Tallahassee, FL (February 4, 2016) - Today, President Barack Obama and the Department of Interior announced support for full funding of the federal Land and Water Conservation fund for Fiscal Year 2017. This includes funding for important Florida conservation areas such as the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Osceola National Forest, and Lathrop Bayou Habitat Management Area.

The funding will pay for land acquisition and restoration projects, including restoration of valuable Longleaf Pine habitat. Audubon Florida considers each of these projects conservation priorities and sent letters of support for them last year.

Statement from Eric Draper, Audubon Florida Executive Director:

“The Everglades Headwaters and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuges, Osceola National Forest, and Lathrop Bayou are some of the most remarkably diverse ecosystems in the state. This funding will help protect and restore habitat for imperiled birds like Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Brown-headed Nuthatches and for mammals like the Florida black bear. These places are also ‘must-experience’ destinations for tourists and nature-loving locals alike, generating millions of dollars for rural economies each year. I encourage Congress to support this important conservation budget proposal.”

###