DEP Protects More Than 7,500 Acres of Working Ranchlands in Osceola County

“Conservation easements preserve Florida’s landscapes while keeping working lands productive,” said DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “By supporting agriculture, safeguarding water resources and protecting wildlife, projects like Kenansville Ranch strengthen Florida’s role in the nation’s food security and natural resource conservation.” 

The ranch lies within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and provides habitat for rare and imperiled species such as the bald eagle, eastern indigo snake, Florida burrowing owl, red-cockaded woodpecker and sandhill crane. It also connects with nearby conservation lands, including the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Wolf Creek Ranch and Escape Ranch conservation easements, creating a larger protected landscape for wildlife movement. This conservation easement was approved by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet during a previous Cabinet meeting.  

Florida is at the forefront of the nation’s land protection efforts and continues to be a model for other land acquisition programs across the country. Through the Florida Forever Program, the state conserves land that provides environmental, recreational and preservation benefits, including water quality and quantity safeguards; resilience from storm impacts; habitat and species protections; and outdoor recreation opportunities.    

Since 2019, the state has committed more than $1.4 billion to the Florida Forever Program, including $950 million specifically for the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This funding has enabled DEP to acquire over 374,000 acres for conservation since 2019, 91% of which is within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.