Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
More than 20,000 acres of Florida wilderness and working farms are effectively off the market after state officials approved a sweeping preservation package on Tuesday.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet signed off on the $27.4 million investment, which leverages the state’s Florida Forever and Rural and Family Lands Protection programs. The deal secures land ranging from panther habitats in the south to pine forests in the panhandle, preventing future development on the properties.
Officials framed the move as a dual-purpose strategy: keeping natural corridors open for wildlife while ensuring multi-generational farms stay in business rather than being sold for subdivisions.
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“By protecting the right lands in the right places, we’re securing clean water, supporting military readiness, strengthening rural economies, and preserving the natural heritage that makes Florida a world-class destination,” DeSantis said.
The largest acquisition in this round involves a massive 10,996-acre conservation easement in Collier and Hendry counties. Situated in the Caloosahatchee Big Cypress Corridor, the tract connects the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge with the Big Cypress National Preserve. State environmentalists view this corridor as vital for the survival of the endangered Florida panther.
Up north in Escambia County, the state secured a 7,437-acre easement within the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest. Beyond protecting the water quality in local river watersheds, this land serves a strategic purpose: it acts as a buffer for nearby military installations, preventing residential encroachment that could hamper training operations.
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The package also throws a lifeline to family agriculture through rural land protection easements.
The Cabinet approved protections for the Tilton Family Farm in Putnam County, a 2,060-acre operation that has been in the same family since 1973. The farm produces timber, row crops, and honey. Similarly, the 1,059-acre Siboney Ranch in Okeechobee County, a cattle operation bordered by sporting clubs, was secured to maintain the area’s rural footprint.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson emphasized that these agreements essentially pay landowners to keep farming rather than paving over the property.
“Protecting Florida’s agricultural and conservation lands means keeping it in the hands of the families who work them,” Simpson said. “Every acre protected through these programs keeps our state a little more rural.”
The spending is expected to continue. As part of his proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, DeSantis has recommended earmarking another $315 million specifically for land acquisitions and conservation easements.
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