By STAFF REPORTS
On Dec. 17, the Florida Cabinet approved more than $300 million in conservation land deals, closing out 2024 by protecting more than 86,000 acres of land.
The Florida Forever Program, housed at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, used $111 million in state funding to secure 24,113 acres of critical lands, comprising seven acquisitions. Among them, five sit within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, an area throughout the interior of the state that has gained bipartisan support from lawmakers in recent years to protect wildlife.
Also approved for purchase was $206 million to preserve more than 62,000 acres of Florida farms and ranches through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, a land conservation program administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. That program aims to protect agricultural lands from encroachment, partnering with farmers and ranchers to use sustainable production practices while protecting natural resources.
“The natural beauty of Florida enriches the lives of all who call it home, and I thank Governor DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet for their leadership in protecting our state’s environment for future generations,” said Alexis A. Lambert, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary, in a news release.
“Today marks another historic milestone in Florida’s effort to preserve working agricultural lands,” Simpson said in a news release. “Thanks to the Governor and my fellow Cabinet members, as well as the landowners who are partnering with us, we are permanently preserving from development over 62,000 acres of working farms and ranches. These lands not only fuel our economy but also form the backbone of our state and nation’s food security. Together, we are ensuring that Florida remains a place where agriculture thrives, and our natural resources are conserved for generations to come.”
The Florida Cabinet comprises Gov. Ron DeSantis, Simpson, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.
About the Florida Forever purchases:
A 12,243-acre acquisition within the Bear Creek Forest Florida Forever Project in Bay County will create a new state forest. This property expands a corridor of publicly owned lands stretching from Eglin Air Force Base to Apalachicola National Forest. Located within the St. Andrews Bay Watershed, this property will provide significant benefits for water quality and quantity in Florida’s central Panhandle. It is within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and the Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape.
A 5,910-acre conservation easement within the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest Florida Forever Project in Santa Rosa County will preserve working forest lands and protect the Escambia River watershed. By restricting development, this property will continue to play a vital role in filtering surface waters that replenish the surficial aquifer and provide an additional buffer to the Escambia River and its floodplain. It is also within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and the Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape.
A 2,483-acre acquisition within the Upper Shoal River Florida Forever Project in Walton County will create a new state park. This property establishes a vital landscape corridor that links nearby conservation lands, including important buffer areas surrounding Eglin Air Force Base. Located within the Upper Shoal River watershed, the property supports aquifer recharge and protects the quality and natural functions of waterbodies and wetlands in the western Florida Panhandle. It is also within the Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape.
A 1,335-acre acquisition within the Volusia Conservation Corridor Florida Forever Project in Volusia County will contribute to a vital conservation corridor extending from Deep Creek Preserve in the Ocala National Forest south to Fort Drum Marsh. This property will help protect the diverse species, natural communities and landscapes within the St. Johns River watershed, including important basin swamps that drain into Lake Ashby and Spruce Creek Swamp. It is also within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
A 1,265-acre acquisition within the Northeast Florida Timberlands and Watershed Reserve Florida Forever Project in Duval County will expand Cary State Forest. It fills an important gap, connecting Camp Blanding to Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Located between Cary State Forest and Thomas Creek Conservation Area northwest of Jacksonville, this property will enhance water quality for the Lower St. Johns River Basin and expand public outdoor recreational opportunities.
A 764-acre conservation easement within the Green Swamp Florida Forever Project in Polk County will provide a buffer from nearby public infrastructure and strengthen connections between surrounding conservation lands, including the Osprey Unit Hilochee Wildlife Management Area and the Kuder Ranch Agricultural and Conservation Easement. Located just one mile from the newly constructed Interstate 4 wildlife crossing, this property plays a vital role in safeguarding Central Florida’s water supply, particularly in recharging the Florida Aquifer. It is also with the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
A 113-acre acquisition within the Catfish Creek Florida Forever Project in Polk County will expand Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, adding over 6,000 feet of frontage along Lake Pierce. This addition will enhance the park with essential facilities and infrastructure, expanding opportunities for public resource-based recreation and environmental education. It is also within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
About the Rural and Family Lands Purchases:
Hendrie Ranch — J & J Hendrie Project
Approximately 5,610.26 acres
$12,900,000
The Hendrie Ranch, located in Highlands County, is a cattle, hay, and timber operation. Hendrie Ranch has been managed by the family for over 65 years for beef and timber and its importance to the greater Fisheating Creek conservation landscape. Hendrie Ranch supports extensive Florida Scrub habitat lying within a matrix of improved pastures and seasonal wetlands used for cattle grazing. A large number of listed plant and animal species occur on the property, which is often used by Archbold Biological Station for scientific research.
Trailhead Blue Springs, LLC
Approximately 11,713.37 acres
$22,255,400
Trailhead Blue Springs is a pine plantation and low-density cattle operation in Levy County that envelops portions of the Waccasassa River and nearly all of Devil’s Hammock Wildlife Management Area. In addition to being a working forest and cow-calf operation, Trailhead Blue Springs is surrounded by conservation areas, providing an important link between these areas. The tract lies on both sides of the Waccasassa River and includes a portion of the floodplain swamp and wetland habitats along it. There is a diverse set of native land cover types across the property, chief among which are forested wetlands.
