Florida Wildlife Corridor

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday voted to spend around $100 million to help protect nearly 40,000 acres within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

It would allow landowners to continue active hunting, farming and cattle operations, while the land would be kept from residential and commercial development.

Stu Sjouwerman has given $2.5 million to the corridor — the latest in a string of donations to environmental and animal causes.

The Florida Department of Transportation is developing an $11.9 million wildlife overpass across a section of I-4 that’s designed to protect wildlife from the threats posed by the highway.

The wildlife corridor would preserve land stretching from the Everglades to Georgia and Alabama, allowing wildlife to freely migrate.

Solar-powered Babcock Ranch came through Hurricane Ian with minimal damage and no flooding. Its developer believes it can inspire sustainable development in interior Florida.

The joint report from the University of Florida and 1000 Friends of Florida found a 23% increase in population and just under a foot of sea rise by 2040 could wipe out a million acres of undeveloped land.

The housing bill could create tax exemptions for developments that set aside at least 70 units for affordable housing, speed permits and development orders for affordable housing projects, and bar local rent controls.

The award-winning film will be released in over 40 theaters in Florida — including Tampa — on Feb. 24. The film's photographer and producer will host a Q&A session Friday and Sunday night at the Tampa Theatre.

The deals will help carry out the 2021 Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which calls for pumping $300 million a year into an effort to connect 18 million acres of land.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Act was signed into law just over a year ago. Learn more about this ongoing effort to protect Florida’s lands and wildlife.

Since the construction of I-4 over 50 years ago, the highway has become a barrier to wildlife movement.