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Conservation

Protecting Florida’s Irreplaceable Gaps

There are almost 8 million Acres of Conservation Opportunity within the Corridor.

With today’s rapid growth, we focus on protecting the most urgent, vulnerable, and irreplaceable areas (900,000 acres and 16 irreplaceable gaps). Through collaboration and innovation, we help develop solutions that keep wild Florida connected.

Map Layers

Mind the Gaps

Mind the Gaps workshops are aimed at developing conservation solutions to close urgent, vulnerable, and irreplaceable gaps in the Florida Wildlife Corridor through collaborative local engagement.

They are full days of facilitated conversation aimed at advancing and accelerating conservation solutions for the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The workshops center around mapping exercises where local partners roll up their sleeves and share their knowledge to identify opportunities and limitations for protecting land within critical Corridor gaps.

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With our Big Tent approach, we invite landowners, developers, land trusts, planners, agriculture representatives, and city, county, state, and federal staff from relevant agencies to solve connectivity where it matters most: at the local level.

Partner Project Spotlights

Driving Impact, Together:

From vision to action, we seek out and invest in projects that accelerate the protection of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Explore these inspiring stories of collaboration and progress, and discover how together, we’re making a lasting difference.

The Big Bend Region Project by Tall Timbers

In the heart of Florida’s Big Bend, a powerful partnership is reshaping the future of conservation. With support from the Corridor Foundation, Tall Timbers and Florida State University’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning have mapped out the region’s most vulnerable and high-value parcels, pinpointing where conservation can make the greatest impact. But this work is more than maps and data.
Tall Timbers is now reaching out directly to landowners in 11 counties covering over 2.8 million acres to offer technical expertise and funding to help them implement proven stewardship like prescribed fire, habitat management, and tree planting. These efforts help protect wildlife, water resources, and the rural way of life for local communities.

Explore the Program

Corridor PES Program Pilot

Imagine a program where landowners are rewarded for keeping Florida wild. Through the Florida Wildlife Corridor Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) pilot, landowners receive annual payments for maintaining their land in its natural state, helping to connect vital wildlife habitats, recharge aquifers, and protect water quality.

For five years, participants commit to stewardship practices that benefit both nature and their communities. This innovative approach not only helps prevent development on critical lands, but also buys precious time to explore lasting conservation solutions ensuring that the ecosystem services Floridians rely on are protected for the future.

Explore the Program

Minding the Gaps Online Curriculum

We partnered with 1000 Friends of Florida to develop a set of practical tools aimed at closing critical gaps within the Corridor. These modules are for local leaders, staff, and community members, to help identify opportunities and methods to protect vital linkages in the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Module 1: Geared toward elected officials and community stakeholders, this module includes an overview of the Corridor, a presentation on the economic benefits of smart growth as it relates to land conservation, and a panel discussion about the roles of local officials, regional planners and landowners working together towards a common goal.

Module 2: Created for planning practitioners, the module includes demonstrations of powerful mapping resources, advice on community visioning, and practical policies that can be implemented to guide development patterns that minimize impact to agricultural and natural areas.

Online Curriculum

Corridor Compatible Communities Guidelines

The Corridor Compatible Communities (CCC) guidelines were created alongside Cadence Landscape Architects and The Nature Conservancy. The guidelines were built not as a rigid rulebook, but as a living resource for landowners, planners, developers, elected officials, and community leaders. Designed to be practical and accessible, the CCC guidelines will evolve as new tools and ideas emerge.

Your voice matters: after exploring the guidelines, you’re invited to share feedback through a brief survey, helping us refine and strengthen this resource for everyone. The more perspectives we gather, the better our collective solutions will be. Stay tuned as we launch a pilot program to put these guidelines into action because shaping Florida’s future and keeping the Corridor connected is a journey we take together.

Corridor Compatible Communities Design Guidelines

Critical Linkages Catalyst Fund

Some of Florida’s most vital wildlife connections are at risk of being lost forever unless we act quickly and together. That’s why the Corridor Foundation launched the Critical Linkages Catalyst Fund: a tool for collaborative action in the state’s most urgent and vulnerable areas.

By engaging key partners like Conservation Collier, we’re able to move swiftly, bringing together local expertise, strategic planning, and targeted funding to protect the landscapes that keep the Corridor connected. With our funding match, Conservation Collier is working to protect twice as many lots within Panther Walk as originally planned, securing a functional connection to conservation lands in the north. Each success story here not only protects critical habitat but also sets the stage for future efforts by building momentum, sharing lessons learned, and inspiring others to join the cause.

Conservation Levers

Use the story map below to explore conservation strategies landowners can employ to protect lands within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Explore the Story Map