The Southwest Florida area faces growing threats, together with speedy 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 contains Everglades watersheds and all the 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 could have essential advantages for folks and wildlife throughout the state. The ultimate Conservation Space boundary will likely be decided based mostly 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 Perpetually 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 present native, state, and federal efforts by offering one other option to shield essential lands with prepared sellers. When the USFWS companions with different organizations to guard land, they will leverage funds and sources from totally different sources resulting in elevated funding alternatives for buying and restoring land. Which means that extra money may be put in direction of conservation efforts to preserve water, wildlife, and Florida’s lifestyle.
It is a ground-breaking effort that would offer further sources to guard our crucial pure lands, and our working panorama, supply 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 without doubt one of the fastest-growing areas in america, however concerted, science-based, and partnership-driven conservation can succeed. The Nationwide Wildlife Refuge Affiliation is proud to accomplice on this essential effort to preserve this imperiled area.
Please see https://www.fws.gov/undertaking/everglades-to-gulf-conservation-area