Florida Forever is the state’s blueprint for conserving our natural and cultural resources and is one of the most successful programs of its kind in the United States. The Florida Forever Act, implemented in 2001, reinforced the importance of conserving Florida’s natural and cultural heritage, providing urban open space, increasing public recreation opportunities, and supporting quality stewardship of the lands acquired.
The Florida Forever program funds land acquisition to address critical statewide conservation goals including the protection of water resources; sustainable forestry, the protection of biodiversity and ecological greenways, environmental restoration, provision of public outdoor recreation, public lands management and maintenance; and the protection of working landscapes through the acquisition of conservation easements.
A $3 billion investment over the past decade demonstrates Florida’s continued commitment to protecting and restoring our vital natural resources. Florida has been at the forefront of the nation’s land protection efforts and continues to be the model for other land acquisition programs across the country.
The 2024 Florida Forever Story Map provides the geographic distribution and descriptions of the 128 land acquisition projects approved and recommended by the Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC).
*Project removed because 90% or more of the acreage has been purchased by the state. Consistent with section 259.032(8), F.S. and rule 18-24.002(2)(b), F.A.C, Florida Forever funds may still be used to purchase any remaining acres within the project.
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Distribution of Florida Forever projects
Florida Forever projects are ranked annually by ARC in each of the following six categories:
Critical Natural Lands
Partnerships and Regional Incentives
Less-than-Fee
Climate Change Lands
Substantially Complete
Critical Historical Resources
Critical Natural Lands
Critical Natural Lands are regions that support a complex network of landscape-scale natural areas. These include large hydrological systems, lands with significant imperiled natural communities, and corridors linking together large landscapes - as identified by the best available scientific analysis.
Projects in the Partnerships and Regional Incentives category include local and regional cost-share agreements that lower cost and greater conservation benefit to the people of the state. Bargain or shared projects give the state a significant reduction in price for public ownership of lands as a result of reduced development rights and interests, or alternative/matching funds.
Less-than-Fee projects include working agricultural lands that significantly contribute to resource protection through conservation easements and other techniques, tax incentives, life estates, landowner agreements, and other partnerships including conservation easements acquired in partnership with federal conservation programs. These projects meet the goals of Florida Forever while allowing for the continuation of compatible agricultural use.
Projects in this category seek to address the challenges of global climate change through protection, restoration, mitigation, and the strengthening of Florida's land, water, and coastal resources. Lands included provide opportunities to sequester carbon, provide habitat, protect coastal lands and barrier islands, and otherwise adapt to the effects of sea-level rise.
Substantially Complete projects have achieved at least 85% of their project goal, but still seek future acquisitions of inholdings, linkages between preserved areas, and other additions to meet their original conservation and protection objectives.
Image of Historic Map of Florida from the Florida State Archives
Projects in this category contribute to the preservation and protection of Florida’s cultural heritage. These projects have significant archaeological or historical value and are to be acquired for the purpose of preserving these important cultural sites for future generations of Floridians.