Anderson Land & Timber — Otter Creek
Approximately 6,414.28 acres
$6,740,000
Anderson Land and Timber, located in Dixie County, is an active timber operation consisting of planted pine with large expanses of natural forested and non-forested wetlands. The property is situated between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Suwannee River to the east. The surrounding land consists of planted timber among a wetland complex of marshland and floodplain swamp. The property is completely surrounded by other conservation lands. The property supports a variety of animals, including deer, turkey, wading birds, and eagles, among others.
Eight Mile Properties, LLC
Approximately 5,736.76 acres
$5,307,000
Eight Mile, located in Dixie County, has a long history of silvicultural land management, where approximately half of the property is managed in industrial forestry following FDACS Best Management Practices. The tract is directly adjacent to and surrounded by other conservation areas, including Mallory Swamp, the Upper Steinhatchee Conservation Area, and the Lower Steinhatchee Conservation Area. Eight Mile is a puzzle piece in a matrix of conservation lands in the region and will protect regional water quality by maintaining the integrity of surrounding waterways and their springsheds.
Williamson Cattle Company (East)
Approximately 2,996.22 acres
$12,600,000
Williamson Cattle Company, located in Okeechobee County, is an active cattle, citrus, and sod operation. The property consists of pasture with inclusions of forested wetlands and small patches of scrub. This project is home to Florida panthers, is located five miles north of Lake Okeechobee, and is in the Northern Okeechobee inflow subbasin and the Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough watersheds. The Williamson family has had a farming operation and homestead on this land for more than 75 years.
Bull Hammock Ranch
Approximately 5,874.51 acres
$51,105,000
Bull Hammock Ranch, located in Martin County, is an active cattle ranch with significant development pressures mounting from the north, south, and east of the property. The property primarily consists of pasture with many small, scattered wetlands, and an upland forested area (mesic hammock). There are also approximately 300 acres of rotational crops in the northeastern corner of the property. The property includes approximately 4,100 acres of improved pasture and 1,400 acres of unimproved or woodland pasture supporting a cow-calf operation.
French Golden Gate
Approximately 2,718.40 acres
$10,600,000
French Golden Gate, located in DeSoto County, is an active cattle operation that also rotates watermelon, cucumbers, and hay, and includes fire-maintained slash pine flatwoods that support abundant native plant species. The property is located in the upper Peace River watershed, about five miles from the Peace River, where surface water from the southern portions of the property flows to Joshua Creek. The northern and western portions of the property drain toward Sandy Gully and Fish Branch Creeks. A total of 1,238 acres are in wetlands that provide water storage, water quality, and habitat benefits.
Montsdeoca Ranch
Approximately 4,691.93 acres
$15,000,000
Montsdeoca Ranch, located in Highlands County, is a cattle ranch along the Kissimmee River comprised mostly of pasture with isolated wetlands and small pine flatwoods. It is adjacent to water management district land on the northeast and provides an additional upland buffer to the river and adjacent wetlands. It is also located within the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape and the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. Montsdeoca Ranch has been owned by members of the same family for over 108 years.
One Nine Cattle
Approximately 2,787.57 acres
$10,310,000
One Nine Cattle, located in Okeechobee County, is an active cattle operation within the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area and the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape. One Nine Cattle is a seventh-generation family-run cattle operation. One Nine also leases out land to farmers for green beans and watermelon. The composition of One Nine Cattle Ranch is primarily improved pasture with sparse tree cover and various bottomlands. The protection of this property is a natural extension of the protected lands occurring in the Northern Okeechobee Watershed and would benefit a variety of wide-ranging species.
Peeples Family Ranch
Approximately 6,123 acres
$21,430,000
Peeples Family Ranch, located in Glades County, is an active cattle ranch consisting of large expanses of pasture with small inclusions of natural non-forested uplands, non-forested wetlands, and forested uplands. Surrounding lands are undeveloped pasture, planted timber, and croplands with large forested and non-forested wetlands present to the west. Crested caracara was documented on site in 1989, and suitable habitat still exists. This property overlaps a strategic corridor within the Florida Ecological Greenways Network and is within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The property contains suitable habitat for the Florida panther, and Florida scrub-jay which have been documented in the vicinity.
Overstreet Ranch
Approximately 4,204.59 acres
$23,850,000
Overstreet Ranch, located in Osceola County, is an active cattle ranch on the eastern shore of Lake Kissimmee, adjacent to Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area, within the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape, and in the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. Six generations of the Overstreet Family have ranched on this property. The Overstreet Family primarily runs the property as a cow-calf operation but also farms citrus and sod.
Raley Grove — Florida Highlands
Approximately 417.79 acres
$8,500,000
Raley Grove, located in Polk County, is an active citrus operation with a small section of improved pasture. This property is approximately two-thirds in citrus grove and one-third in pasture with several large wetlands/ponds. The surrounding area is primarily citrus groves and pasture but also includes lakes Annie, Ada, and Josephine. Some residential development is near the northeast boundary and many areas to the north and south are projected to be developed in the coming years.
Keith Whaley Ranch
Approximately 3,382 acres
$6,257,900
Keith Whaley Ranch, located in Madison County, is an active cattle ranch and timber operation near the Aucilla River and consists of a timber plantation with extensive wetlands. It is mostly contained within the Aucilla/Wacissa Watershed Florida Forever project. Surrounding lands are pasture, timber, and wetlands, with areas north of the property along US-90 that are projected to be developed in the coming years.
