The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced on Mar. 30 that it has secured a 1,668-acre conservation easement over Bar-B Ranch in Martin County through the Florida Forever Program. This move protects a working cattle ranch while supporting water quality improvements and Everglades restoration, ensuring the land remains in agricultural production.
The conservation easement is significant because it permanently prevents future development of Bar-B Ranch, which supports about 250 head of cattle and lies near the C-44 Stormwater Treatment Area and Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area. The property was identified as a key part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan due to its role in restoring natural water storage and improving water quality flowing south through the Everglades system.
“Conservation easements through Florida Forever keep working lands in agriculture while protecting the natural functions that support our environment,” said DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “At Bar-B Ranch, protecting a working ranch also protects critical water flows, wetland functions and wildlife corridors, showing how agricultural lands and Everglades restoration can support each other.”
Bar-B Ranch helps store and filter water before it reaches downstream ecosystems such as the St. Lucie River Estuary, Indian River Lagoon, Lake Okeechobee, and ultimately the Greater Everglades. Its protection ensures these ecological functions are maintained by preventing development that could threaten them. The property is also within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, contributing to habitat connectivity across the region.
This acquisition was approved by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet during an earlier Cabinet meeting. Since 2019, more than $1.5 billion has been committed to Florida Forever funding for land conservation efforts statewide.
According to the official website, the department supports resilient coasts and communities through restoration initiatives; maintains state parks for recreation; oversees more than 175 state parks, trails and historic sites; aims to safeguard air, water and land resources; serves all regions with environmental protection programs; and offers services such as project permitting and waste management regulation.
Florida continues to serve as a model for other states’ conservation programs by conserving land that provides environmental benefits including resilience from storms, habitat protections, national security considerations, outdoor recreation opportunities—and safeguarding vital resources.
