Florida's Landmark Programs for Conservation and Recreation Land Acquisition

The State of Florida has had a long and successful history of purchasing land to conserve its unique natural and cultural resources. Buoyed by phenomenal support from the general public, Florida’s Legislature, with the support of a succession of both Democratic and Republican governors, has enacted a series of well-funded programs over the past half century that have resulted in the purchase and protection of over six million acres of conservation lands. When combined with substantial federal conservation lands in Florida (including large military bases) and holdings by local governments, Florida has almost ten million acres that are managed for natural resource protection and for resource-based recreation. This is approximately 30 percent of our total land area. Since 1990, we have had an annual land acquisition budget of $300 million, far exceeding that of any other state or even that of the Federal government for use in all fifty states.

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