December 2023 Media Toolkit

Florida Wildlife Corridor Conservation Update

In this Toolkit

Digital Media Toolkit

The Florida Governor and Cabinet approved funding for the permanent conservation of 5,058 acres within the Florida Wildlife Corridor during the December 19, 2023 Cabinet meeting.

Please use this digital media toolkit to share this exciting news with your audience.

A message for our partners, colleagues, and friends in Florida: The protected lands of the Florida Wildlife Corridor are a place where our collective missions intersect. Land conservation successes contributing to the Corridor help ensure the long-term survival of many species, provide life support systems for Florida’s cities, improve the health of our waters, and protect natural Florida for future generations. As Florida grows, continued investment in conservation lands is critical to ensure that our wild lands will provide benefits to all Floridians.

Timeline

The news included in this media toolkit is under STRICT EMBARGO until after the cabinet meeting on December 19, 2023.

Press

Florida Cabinet Makes Investment in Land Conservation

Commissioner Wilton Simpson Announces Protection of Over 2,000 Acres of Ranchland Through Rural and Family Lands Protection Program 

Total Acres Conserved in 2023

Overview Images
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On December 19, the State of Florida approved funding for the permanent conservation of 5,058 acres across three properties within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Thank you to the leadership of the landowners, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Conservation Group, Keith Fountain Law, Saunders Real Estate, and other partners for coming together to make these opportunities possible.

The properties are Syfrett Ranch (Photo 1), Myakka Ranchlands (Photo 2), and Caloosahatchee Ecoscape (Photo 3).

Caloosahatchee Ecoscape and Myakka Ranchlands Projects were funded through the Florida Forever program at Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Syfrett Ranch was funded through Rural and Family Lands at Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. All three properties are to be protected by conservation easements, where the land will continue to be privately owned and managed.

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Syfrett Ranch is a property within the Florida Wildlife Corridor that was recently approved for a conservation easement through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program at the December 19, 2023 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.

Thank you to the landowners, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Saunders Real Estate for coming together to protect this land.

The 2,101.5-acre property is located in Highlands and Glades County. The property is part of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed and features large cabbage palm hammocks. The new conservation easement will bring added protection to working lands in the area. Syfrett Ranch supports habitat for crested caracara, Osceola turkeys, white tail deer, bald eagles, and more.

Instagram tags: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Photos 1-4 by @leyoho / @wildpath, Photos 5-6 by @drew_mcdougall / @wildpath

Facebook tags: @Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Photos 1-4 by Lauren Yoho / @Wildpath, Photos 5-6 by Drew McDougall / @Wildpath

Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation

Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station

Download Syfrett Ranch Photos and Map Download Syfrett Ranch Reel

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The 1,531-acre Myakka Ranchlands Project – 4L’s Ranch, located in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, was recently approved for a conservation easement through Florida Forever at the December 19, 2023 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.

Thank you to the landowner, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Florida Conservation Group for coming together to conserve this property.

The ranch contains a variety of upland areas such as mesic flatwoods, wetland depression marshes, wet prairie, and improved pasture. The property provides habitat for gopher tortoises, Florida sandhill crane, the Southeastern American Kestrel, and many more. Along a waterside divide between Myakka Watershed and the Peace River Watershed, the land provides important protection to water quality and quantity.

Instagram tags: @fl.dep, Florida Conservation Group, Photos by @leyoho / @wildpath

Facebook tags: @Florida Department of Environmental Protection, @Florida Conservation Group, Photos by Lauren Yoho / @Wildpath

Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation

Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station

Download Myakka Ranchlands Photos and Map Download Myakka Ranchlands Reel

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Caloosahatchee Ecoscape Florida Forever Project – Ferguson-House Farms, was recently approved for conservation at the December 19, 2023 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet. The 1,425.5-acre approved conservation easement is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Thank you to the leadership of the landowners, the Department of Environmental Protection, and Keith Fountain Law for coming together to protect this land.

The property is a working cattle ranch located in Hendry County, south of State Road 80. The ranch is home to many native species including Florida panthers, Florida black bears, wood storks, white ibises, and Florida sandhill cranes. The land brings critical connection to other conservation areas important to the Florida panthers’ northward recovery and long-term survival (Photo 5).

Two smaller properties are being acquired through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s delegation of authority. The two other properties are located north of State Road 80 and bordering the Caloosahatchee River (Photo 6), close to the approved parcel. The three properties complement each other to provide an essential safeguard to the Caloosahatchee River and its water quality.

Instagram tags: @fl.dep, Photos 1-4 and 6 by @leyoho / @wildpath, Photo 5 by @carltonward / @wildpath

Facebook tags: @Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Photos 1-4 and 6 by Lauren Yoho / @wildpath, Photo 5 by @carltonward / @wildpath

Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation

Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station

Download Caloosahatchee Ecoscape Photos and Map Download Caloosahatchee Ecoscape Reel

Suggested Hastags
#KeepFLWild #ConnectTheCorridor #FloridaWildlifeCorridor

#WildlifeCorridors #ProtectWildPlaces #LandConservation #WildFlorida

Usage Rights
Visuals by Lauren Yoho, Carlton Ward Jr., Drew McDougall, and Angeline Meeks provided for one-time use for coverage or promotion of Florida Wildlife Corridor-related news from the December 19 Board of Trustees meeting, dated December 2023. Copying, sublicensing, sale, distribution, and archiving are prohibited.

Mandatory Social Media Usage Requirements
For images, include the photo credit tag as listed:

Instagram: @Wildpath, Photo by @leyoho, @carltonward, or @drew_mcdougall (reference photo grids for credit guidance)
Facebook: @Wildpath, Photo by Lauren Yoho, @CarltonWard, or Drew McDougall (reference photo grids for credit guidance)
Twitter: Photo by Lauren Yoho, @CarltonWard, or Drew McDougall (reference photo grids for credit guidance)
For maps, include the map photo credits:

Instagram: Map by @angeline.maps and @archboldstation
Facebook: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Twitter: @AngelineMeeks and @ArchboldStation
Mandatory Online/Print Usage Requirements for Multimedia
Include the photo/map credit:

Photos:

Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
Carlton Ward Jr./Wildpath
Drew McDougall/Wildpath
Map: Angeline Meeks, Archbold Biological Station

Mandatory On-Air Usage Requirements for Multimedia
For on-air usage, include credit with each photo, map, or video used:

Photos:

Lauren Yoho/Wildpath
Carlton Ward Jr./Wildpath
Drew McDougall/Wildpath
Map: Angeline Meeks, Archbold Biological Station

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