USDA Awards $10M for Florida Land Conservation in Lake Wales Ridge

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service announced Tuesday it is awarding $10 million to protect agricultural and natural lands in Central Florida's Lake Wales Ridge ecosystem. The five-year Lake Wales Ridge Ecosystem Regional Conservation Partnership Program project, led by Tampa-based nonprofit Wildlands Conservation, will focus on Marion, Lake, Polk, and Highlands counties when it begins in 2027, according to the USDA-NRCS.

The initiative aims to expand conservation easements—voluntary legal agreements that permanently limit development while keeping land in private ownership—allowing farmers and ranchers to continue compatible operations while protecting environmental values. The program targets a region where citrus greening disease and rapid development pressure threaten both the agricultural economy and critical wildlife habitat. Partners include Polk Forever, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Archbold Research Station, and Putnam Land Conservancy.

"By expanding conservation easement opportunities in the Lake Wales Ridge area, we can help keep working lands in agriculture in one of the fastest developing regions of Florida," said Juan Hernandez, NRCS State Conservationist for Florida. The project will help protect rural lands that support the Florida Wildlife Corridor and complement military training needs at nearby Avon Park Air Force Range. The $10 million federal award will be matched by similar funding from county and state land protection programs.

Landowners interested in learning more can contact Wildlands Conservation at 813-252-6517 or info@wildlandsconservation.org.