Community Supporters

The Florida Wildlife Corridor is a statewide network of connected natural and working lands that allows wildlife to move safely across Florida. It was established in 2021 – winning unanimous support from state legislators and the governor – for the specific purpose of “sustaining and conserving the green infrastructure that is the foundation of this state’s economy and quality of life.” The Florida Wildlife Corridor spans nearly 18 million acres, of which about 10 million acres are already protected through public lands and conservation easements.

The remaining approximately 8 million acres are known as opportunity areas—privately owned lands that are essential to completing the Corridor. These lands are the primary focus of current conservation efforts, as protecting them will ensure long-term connectivity for wildlife, clean water, and resilient communities across the state.

Connected land allows wildlife to move between habitats to find food, mates, and shelter—movement that is essential for maintaining healthy, genetically diverse populations. When habitats are connected, animals can interbreed across larger areas, reducing inbreeding and increasing resilience to disease, environmental change, and extreme events.

Beyond wildlife benefits, land connectivity protects water supplies, reduces flood risk, and helps ecosystems function as intended—benefits that isolated or fragmented landscapes cannot provide.

Conservation benefits communities in many concrete ways. Healthy ecosystems protect drinking water, reduce flood risk, support outdoor recreation, and sustain industries like agriculture, forestry, and tourism. According to a study associated with the Florida Wildlife Corridor, the lands and waters the Corridor protects support at least 114,000 jobs and contribute approximately $30 billion in annual revenue to Florida’s economy through recreation, agriculture, ranching, forestry, and related sectors. Protecting natural and working lands also strengthens long-term economic resilience and quality of life for communities across the state.

Yes. Farms, ranches, and timberlands are essential to conservation in Florida. When managed responsibly, working lands provide habitat, maintain open space, support wildlife movement, and keep land from being converted to intensive development—while continuing to support rural economies.

Private landowners play a critical role in conservation because public lands alone are not sufficient to meet Florida’s wildlife and water needs. Many of the most important habitats, water recharge areas, and wildlife movement pathways lie on privately owned land. By voluntarily protecting their property through conservation easements or land stewardship agreements, landowners help maintain connected landscapes, protect water resources, and support wildlife—while keeping land in private ownership and often in productive agricultural use.

Because these lands continue to be managed by the landowner, this approach also reduces the long-term financial and management burden on the state, making conservation more cost-effective and durable over time.

No. Conservation helps guide smart growth by protecting the most critical lands while allowing development to occur in appropriate areas. This balance reduces long-term costs, limits environmental risk, and ensures Florida can grow without sacrificing the natural resources that support its economy and communities.

Live Wildly Foundation helps balance Florida’s economy and ecology by connecting people, knowledge, and resources to advance lasting land protection. We invest in research, policy solutions, and partner organizations that secure land deals, negotiate conservation easements, and develop innovative strategies to protect Florida’s lands and waters for the long term.