Restore Florida Forever Program Funds

We need your help to save what remains of natural Florida! Please write Florida budget leaders today and ask them to include $300 million in the budget for Florida Forever this year.

Conservation land acquisition is at once the most effective and, over time, least expensive solution to address myriad environmental issues from diminishing water quality and supply to the plight of Florida’s imperiled species. Florida is lucky to have a well-renowned land conservation program, Florida Forever, which targets the State’s most environmentally sensitive lands and works only with willing sellers.

Recent conservation allocations and expenditures are not keeping up with population growth and development, leaving Florida woefully unprepared to address environmental needs.

Florida’s state agencies and water management districts have identified numerous priority acquisitions necessary to protect Florida’s environment, economy, and quality of life. At the current rate of conservation funding, Florida’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research estimates it will take 172 years to build up the State’s share of the nearly $12.3 billion required to protect these priority lands.

We do not have 172 years to protect Florida’s remaining wild places. We lose the equivalent of 10 acres of natural and working lands an hour to development. If the Florida legislature does not act to save Florida’s natural gems now, we may lose the opportunity to do so forever.

The Florida House and Senate have proposed just $20 million and $45 million, respectively, for the Florida Forever program this year. Please write Florida’s environmental budget leaders, in both the House and Senate, and ask them to restore the allocation for Florida Forever to $300 million.

Thank you for taking action for Florida’s water, wildlife, and quality of life!

To learn more about the importance of conservation land acquisition, please visit the Conservancy’s website.