Rev up bulldozers thanks to legislative sleight of hand
Published on May 28, 2026
Opinion piece by Gil Smart
Policy director of the Friends of the Everglades
Once upon a time, Florida made a real commitment to saving environmentally sensitive land from the developers' bulldozers.
The Florida Forever program was created in 1999 and has since acquired roughly 1 million acres of endangered land statewide, expanding outdoor recreation and safeguarding the state's water resources along the way. During Jeb Bush's tenure as governor, the state allocated as much as $300 million annually to the program. Florida Forever is arguably the most successful conservation initiative in state history - and one of the rare public policies that still commands broad, bipartisan public support.
Floridians get it. Residents in 24 counties, including Indian River and Martin, have voted to tax themselves to acquire sensitive lands. Where local dollars can leverage state funding, even more land can be saved.
Where state dollars aren't available, however, the bulldozers inch ever closer - and now they're gaining speed.
Buying land vs. acquiring rights to it
The Legislature is about to pass the state's fiscal 2027 budget and defund Florida Forever.
Last year, the program - which state law requires be funded at $100 million annually - received just $18 million. This year the Legislature has opted to "zero out" Florida Forever, allocating nothing. Legislators may claim otherwise, pointing to language in the budget that appears to set aside as much as $75 million. However, this is money previously allocated for the Florida Wildlife Corridor that's being used as a land acquisition slush fund.
An estimated $300 million will be "swept" from the fund, with $225 million going to the state's Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, and some portion of the remainder being used to fund a few cherry-picked Florida Forever projects. Even then, a significant portion will go toward private land conservation easements rather than outright purchases.
Easements have their place, but they're not a substitute for ownership. They don't convey the same public benefits. The public doesn't get the right to access or use the land. As Florida's population keeps growing and demand for outdoor recreation keeps climbing, we will need more public land - land the state actually owns - like our state parks, state forests and wildlife management areas.
The Legislature's failure to fund Florida Forever fully doesn't just stall state acquisitions - it undermines local conservation efforts as well.
Earlier this year, Indian River County used $5.44 million from its voter-approved environmental bond to purchase three properties: Hale Grove, Durrance Place and Osprey Estates, totaling 49 acres. County officials hoped Florida Forever dollars might offset some of those costs, freeing up local money to save additional land. Now that won't happen.
Florida must match taxpayer funds from Martin, Indian River
A similar dynamic is playing out in Martin County, where the Atlantic Ridge Ecosystem Florida Forever project - a mosaic of scrub, pine flatwoods, and marshes along the St. Lucie River - is slated to be acquired in partnership with Martin County through matching funds from Martin County Forever.
Locally known as the LoxaLucie Headwaters initiative, the Loxahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers both serve to benefit from the acquisition. But with no funding for Florida Forever, the project will have to wait.
Local government and local taxpayers have done their parts.
The state must do its part, too.
Florida's growth shows no signs of slowing. The same development pressures that have already consumed so much of wild Florida are taking aim at our remaining natural lands. If anything, that's a reason to be acquiring more land, not pulling back.
Millions of people moving to Florida will need greater access to public spaces for hiking, biking, fishing and kayaking. Defunding Florida Forever and changing its mission from land acquisition to easements sends a troubling precedent for the road ahead - a future in which the need to safeguard Florida's wild places, broaden outdoor recreation and secure our water supplies will only grow more urgent.
As such, legislators must again begin funding Florida Forever at the full $100 million the law requires, at a minimum. They should prioritize fee-simple acquisition, honor the commitments already made to willing sellers and the communities that depend on clean water and treasure what's left of wild Florida.
For once those lands are gone, we can't buy them back at any price.
Your Turn.
Gil Smart, Guest columnist
The Florida Forever program was created in 1999 and has since acquired roughly 1 million acres of endangered land statewide, expanding outdoor recreation and safeguarding the state's water resources along the way. During Jeb Bush's tenure as governor, the state allocated as much as $300 million annually to the program. Florida Forever is arguably the most successful conservation initiative in state history - and one of the rare public policies that still commands broad, bipartisan public support.
Floridians get it. Residents in 24 counties, including Indian River and Martin, have voted to tax themselves to acquire sensitive lands. Where local dollars can leverage state funding, even more land can be saved.
Where state dollars aren't available, however, the bulldozers inch ever closer - and now they're gaining speed.
Buying land vs. acquiring rights to it
The Legislature is about to pass the state's fiscal 2027 budget and defund Florida Forever.
Last year, the program - which state law requires be funded at $100 million annually - received just $18 million. This year the Legislature has opted to "zero out" Florida Forever, allocating nothing. Legislators may claim otherwise, pointing to language in the budget that appears to set aside as much as $75 million. However, this is money previously allocated for the Florida Wildlife Corridor that's being used as a land acquisition slush fund.
An estimated $300 million will be "swept" from the fund, with $225 million going to the state's Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, and some portion of the remainder being used to fund a few cherry-picked Florida Forever projects. Even then, a significant portion will go toward private land conservation easements rather than outright purchases.
Easements have their place, but they're not a substitute for ownership. They don't convey the same public benefits. The public doesn't get the right to access or use the land. As Florida's population keeps growing and demand for outdoor recreation keeps climbing, we will need more public land - land the state actually owns - like our state parks, state forests and wildlife management areas.
The Legislature's failure to fund Florida Forever fully doesn't just stall state acquisitions - it undermines local conservation efforts as well.
Earlier this year, Indian River County used $5.44 million from its voter-approved environmental bond to purchase three properties: Hale Grove, Durrance Place and Osprey Estates, totaling 49 acres. County officials hoped Florida Forever dollars might offset some of those costs, freeing up local money to save additional land. Now that won't happen.
Florida must match taxpayer funds from Martin, Indian River
A similar dynamic is playing out in Martin County, where the Atlantic Ridge Ecosystem Florida Forever project - a mosaic of scrub, pine flatwoods, and marshes along the St. Lucie River - is slated to be acquired in partnership with Martin County through matching funds from Martin County Forever.
Locally known as the LoxaLucie Headwaters initiative, the Loxahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers both serve to benefit from the acquisition. But with no funding for Florida Forever, the project will have to wait.
Local government and local taxpayers have done their parts.
The state must do its part, too.
Florida's growth shows no signs of slowing. The same development pressures that have already consumed so much of wild Florida are taking aim at our remaining natural lands. If anything, that's a reason to be acquiring more land, not pulling back.
Millions of people moving to Florida will need greater access to public spaces for hiking, biking, fishing and kayaking. Defunding Florida Forever and changing its mission from land acquisition to easements sends a troubling precedent for the road ahead - a future in which the need to safeguard Florida's wild places, broaden outdoor recreation and secure our water supplies will only grow more urgent.
As such, legislators must again begin funding Florida Forever at the full $100 million the law requires, at a minimum. They should prioritize fee-simple acquisition, honor the commitments already made to willing sellers and the communities that depend on clean water and treasure what's left of wild Florida.
For once those lands are gone, we can't buy them back at any price.
Your Turn.
Gil Smart, Guest columnist
Gil Smart, Jensen Beach, is policy director of the Friends of the Everglades.
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