POINCIANA, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke Monday morning at the Nature Conservancy's Disney Wilderness Preserve.
The governor was there to celebrate the passing of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act into law. The act provides $400 million in funding to create a corridor that connects diverse habitats for Florida’s wildlife.
The Florida legislature passed the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, with bipartisan unanimous support. The bill passed the State Senate 40-0 and the House with a vote of 115-0.
“I thank the legislature for their support of this landmark legislation that will conserve critical natural ecosystems and working landscapes for the protection of Florida’s unique and diverse wildlife while preserving Florida’s green spaces for generations to come," DeSantis said.
The act includes numerous provisions including securing access to habitats for wide ranging wildlife, including the endangered Florida panther, and preventing the fragmentation of critical lands.
It also protects the headwaters of major watersheds including the Everglades and St. Johns River, helps to sustain working farms, lands and forests, and preserves lands and waters to protect coastal estuaries.
“Thanks to the Governor’s bold vision and the continued support of the legislature, Florida's environmental priorities have remained strong, including land acquisition for protection of our natural resources and wildlife,” said Interim Secretary Shawn Hamilton. “This bill will further Florida’s conservation efforts by building upon a network of public and private lands to provide critical habitat for wildlife across the state.”
