Florida Forever is Florida's flagship conservation land acquisition program, the successor to Preservation 2000. Since the 1980s, Florida Forever and its predecessors have protected more than 2.6 million acres of environmentally sensitive land, including many of the state parks, springs, wildlife corridors, and public lands that drive Florida's $100+ billion nature-based tourism economy.
At its peak, the program received approximately $300 million annually. In 2014, 75% of Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment dedicating documentary stamp tax revenue to land acquisition through 2040 (and the Legislature has consistently diverted those funds to general operating expenses instead). In 2023, the Legislature committed to a $100 million funding floor. Last year, the program received just $18 million.
This year is worse. The House and the Senate are not yet in agreement and both of their proposed numbers are $50m or less. Even Governor DeSantis proposed $115 million.
This matters because easement-only funding means taxpayer dollars protect private land that remains closed to public access. Fee-simple acquisition is what creates tomorrow's state parks, state forests, and wildlife management areas. With Florida adding roughly 900 new residents per day, the window to acquire critical conservation lands is closing fast, and land prices only go up.
A recent Mason-Dixon poll found that 78% of Republican voters and 83% of Democratic voters support at least $100 million in annual Florida Forever funding. This is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of honoring the will of voters and protecting the natural systems that underpin Florida's economy, quality of life, and resilience to climate impacts.
We urge the Legislature to fund Florida Forever at no less than $100 million for FY 2026-27, and to preserve the program's ability to acquire land in fee simple for public conservation use.

75% of Voters Said Yes. The Legislature Is Saying No.

I'm writing as your constituent to urge you to fully fund the Florida Forever program in the FY 2026-27 budget currently under negotiation in the special session.

Right now, the House and the Senate have proposed very little for Florida Forever. Neither proposal honors the commitment the Legislature made in 2023 to maintain a $100 million funding floor, and neither reflects what Florida voters have overwhelmingly said they want.

Here in Indian River County, we understand what's at stake. The Indian River Lagoon (valued at $28.3 billion annually to the regional economy) depends on the protection of surrounding lands to buffer against nutrient pollution, stormwater runoff, and habitat loss. Every acre left unprotected is an acre vulnerable to development pressures that degrade water quality and cost taxpayers far more in remediation down the road.

Florida Forever has protected more than 2.6 million acres since the 1980s. In 2014, 75% of voters approved a constitutional amendment to keep funding this work through 2040. A 2026 Mason-Dixon poll found support for $100 million in funding across party lines (78% of Republicans, 83% of Democrats). This isn't a partisan issue. It's a matter of keeping a promise to voters and protecting the natural resources that define our state.

I respectfully ask that you advocate for Florida Forever funding of at least $100 million in the final budget, and that you oppose any language restricting the program to easements only. Fee-simple acquisition is how we create the public parks, forests, and wildlife areas that Floridians use and depend on. Easements have their place, but they keep land in private hands with no guaranteed public access. Taxpayer dollars should deliver public benefit.

Thank you for your time and your service to our community.