The Florida panther needs room to roam. Adult males require up to 200 square miles of connected habitat, but highways and development continue to chop up Florida’s wild spaces. The result? More deadly road crossings, with 30 panthers killed by vehicles in 2024 alone.
That is why the Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Pilot Program is such a game-changer. Launched earlier this year, this initiative rewards private landowners who provide the healthy, connected habitats panthers need to survive. Think of it as conservation and community working hand in hand, and it is already delivering results.
Interest from landowners exceeded all expectations. 69 applications came in from across 14 counties, representing more than 172,000 acres of potential panther habitat. 59 properties were deemed eligible, including many from landowners who had little to no prior engagement with conservation programs. 15 properties, totaling about 40,635 acres, were selected for enrollment in this first round.
This year, enrolled landowners will receive $519,012 in payments to maintain or improve conditions for panthers. Over the next three years, they will continue to be rewarded for their stewardship. Even better, landowners can opt into the new Cameras for Panther Conservation project, voluntarily hosting FWC cameras to help monitor the cats. About 40 percent have already said yes, meaning more valuable data for researchers and more opportunities to spot these elusive cats in the wild.
Florida panthers cannot recover without safe, connected landscapes. The PES program is designed to stitch together those landscapes by strengthening relationships with the people who own and manage much of Florida’s rural lands.
“This is a model for how we can secure lasting solutions for both wildlife and communities,” said Tindl Rainey, our Foundation’s Director of Conservation & Strategic Initiatives.
With our partners at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, we helped secure $1.5 million in federal funding and added $497,500 of our own to launch this pilot. But the need far outpaces current funding. Right now, only 14 percent of proposed acres could be enrolled.
Imagine the impact if we could do more: protecting 125,000 additional acres, expanding efforts north of the Caloosahatchee River to create a second breeding population, and building stronger partnerships with the stewards of Florida’s working lands. You can be part of this effort with a donation to our Florida Panther Fund.
