The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has finalized a conservation easement for Kenansville Ranch, covering 7,514 acres in Osceola County. The agreement preserves the land as a working cattle ranch and aims to protect wildlife habitat. Kenansville Ranch is part of the Ranch Reserve Florida Forever Project, which is considered a high-priority area for conservation.
Kenansville Ranch is home to about 1,600 cattle and includes pastures, pine flatwoods, and wetlands supported by Wolf Creek, Tenmile Creek, and Sixmile Creek. The conservation easement allows continued agricultural use but requires adherence to best management practices to protect water quality and the environment.
“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 is located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor and provides habitat for species such as the bald eagle, eastern indigo snake, Florida burrowing owl, red-cockaded woodpecker, and sandhill crane. It also links to other protected areas, including the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Wolf Creek Ranch and Escape Ranch conservation easements, which creates a larger network of conserved land for wildlife movement. Approval for this easement was granted by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet at an earlier meeting.
Florida continues to lead national efforts in land protection through programs like Florida Forever, which focus on conserving land that offers environmental, recreational, and preservation benefits. These include protection of water quality and quantity, increased resilience to storms, habitat protection, and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Since 2019, more than $1.4 billion has been allocated to the Florida Forever Program, with $950 million directed to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This funding has allowed DEP to conserve over 374,000 acres since 2019, with 91% of that land within the Wildlife Corridor.
More details about the program are available at https://floridaforever.org/.
