Floridians love their land and water. Conservation Voters want lawmakers to protect natural areas and the benefits they provide. Time and time again, Florida voters have approved conservation measures at the national, state, and local levels. And we need that patchwork of programs to save natural Florida.
Action starts with goals. The 30×30 Campaign is a global campaign to conserve at least 30% of our land and oceans by 2030. Worldwide efforts are on track to protect 17% of the land and 10% of the ocean by the end of 2020.
Floridians vote for land and water protection. In 2014, Florida voters approved the Water and Land Conservation Amendment (Amendment 1) by 75%. This amendment mandated that the state fund programs like Florida Forever. In 2020, voters in four counties approved local water and land conservation funding referendums. This patchwork of national, state, and local parks and preserves meets the needs of urban and rural communities.
Good news: we’re well on our way to achieving 30×30 goals thanks to our long history of conservation funding programs like Florida Forever, Florida Communities Trust, the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and local land-buying programs have also made a difference.
The Biden administration has committed to advancing the 30×30 campaign at a national level but to gain success, we need state and local lawmakers to support these goals too. Whether in their communities or at the ballot box, Conservation Voters expect their leaders to act with the future in mind. Conserving Florida’s lands and waters today is an investment in tomorrow. That’s why FCV works every day to connect voters with their lawmakers and talk with lawmakers about land and water conservation. We know that together, we can save natural Florida.