Conservation Florida's Eagle Haven Project Takes Big Step Forward
Thanks to strong partnerships, partial funding has been secured to protect Eagle Haven, a 2,909-acre property on Lake Kissimmee
About the H2O: Headwaters to Okeechobee Initiative: Our current work in this region will protect thousands of acres of family-run ranches and wild landscapes, which will provide significant habitat for Florida panthers and many other critical species like the grasshopper sparrow. Read more.
LAKE WALES, Florida (March 3, 2021) — Conservation Florida, a leader in statewide land conservation, and its partners at Avon Park Air Force Range, have secured partial funding to protect land within the Avon Park Sentinel Landscape, which contains some of Florida’s most thriving ecosystems. Thanks to the Readiness Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program, the Eagle Haven property (formerly named Lost Oak) is one step closer to permanent protection.
Eagle Haven is an ecological gem in Florida, spanning four miles of Lake Kissimmee shoreline. It contains six different habitats brimming with life. From bald eagles to otters, Eagle Haven provides critical habitat for roughly 200 species, including the beloved Florida scrub-jay. 300-year-old live oaks dot the landscape while the swamps and marshes work around the clock to purify water for the Kissimmee River.
In addition to its ecological features, Eagle Haven is special due to its location in the H2O: Headwaters to Okeechobee, which is a regional land and water protection initiative in the Northern Everglades spanning from the headwaters in Orlando to Lake Okeechobee.
In 2020, Conservation Florida and the Avon Park Air Force Range formalized a partnership that has accelerated the pace of land protection in the Northern Everglades. Through its REPI program, Avon Park Air Force Range has pledged $1.6 million in funding toward the purchase of a conservation easement on Eagle Haven.
“We are extremely pleased to work with Conservation Florida in the effort to protect Eagle Haven and to contribute to the H2O initiative. Preserving the natural habitat on Lost Oak enhances the Range’s internal conservation efforts while protecting a critical military flight corridor,” said Buck MacLaughlin, Lt. Col., Ret. AF.
This project exemplifies the tremendous work going on in the Everglades Headwaters and the strong, successful partnerships that lead to the 2016 Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape designation.
“Our partnership with the Avon Park Air Force Range is a catalyst for protecting land in the H2O, said Adam Bass, director of conservation at Conservation Florida. “Eagle Haven is one of several largescale land protection projects we have underway in the region.”
Conservation Florida is working to secure the remaining funds needed to acquire a conservation easement and is seeking donations to support its efforts.
Land protection opportunities inside the H2O boundary are a high priority for Conservation Florida and its partners not only for water and wildlife, but also for sustaining military operations at the Avon Park Air Force Range.
Last year, Conservation Florida teamed up with a conservation buyer who purchased Eagle Haven as a temporary way to stop it from being developed. The anonymous philanthropist has given the organization time to find funding to place a conservation easement on the land to ensure its permanent protection.
The new landowner has already begun caring for Eagle Haven’s important habitats by introducing prescribed burning, which was professionally conducted by Kissimmee Valley Foresters in January.
The region is home to 161 state listed threatened and endangered species. Securing this property will mean protecting habitat for Florida panthers and other endangered species, such as the grasshopper sparrow.
Brad Weihrauch, president of the Kissimmee River Valley Sportsman Association, said, “Eagle Haven, formerly known as Lost Oak and Shady Oaks, is a critical component in The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and The Everglades Headwater National Wildlife Refuge. The protection of this valuable piece of Old Florida is pivotal to the quality of water that flows south to the beautiful Florida Everglades and out to our coastal estuaries. The partnering efforts and commitment to save Eagle Haven shows the level of dedication that this area of the state needs and deserves.”
The scenic countryside of Eagle Haven was nearly developed into a luxury golf resort. The development plan included 40 cabins, a clubhouse, two restaurants, a marina, and a clay shooting range. The property includes four miles of frontage on Lake Kissimmee, which made it valuable to developers and conservationists. Thanks to the swift action of Conservation Florida and the conservation buyer, Eagle Haven has a chance to be protected forever.
The Department of Defense’s REPI program works with nonprofits, such as Conservation Florida, to conserve land near military installations and ranges. These partnerships work across boundaries to protect wildlife habitats, water resources, threatened and endangered species, and working lands. This strategic use of funding will serve the public interest by protecting endangered species, agricultural needs, and water purity.
Eagle Haven represents the true potential to protect a piece of the H2O: a vital and vibrant landscape that spans Orange, Osceola, Lake, Highlands, Glades, St. Lucie, Martin, and Polk counties.
About Conservation Florida
Conservation Florida is a statewide accredited land trust with a mission to save Florida’s natural and agricultural landscapes for future generations. Our conservation projects support Florida’s native plants and wildlife, fresh water, conservation corridors, family farms and ranches, the economy and nature-based recreation. Since our founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has led the way in strategic and evidence-based land protection and has saved over 30,000 acres of critical habitat through acquisition, facilitation and incubation of conservation projects.
We save land by developing conservation strategies, exploring funding sources and purchasing or accepting donations of land and conservation easements. Our other services include providing expertise to guide landowners through the land protection process, serving as a trusted community partner to support statewide land conservation and promoting land conservation through effective education and advocacy. Our vision is large-scale, and we are 100% committed to conservation in the state of Florida – for nature, for people, forever!