ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced the selection of 15 properties for the Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Pilot Program.
The program, which aims to support the conservation of the Florida panther by incentivizing private landowners, received nearly 70 applications.
The selected properties cover more than 40,000 acres, and the FWC will distribute over $519,000 to participating landowners.
The Florida Panther PES Pilot Program is designed to encourage landowners to maintain and enhance habitat conditions suitable for the Florida panther, a species that has seen a remarkable recovery in recent decades.
In the 1990s, the Florida panther population had dwindled to less than 30 individuals. Today, thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers have increased to over 200.
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