A group of agencies helped secure protection from development for a 2,317-acre swathe of Florida wilderness, according to Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
Eagle Haven Ranch was established along the shores of Lake Kissimmee thanks to the newly acquired conservation easement, which protects it against development forever. The easement was acquired by the nonprofit Conservation Florida, a private landowner, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Agriculture.
The protection came just as developers were intending to turn the area into a luxury resort, complete with a golf course, a marina, and restaurants. These plans to bulldoze wilderness were enabled by the sale of the previously protected area by the South Florida Water Management District to developers.
This comes hot on the heels of hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding being secured for other conservation areas in the region.
Eagle Haven Ranch is home to nearly 200 animal species, including bald eagles, alligators, and endangered species such as the Florida scrub jay, Florida panther, and Florida grasshopper sparrow. As part of ongoing land management, monitoring will be in place for invasive species introductions, though they have been rare. The ranch also fits into the wider Florida Wildlife Corridor, which spans 18 million acres. This continuity of protection allows for the safe migration of wildlife and rich genetic diversity.
While these protections help maintain biodiversity, there are also scores of benefits for humans. Eagle Haven Ranch includes culverts to manage water flow as part of its participation in the Northern Everglades Payment for Environmental Services Program.
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"It is a connector in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and its value goes beyond just a waterfront. It stores water during storms," Conservation Florida President Traci Deen said. "It cleans fresh water that flows down into the Everglades. This property was really, really important to protect."
Editor's note: A previous version of this article said the Southwest Florida Water Management District sold the property, but it has been updated to reflect that it was the South Florida Water Management District. We regret the error.
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