Moving Conservation Forward

Since our founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has led the way in strategic and evidence-based land protection and has saved more than 30,000 acres of critical habitat through the acquisition, facilitation, and incubation of conservation projects.

We are working on tens of thousands of acres more. Our vision for the future is large-scale, and we are 100% committed to conservation in the state of Florida – for nature, for people, forever!

EAGLE HAVEN

Located in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, Eagle Haven is an ecological gem spanning 2,909 acres that include four miles of Lake Kissimmee shoreline. Formerly named Lost Oak, this area contains six different habitats for roughly 200 species, including the beloved Florida scrub jay. Meanwhile, 300-year-old live oaks dot the landscape while Eagle Haven’s swamps and marshes work around the clock to purify water for the Kissimmee River. Conservation Florida is working to acquire a conservation easement to ensure the permanent protection of this habitat.

LAKE MARION PRESERVE

In 2021, an anonymous conservation buyer allowed Conservation Florida to quickly outbid a developer to purchase 700+ acres of high-priority property on Lake Marion in Polk County. The significance of this location cannot be overstated. Lake Marion Preserve falls within the boundaries of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and Conservation Florida’s H2O: Headwaters to Okeechobee, and contains federally listed and state-listed plants and animals, including a rare habitat known as Rosemary Scrub. As habitat management is undertaken on the preserve, experts predict more listed species will return to the area. Conservation Florida is working with the landowner and partners to protect this land forever.

PHILLIP RUCKS CITRUS NURSERY

Florida roots and a reputation for finding creative and commonsense approaches to land conservation brought Conservation Florida to a landowner in Polk County interested in conserving their land and legacy. Thanks to the leadership of Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Division and the Department of Defense, this property is now protected forever. The partnership secured funding to create a conservation easement for Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, which provides protection for rare upland wildlife and plant species. An easement is an agreement that permanently protects land with no expiration date, meaning it is conserved in perpetuity and will never be developed – but will remain productive agricultural land. Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery in Frostproof, Florida, is home to critical habitat within the Arbuckle Tract of the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest and Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape, as well as a high-priority puzzle piece helping connect the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

XL RANCH LIGHTSEY COVE

With exceptional habitats such as wet prairie, scrub, and cutthroat grass, this 537-acre property is a high-protection priority. Located on the northwest edge of Lake Istokpoga, the landscape offers a glimpse of prehistoric Florida with ancient oak hammocks and sand pine scrub scattered among vibrant marshes and endangered grasslands.

GILCHRIST CLUB

Gilchrist Club is a private reserve spanning more than 23,000 acres of stunning natural beauty in Trenton, Florida. The property has been carefully managed for wildlife and timber, which is beneficial to not only quail, but a host of other resident species as well, such as the southern fox squirrel, swallow-tailed kite, and eastern indigo snake. The property falls within the Florida Ecological Greenways Network (FEGN), which is the science and data set used to guide the Florida Wildlife Corridor boundary. The property is part of a wildlife corridor of statewide ecological significance connecting Goethe State Forest to the Santa Fe and Suwannee rivers. By tapping into the power of partnership, we’re advancing land conservation that directly protects water, wildlife, and wild spaces.

About Conservation Florida:

Conservation Florida is a statewide accredited land conservancy working to conserve Florida’s water, wildlife, wild places, and protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The organization’s conservation projects support Florida’s native plants and wildlife, fresh water, wildlife corridors, family farms and ranches, the economy, and nature-based recreation. Since its founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has prioritized strategic and evidence-based land protection and has saved over 30,000 acres of critical habitat.