Florida Panther by vladeb CC BY 2.0
PARTNERSHIP TO PROTECT FLORIDA’S LANDSCAPES
Located in the heart of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Collier Companies owns 11,171.3 acres in fee that connect to Big Cypress National Preserve (Big Cypress), Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park (Fakahatchee), and Everglades National Park, and 317,436 acres of mineral rights within Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge (Florida Panther NWR) and Big Cypress. WildLandscapes, in partnership with Family Lands Remembered, has entered into an agreement with Collier Companies to permanently protect the 11,171 acres and to acquire 317,436 acres of mineral rights.
All of these lands remain unspoiled, providing crucial ecosystem functions to the Greater Everglades and essential habitats to many species. Securing the Collier properties will position the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with the opportunity to ensure connectivity between large conservation lands of southern Florida and prevent future harmful development or exploitation.
GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT
In a historic milestone for conservation in the United States, Congress recently passed the Great American Outdoors Act which permanently funds LWCF at $900 million each year. The passage of this sweeping environmental legislation can now make the 50-year dream of fully protecting Big Cypress and Florida Panther NWR a reality. Funding for this project is not competitive with Everglades restoration or other conservation programs in Florida.
For more information on The Green Heart of the Everglades, see our project book below and visit our project webpage.