Significant Investments in the Florida Wildlife Corridor to Protect the Florida Panther
NAPLES, Fla.— Today, Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted $100 million in funding for the Florida Wildlife Corridor as appropriated in Senate Bill (SB) 1638, which the Governor signed earlier this month.
Additionally, the Governor signed House Bill 1565, the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative, which removes the sunset provision of the initiative and directs the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and MOTE Marine Laboratory to continue to coordinate efforts to innovate technologies to address the impacts of red tide on Florida.
“I am proud of our investments in land conservation to conserve and connect Florida’s natural landscapes, preserve working lands, and provide for the safe passage of Florida’s endangered species,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am also happy to sign legislation continuing research efforts to mitigate the impacts of red tide and preserve our coastal communities and working waterfronts.”
“It’s important to make steady gains towards protecting and conserving irreplaceable natural resources – not just for today, but forever,” said DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton. “Florida has a long history as a national leader in conservation, which is vital to environmental protection and economic growth, and our pace has only accelerated thanks to the Governor’s bold vision and the continued support of the legislature.”
The Florida Wildlife Corridor, established under Governor DeSantis in 2021, encompasses nearly 18 million acres of land. Ten million acres of the Wildlife Corridor are protected conservation lands, including state parks, state forests, and family farms. Earlier this month, Governor DeSantis signed SB 1638, which appropriated $100 million to the Florida Wildlife Corridor from Seminole Gaming Compact revenue for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and designates the lesser of 26.042% or $100 million to support the corridor.
Governor DeSantis has also directed Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to continue its efforts to install wildlife crossings along the state’s roadways, including an emphasis on crossings that connect the Florida Wildlife Corridor to allow for the safe passage of Florida’s species, like the Florida Panther. Since 2019, Governor DeSantis has approved over $129 million in funding for wildlife crossings along state roadways, providing FDOT the resources to support the construction of 38 different wildlife crossings across the state.
Additionally, today, the Governor signed HB 1565, Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative. This bill removed the sunset provision of the initiative, which was established in 2019 to coordinate efforts between the Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and MOTE Marine Laboratory. Since 2019, Governor DeSantis has approved more than $125 million towards algae mitigation and championed innovation as the solution to ecological challenges in the state of Florida.