DEP Secures 200th Conservation Easement, Protecting Over 364,000 Acres of Florida’s Working Lands

Since 2000, the Florida Forever Program has focused on conserving the state’s native landscapes, watersheds, agricultural and working lands, wildlife habitats and more. Conservation easements are a key tool in this effort, allowing private landowners to retain ownership while permanently limiting development. These agreements protect natural, scenic, cultural and open spaces for future generations while supporting sustainable land use today. DEP’s conservation easements on working lands also require agricultural producers to follow best management practices, helping safeguard water quality and the environment while keeping farms and ranches productive. 

“Conservation easements are one of the most important tools we have to protect Florida’s lands and waters,” said DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “From working farms and ranches to wildlife habitats and scenic landscapes, Florida Forever safeguards the resources that make our state special.” 

Highlights of Florida Forever conservation easements include: 

• Fisheating Creek Ecosystem (Glades and Highlands counties, more than 66,000 acres, acquired from 2000–2025): Four easements protect Fisheating Creek, the only undammed tributary of Lake Okeechobee, providing habitat for the federally endangered Florida panther, gopher tortoise and red-cockaded woodpecker. 

• Nokuse Plantation (Walton County, 17,880 acres, acquired in 2004): Part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and the Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape, this easement protects water quality in the Choctawhatchee River watershed and provides habitat for imperiled species including the gopher tortoise and federally endangered Cooley’s meadowrue. The property owner maintains an extensive prescribed fire program to restore the ecosystem. 

• Avalon Plantation (Jefferson County, 11,937 acres, acquired in 2023): Located in the Red Hills Region, Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape and Florida Wildlife Corridor, this easement protects high-quality upland habitats critical for the red-cockaded woodpecker and gopher tortoise. 

• Deer Creek Ranch (DeSoto County, 5,698 acres, acquired in 2024): A working cattle ranch, this easement protects the Peace River watershed and provides habitat for imperiled species including the Florida scrub-jay, Florida burrowing owl and Florida sandhill crane.  

With its 200^th easement, Florida Forever continues to conserve the state’s most valuable natural and cultural resources through partnerships with private landowners, ensuring long-term protection of Florida’s landscapes, waterways and working lands.