Full protection for a vast tract of the Everglades

In December 2022, WildLandscapes International started their collaboration with the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes of Florida to protect the Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. The partnership focuses on securing over 447,417 acres of private mineral rights from the Collier family, aiming to prevent environmental threats from potential oil and gas exploration. This effort establishes a new co-ownership model, giving Indigenous tribes a leading role in managing their ancestral lands and aligning conservation efforts with social justice.

It builds on Phase I of the project, where WildLandscapes, in partnership with Family Lands Remembered, successfully negotiated the sale of 11,142 acres of Collier Everglades Land, crucial for the Florida panther's habitat and home to over 25 rare species. After years of effort, the land was purchased in Summer 2023 by the South Florida Water Management District for $29.85 million, thanks to a $35 million appropriation led by Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and supported by numerous stakeholders.

Approaching the 50th anniversary of the Big Cypress National Preserve in 2024, the importance of safeguarding this area was emphasized by Miccosukee Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress. He highlighted the cultural and environmental significance of the land, stressing the tribe’s constitutional duty to protect the Everglades. Despite retaining land use rights since 1974, the tribes have faced challenges due to mineral rights held by Collier Resource Co., leading to ongoing drilling operations. 

Significant progress was made in 2023 - the title review for the vast acreage was completed, with necessary documentation submitted to government authorities. In 2024, specialized firms were engaged to conduct a thorough appraisal of the land, including assessments of surface and subsurface resources, to establish a fair market value. That appraisal is now nearly complete, and WildLandscapes are working on fundraising for the final costs associated with due diligence, stakeholder engagement and management systems to take the proposal to the Government so they can decide whether or not to appropriate the necessary funds to take the purchase through.

This initiative has also strengthened ties with the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes, garnered high-level governmental support, and set the stage for expanded conservation efforts, including new projects within Miami-Dade County and additional acreage in collaboration with the Collier family.