Florida — Funding approved by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, through the America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative grant. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, and the FWC, their pilot program aims to support Florida panther conservation on private lands.
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In hopes of fostering partnerships with landowners that are essential for panther recovery and expansion, this program rewards private property owners with ‘per-acre payments’ for providing safe habitat conditions, that can support panther conservation and landscape connectivity.
Key Information:
- 15 properties totaling approximately 40,635 acres of valuable panther habitat were selected for enrollment.
- Participating landowners will receive annual payments over a 3-year period to maintain or improve habitat conditions that benefit panthers.
- This first year, the FWC will pay out a total of $519,012 to enrolled landowners.
- Receiving 69 total applications, representing over 172,000 acres, across 14 counties, 59 officially met eligibility criteria.
Next Steps:
The FWC will continue to support public programs that raise awareness of PES initiatives. Also, the pivotal role private working lands are playing in conservation efforts.
In addition, Florida residents can even support panther conservation efforts by purchasing a “Protect the Panther” license plate.
For more information on the program and future opportunities, please contact program staff at PES@MyFWC.com or visit MyFWC.com/PESpanther.
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