Conservation Florida Announces New Partnership with U.S. Air Force
To protect more land for conservation in the Northern Everglades, a cooperative agreement has been formalized between Conservation Florida and the Avon Park Air Force Range.
AVON PARK, Florida (Dec. 02, 2020) — Conservation Florida, a leader in statewide land conservation, and the Avon Park Air Force Range have joined forces to protect natural and agricultural lands in the range’s Sentinel Landscape region of the Everglades Headwaters.
The cooperative agreement authorizes Conservation Florida to negotiate the purchase and terms of conservation easements in partnership with the Air Force for properties in the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape.
The landscape covers almost 1.7 million acres of land and is known for its rich biodiversity and abundance of private ranches. It is anchored by the Air Force’s largest primary air-to-ground training range east of the Mississippi River, which is used by every branch of the Armed Forces.
Portions of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area also lie within the boundary of the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape. Beyond the boundary, Conservation Florida and its partners recently introduced the H2O: Headwaters to Okeechobee watershed protection initiative. This extends protection efforts of the regional partnership from Orlando south to Lake Okeechobee. Protection of both natural and working land in the region is essential. This landscape highlights the importance of working with ranchers to protect water, wildlife, and wildlife corridors.
This region is brimming with life and is home to roughly 38 federally-listed species and 161 state-listed threatened and endangered species. Our current work in this region will protect thousands of acres of family-run ranches and wild landscapes, which will provide significant habitat for Florida panthers and many other critical species like the grasshopper sparrow. Read more.
“The Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape offers willing landowners expanded opportunities for protecting their land. Conservation Florida’s critical role delivers additional support from federal, state, and local programs to help the U.S. Air Force meet landowners’ specific needs. The result is a much greater capacity for land protection and conservation benefitting the citizens of Florida by protecting water, open space, biodiversity, military training, and agriculture. This new cooperative agreement is an exciting step forward for the Sentinel Landscape Partnership and we look forward to continued success alongside Conservation Florida,” said Chad Allison, program manager, Central Florida Regional Planning Council.
In addition to being a geographic region, the Sentinel Landscape is also a partnership to conserve land within its boundaries. Conservation Florida is a partner in this collaborative effort to protect land of high conservation value that also enhances military readiness.
“Since 2010, Avon Park Air Force Range has been fortunate to have one of the most dynamic and successful Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) programs in the nation. In partnership with local, state, and non-governmental organizations, $23 million has been invested into the landscape surrounding the Range resulting in the protection of 12,000 acres of private lands. Despite the success, one aspect that was lacking has been the opportunity to work with an established land trust. The partnership with Conservation Florida changes all that and will no doubt bring even more opportunity to preserve working lands, protect the environment, and sustain the military training mission, said Buck MacLaughlin, Lt. Col., Ret. AF.”
Avon Park Air Force Range will administer funding in support of the purchase of the conservation easements via the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program.
The REPI program allows the Air Force to work with nonprofits, such as Conservation Florida, to limit the use or development of real property in the vicinity of, or ecologically related to, a military installation or military airspace.
The purpose of this agreement is to protect land with significant conservation value near the Avon Park Air Force Range, and thereby limit encroachments of activities near the military installation that are incompatible with local communities and may interfere with military operations.
This project represents a growing trend to protect land that serves many purposes for humans and wildlife. Conservation Florida uses this strategy to prioritize projects that meet many needs including recreational opportunities, agricultural production, habitat connectivity, water quality, rare and endangered species protection, and other factors -- like military readiness.
“This partnership will strengthen and accelerate the pace of land protection throughout the region, and Conservation Florida is ready to get to work,” said Adam Bass, Conservation Florida’s director of conservation.
About Conservation Florida
Conservation Florida is a statewide accredited land trust with a mission to save Florida’s natural and agricultural landscapes for future generations. Our conservation projects support Florida’s native plants and wildlife, fresh water, conservation corridors, family farms and ranches, the economy and nature-based recreation. Since our founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has led the way in strategic and evidence-based land protection and has saved over 30,000 acres of critical habitat through acquisition, facilitation and incubation of conservation projects.
We save land by developing conservation strategies, exploring funding sources and purchasing or accepting donations of land and conservation easements. Our other services include providing expertise to guide landowners through the land protection process, serving as a trusted community partner to support statewide land conservation and promoting land conservation through effective education and advocacy. Our vision is large-scale, and we are 100% committed to conservation in the state of Florida – for nature, for people, forever!