Established Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area
The establishment of the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area will catalyze conservation within 4,045,268 acres using tools like voluntary conservation easements with willing landowners. The conservation area conservation area
A conservation area or wildlife management area is a type of national wildlife refuge that consists primarily or entirely of conservation easements on private lands. These conservation easements support private landowner efforts to protect important habitat for fish and wildlife. There are 13 conservation areas and nine wildlife management areas in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Learn more about conservation area runs from southwest Florida into the state’s northern stretches, which is home to a diversity of species like the Florida black bear, Everglade snail kite, Florida panther, sand skink and many other rare and endemic species, including more than 100 threatened or endangered species.
Conservation areas are national wildlife refuges that consist primarily or entirely of conservation easements on private lands in cooperation with landowners. The new conservation area abuts the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area and will span twelve counties west of Lake Okeechobee from Lakeland to Naples. The Conservation Area will enhance and support the conservation objectives of the Everglades Restoration program.
The Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area weaves together public and private land protection opportunities like the partnership approach implemented at the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area more than a decade ago. The new conservation area helps address broad public concerns regarding the loss of wildlife, habitat, access to natural lands and waters and water quality. Existing conservation lands and waters within this landscape already provide for public use and access, including state lands. This conservation area establishment will complement those opportunities.
INFORMATION
Are you interested in potentially selling property (willing landowner) to the Service for this project (through fee-title or less-than-fee-title)? Landowner Form
