quality in Little Orange Creek.
In Martin County, a 1,670-acre conservation easement at Bar-B Ranch was acquired near an existing stormwater treatment area associated with Everglades restoration projects. This ranch aids regional water storage efforts that benefit both local estuaries and larger ecosystems downstream.
Osceola County saw approval for a 1,400-acre conservation easement at Big Bend Swamp/Holopaw Ranch. The property maintains a designated wildlife crossing under the Florida Turnpike to allow safe animal passage and protects water resources connected to major river systems.
Duval County will see Cary State Forest expanded through a 543-acre purchase previously slated for residential development. Now managed by the Florida Forest Service, this area will support species such as gopher tortoises and provide additional public recreation opportunities.
In Okaloosa County, four acres were added to Norriego Point Beach Access and Park in Destin. This expansion aims to improve public access with new beachfront connections, parking spaces, boating facilities, fishing areas, and swimming sites.
Additionally, more than 10,000 acres of working agricultural lands will be protected through permanent conservation easements under the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program managed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
