The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Landowner Assistance Program has created a program to recognize landowners who are actively managing and improving their property to benefit wildlife.
The Wildlife Habitat Recognition Program was developed to show appreciation for the important contributions to wildlife conservation made by private landowners.
Private landowners play a critical role in wildlife conservation by protecting and restoring rare habitats like the longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystem, and managing farms, ranches and forests that provide habitat to many species.
While public land protects some species of wildlife, these lands form a fragmented landscape of habitat.
Private lands provide critical corridors between publicly managed conservation lands.
To be recognized by the program, landowners must submit a request for an FWC biologist to evaluate their property to determine qualification.
To qualify, properties must have ample food, cover and water opportunities for wildlife.
If the property meets these criteria, the landowner will receive a sign to display on the property, as well as a certificate of recognition.
Properties working toward meeting the requirements will be offered a written management plan to guide the landowners in meeting the habitat management standards for the program.
Requests for a property evaluation can be made online at MyFWC.com/LAPapplication.
To learn more about managing wildlife on your property, visit MyFWC.com/LAP and click on the Managing Your Land section.
Published January 15, 2020