The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is incentivizing landowners to protect critical habitats. In mid-September 2025, it announced the results of its Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Pilot Program, a three year program funded via the America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative.
The spotlight is on the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This area spans millions of acres in about 49 of Florida’s 67 counties. Participants in the PES program receive between $7 and $17 per acre each year, depending on habitat quality and management practices. The program aims to help offset the cost of land management. Long term goals of the program aim to transition land to easements. Broadly, the PES helps citizens support responsible land stewardship.
As the habitats bridge together, maintaining continuity of the natural areas is important for the health of species including the Florida panther. Programs such as these are intended to help prevent deaths of species from vehicular collisions.
Conserving the Florida Wildlife Corridor with PES
In the first period, 15 properties totaling 50,635 acres were accepted in Collier, Desoto, Hendry, Highlands, Manatee, and Polk counties. The average payment per landowner is estimated at $34,600 annually.
Landowners also have the option to host trail cameras under the Cameras for Panther Conservation. This component documents panther presence to qualify for bonus payments. About 40% of enrolled landowners opted in.
Amber Crooks, the senior environmental policy manager from Conservancy ofSouthwest Florida, explained that "the PES program is just one part of the puzzle, and isn’t a replacement for some of the other initiatives that we know are ongoing or that are needed to protect panther habitat, such as money for public land acquisition and conservation easements that are permanent, and for panther crossings." "It’s also no replacement, either, for agencies to say ‘no’ when ranch lands are proposed for conversion to development,” she added.
The program represents initial steps in prioritizing conservation and staving off development.
