Proposed Everglades to Gulf Conservation Space Would Defend Lands Most Essential To Wildlife & Waters — The Nationwide Wildlife Refuge Affiliation

The Southwest Florida area faces rising threats, together with fast inhabitants development, land use intensification, and local weather change. The proposed conservation space covers a area with over 3 million acres of unprotected habitat for threatened and endangered species and distinctive pure communities on the coronary heart of Florida’s distinctive prairie ranching panorama. The proposed boundary consists of Everglades watersheds and the whole Peace River and Myakka River watersheds, that are important for the well being of Charlotte Harbor, a Nationwide Estuary and an epicenter of pure resource-based tourism and financial exercise in southwest Florida.

The proposed space covers a crucial area for undertaking Florida’s land and water conservation objectives, and efficient conservation right here can have necessary advantages for folks and wildlife throughout the state. The ultimate Conservation Space boundary will likely be decided primarily based on enter from the general public.

Complementing Profitable State Conservation Efforts:

The Everglades to Gulf Conservation Space will complement profitable state and different conservation efforts, such because the Florida Wildlife Hall, the State’s Florida Ceaselessly and  Rural and Household Lands Safety Applications, the Pure Useful resource Conservation Service, and different native and county applications. A conservation space will construct upon current native, state, and federal efforts by offering one other technique to shield necessary lands with keen sellers. When the USFWS companions with different organizations to guard land, they’ll leverage funds and assets from completely different sources resulting in elevated funding alternatives for buying and restoring land. Which means that extra money might be put in direction of conservation efforts to preserve water, wildlife, and Florida’s lifestyle.

It is a ground-breaking effort that would supply further assets to guard our crucial pure lands, and our working panorama, provide further out of doors leisure alternatives, and shield habitat for the area’s distinctive species. Southwest Florida has a wealthy historical past of conservation planning and land safety; it is among the fastest-growing areas in the US, however concerted, science-based, and partnership-driven conservation can succeed. The Nationwide Wildlife Refuge Affiliation is proud to accomplice on this necessary effort to preserve this imperiled area. 

Please see https://www.fws.gov/undertaking/everglades-to-gulf-conservation-area