Landowners

Q: Do I have to give up ownership to protect my land?

No. Many conservation options—especially conservation easements—allow you to retain full ownership and management of your land while permanently protecting what makes it special. Some landowners choose to sell land for public conservation, but that is just one option among many.

Q: What’s the difference between an easement and selling land?

A conservation easement keeps the land in your ownership while limiting certain types of future development. You continue to manage the land—often for farming, ranching, or forestry—while its conservation values are permanently protected. Selling land for conservation (often called fee-simple acquisition ) means the land is purchased outright and becomes publicly owned and managed, typically with public access. Both options permanently protect land, but ownership and management differ.

Q: Who pays for conservation?

Conservation is funded through a mix of local, state, federal, and private sources. Depending on the program, landowners may receive payment for an easement or for the sale of land, as well as funding that supports long-term land stewardship. Conservation is voluntary, and programs are designed to be financially viable for landowners.

Q: Who monitors an easement?

Conservation easements are monitored by the organization that holds the easement—often a land trust or public agency—to ensure the agreement is upheld over time. Importantly, the landowner remains responsible for day-to-day management , and easement funding often helps support the long-term viability of working lands.

Q: How do I know which conservation program is right for me?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The right option depends on your goals, the type of land you own, and your long-term plans. Conservation partners can help you understand your options, evaluate programs, and choose a path that aligns with both your values and your future.

Q: What does Live Wildly do vs. conservation partners?

Live Wildly does not acquire land or hold easements. Instead, we connect people, knowledge, and resources —supporting research, policy solutions, and trusted conservation partners who work directly with landowners. Our role is to help ensure the right tools, funding, and partnerships are in place to make lasting land protection possible.

Make Your Land Part of Florida's Legacy

Whether you manage a working ranch, family farm, cherished natural land, or private forest, there are funding programs that can support your goals and protect what matters to you.

Explore Resources

Private Lands Are Key to Florida's Future

Public funding and public lands alone cannot meet Florida’s wildlife and water needs. Many of the most important habitats, recharge areas, and wildlife corridors are found on privately owned land. Your decisions shape the future of our state's environment and economy.

Keep Your Land Working

Conserve your lands and your way of life. Many landowners protect their property while continuing to farm, ranch, or manage timber—maintaining productivity, preserving open space, and supporting wildlife at the same time.

Protect What You Value

Every property is unique. Conservation tools can help safeguard the natural features, water resources, and legacy you care about most—while keeping your land in private ownership for future generations.

Choose Your Path

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to conservation. Landowners can choose from a range of voluntary options that align with their goals, financial needs, and long-term plans for the land.

Nature Conservancy Garden of Eden

Conservation Options for Your Land

Local Conservation Programs

More than 25 counties and municipalities across Florida operate local land conservation programs. These programs may purchase land outright (fee-simple acquisition) or, in some cases, support conservation easements through which private landowners continue to own and manage their
property.

Local conservation programs often focus on protecting drinking water supplies, floodplains, wildlife habitat, and community green space. When land is acquired through fee-simple purchase, it typically becomes publicly owned and accessible for conservation and recreation.

State Conservation Programs

Florida’s flagship land conservation program, Florida Forever, supports permanent protection of high-priority lands across the state. Florida Forever can fund both fee-simple acquisition (where land is purchased outright and managed publicly) and conservation easements (where land remains in private ownership and management).

In addition, programs like Florida’s Rural & Family Lands Protection Program focus specifically on keeping farms and ranches working by funding conservation easements that limit development while supporting long-term agricultural viability.

Federal Conservation Programs

Federal programs provide additional pathways to conserve agricultural and natural lands, often while keeping them in private ownership and active management. These include the Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program, NRCS’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements (ALE), conservation easements associated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System, and the Forest Legacy Program.

Together, these programs help protect wetlands, farms, ranches, and forests while advancing wildlife habitat, water resources, and long-term land stewardship.

Partnership Opportunities

Nonprofits and land trusts help landowners navigate conservation options, understand their land’s conservation value, and connect with local, state, and federal programs that align with their goals. These partnerships provide technical expertise, guidance, and coordination—making it easier for landowners to choose a conservation path that works for both the land and their long-term plans.

The Land Conservation Process

Explore Your Options

Learn about easements, acquisition programs, and incentives available to Florida landowners.

Get Your Questions Answered

Connect with qualified partners or call our LANDline hotline for guidance on what programs might work for your property.

Assess Your Land's Fit

Once paired with a qualified partner, you can work together to evaluate your land's characteristics and conservation value to determine the best approach.

Protect for the Long Term

Once protected, your land becomes part of a lasting legacy—preserved to support wildlife, water, and working landscapes for generations to come.

The Landline: Your Conservation Hotline

Not sure where to start? Our Landline connects you with experts who can answer questions about your property and help you navigate available programs.

863-444-5548 (in S. Florida) or 850-619-2816 (in N. Florida)

Whether you're curious about easements, tax incentives, or what your land qualifies for, we're here to help you understand your options.

Conservation Easements Fact Sheet

If you have questions about having your land protected under a conservation easement, this is a great place to start.

Download Now

Tools to Help You Get Started

Florida Programs

Federal Programs

Nonprofit Partners

Educational Materials

Common Questions from Landowners

Do I have to give up ownership to protect my land?

What’s the difference between an easement and selling land?

A conservation easement keeps the land in your ownership while limiting certain types of future development. You continue to manage the land—often for farming, ranching, or forestry—while its conservation values are permanently protected.

Selling land for conservation (often called fee-simple acquisition) means the land is purchased outright and becomes publicly owned and managed, typically with public access. Both options permanently protect land, but ownership and management differ.

Who pays for conservation?

Who monitors an easement?

How do I know which conservation program is right for me?

What does Live Wildly do vs. conservation partners?

Have Questions About Conservation Options for Your Land?

We can help connect you with trusted partners and resources.