Florida Forever Marks 200th Conservation Easement Milestone
Deer Creek Ranch — Photo by Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Celebrating a significant achievement, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced that the Florida Forever Program has secured its 200th conservation easement. This milestone protects a total of 364,117 acres across Florida, coinciding with the program’s 25th anniversary.
Since its inception in 2000, the Florida Forever Program has been dedicated to preserving native landscapes, watersheds, and wildlife habitats. Conservation easements play a crucial role by allowing private landowners to maintain ownership while restricting development. These agreements ensure the preservation of natural, scenic, and cultural spaces, benefiting future generations and promoting sustainable land use. Additionally, agricultural producers involved in these easements adhere to best management practices to safeguard water quality and the environment.
“Conservation easements are one of the most important tools we have to protect Florida’s lands and waters,” said DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “From working farms and ranches to wildlife habitats and scenic landscapes, Florida Forever safeguards the resources that make our state special.”
Notable Florida Forever Conservation Easements:
- Fisheating Creek Ecosystem (Glades and Highlands counties, over 66,000 acres): Acquired from 2000 to 2025, this area features four easements protecting Fisheating Creek, the only undammed tributary of Lake Okeechobee. It provides habitat for the endangered Florida panther, gopher tortoise, and red-cockaded woodpecker.
- Nokuse Plantation (Walton County, 17,880 acres): Acquired in 2004, this easement is part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and protects water quality in the Choctawhatchee River watershed, offering habitat for species like the gopher tortoise and federally endangered Cooley’s meadowrue. The property owner also manages a prescribed fire program to restore the ecosystem.
- Avalon Plantation (Jefferson County, 11,937 acres): Acquired in 2023, located in the Red Hills Region, this easement protects upland habitats crucial for the red-cockaded woodpecker and gopher tortoise.
- Deer Creek Ranch (DeSoto County, 5,698 acres): Acquired in 2024, this working cattle ranch protects the Peace River watershed and provides habitat for species including the Florida scrub-jay and Florida sandhill crane.
- Letchworth Mounds (Jefferson County, 1,270 acres): Acquired in 2005, adjacent to Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park, this easement protects one of Florida’s significant prehistoric ceremonial earthwork mound complexes.
Through these 200 easements, Florida Forever remains committed to conserving the state’s valuable resources by partnering with private landowners, ensuring the long-term protection of Florida’s landscapes and waterways.
For further information on Florida Forever’s conservation efforts, visit FloridaForever.org.
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