The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has finalized a conservation easement for the 7,514-acre Kenansville Ranch in Osceola County. This action preserves the ranch as a working cattle operation while protecting important wildlife habitats within the Ranch Reserve Florida Forever Project area.
Kenansville Ranch is home to about 1,600 cattle and includes pastures, pine flatwoods, and wetlands that are fed by Wolf Creek, Tenmile Creek, and Sixmile Creek. The conservation easement allows continued agricultural use but requires land managers to follow best practices to protect water quality and the environment.
“Conservation easements preserve Florida’s landscapes while keeping working lands productive,” said DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “By supporting agriculture, safeguarding water resources and protecting wildlife, projects like Kenansville Ranch strengthen Florida’s role in the nation’s food security and natural resource conservation.”
The property lies within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and provides habitat for species such as the bald eagle, eastern indigo snake, Florida burrowing owl, red-cockaded woodpecker, and sandhill crane. The protected land connects with other conservation areas managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District, forming a larger network for wildlife movement. The conservation easement was approved by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet at a previous meeting.
Florida’s land protection initiatives continue to serve as a model nationwide. The Florida Forever Program focuses on conserving land that supports environmental protection, recreation, storm resilience, and habitat preservation. Since 2019, more than $1.4 billion has been allocated to this program, with $950 million directed specifically to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. As a result, DEP has secured over 374,000 acres for conservation since 2019—91% of which are within the Wildlife Corridor.
More information about the program can be found at https://floridaforever.org/.
