Instead, they are sweeping existing funds into the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program<\/a>, which pays farmers and ranchers NOT to develop their land.<\/p>\n Smart said he supports the Rural and Family Lands Program, but those conservation easements are not enough.<\/p>\n “Easements have a place, if you’re talking solely in terms of trying to prevent some lands from being developed,” he said. “But the problem with easements is they don’t offer the same sort of public benefits that outright acquiring the land does.”<\/p>\n “Florida continues to grow population-wise, but we’re going to need new parks. We’re going to need new public spaces. We’re going to need new places where people can fish and bike and hike and kayak,” Smart said. “How are we going to acquire them if we’re not going to acquire some of these Florida Forever lands?”<\/p>\n Florida Wildlife Corridor <\/p>\n Land like this is considered a prime candidate for preservation.<\/p>\n This comes just three years after lawmakers committed to spending at least $100 million a year on Florida Forever.<\/a><\/p>\n Since the program was begun in 2000, the state has purchased more than 1 million acres of land. The program and its predecessor, Preservation 2000, have preserved more than 2.6 million acres in the state.<\/p>\n![\"Palm](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1780048636_147_.jpeg\"\/)
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