Florida’s Conservation Focus Protects a Diverse Ecosystem and Endangered Species

In partnership with: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Florida’s diverse ecosystems are host to many endangered species from the Panhandle to the southernmost point, which is why conservation is so important. Protecting future generations of unique animals and plants is a primary goal throughout the state.

Here are a few Florida conservation statistics:

• Florida has more than a dozen major rivers, which hold manatees, sturgeon and many species of freshwater mussels.
• The Florida Panhandle is considered one of the five richest biodiversity hot spots in North America.
• Florida has 41 threatened species and 87 endangered species.
• One out of every three Floridians relies on the Everglades for their drinking water supply.
• The most recent Florida Forest Service Reforestation Survey indicates that more than 63 million trees were planted on over 108,800 acres in Florida in 2018-2019.
• Florida supports one of the largest numbers of carnivorous plant species, nearly one-half of the orchid species found in North America and the most fern species in the continental United States.
• The Big Bend area, stretching from Cedar Key to Apalachicola, is the largest stretch of undeveloped coastline in the Lower 48 and is filled with state and federally protected parks, refuges and saltwater marshes.
• Florida is a national leader in the use of prescribed fire. Prescribed fire is the most valuable tool we have to manage Florida’s fire-dependent and fire-prone landscapes. With a long-term, sustained approach, we can significantly reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires using prescribed fire. Florida burns protect our communities, wildlife habitat and the health of our forests.

To find out more, visit FDACS.gov/Consumer-Resources/Protect-Our-Environment.

3 Things Florida’s Farmers Do to Conserve Water:

1. Properly installed drip irrigation can save up to 80% more water than conventional irrigation and can even contribute to increased crop yields.
2. Farms utilize conservation tillage and cover crops to increase organic matter in topsoil, which leaves crop residue on a portion of the ground to suppress weeds, increase water absorption and reduce evaporation, erosion and compaction, allowing crops to use water more efficiently.
3. Farms and nurseries increasingly use tailwater recovery ponds to catch stormwater and irrigation runoff to be stored and later used for irrigation of crops.

See more: East Fork Creek Gardens Cultivates Greens Sustainably Using Aquaponics