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Florida
For conservationists and preservationists, the slight, implicit difference between “conservation” and “preservation” in connotation is significant because, in practice, it indicates a difference in how to carry out protection. WildLandscapes focuses on adaptive landscape conservation that protects land for wildlife and people while allowing for uses like, for example, sustainable ranching on landscapes in Florida.
In a city known for its dense tree canopy, I was surprised to hear that there’s a slice of scrub habitat found just on the outskirts of Gainesville. Having grown up on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge (known for this unique scrub) in the southern extent of Florida, and spending several years there studying gopher tortoises and the animals that rely on their burrows, I was excited to get back to my roots and have the opportunity to explore the scrub near my new home. Price’s Scrub State Park is in Micanopy, about 25 minutes from downtown Gainesville. It spans 1,000 acres, has 9.5 miles of hiking trails, and plays a key role in connecting the Northwest Marion Greenway conservation areas.
Florida boasts not only beautiful beaches and brilliant sunsets but also boundless biodiversity. It is one of the most biodiverse states in the U.S., ranking among the top five in endemic species (plants and animals found nowhere else). Unfortunately, with so many unique species and continual expansion into their territory, Florida also ranks among the top five states at risk for species extinction.
This includes species like the gopher tortoise, some of which reside in the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
WildLandscapes are in the process of expanding our work throughout the state of Florida, and it's with these projects in mind that our team toured Florida Wildlife Corridor earlier this month. At the same time, we held meetings with stakeholders to better understand how we can effectively accomplish even more in the state. As these projects unfold, we’re eager to share with you what we’ve been working on!
In the meantime, we want to share some scenes from our recent tour, from the Ocala National Forest Wildlife to marine mammals of Merritt Island Nature Preserve, in the hopes they will inspire you as they did for us.
WildLandscapes, in partnership with Family Lands Remembered, has entered into an agreement with Collier Companies to permanently protect 11,171 acres and to acquire 317,436 acres of mineral rights. All of these lands remain unspoiled, providing essential habitats to many of the Everglades' endangered 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 areas and landscapes in Florida, and prevent future harmful development or exploitation.
