Interior secretary announces Fla. conservation refuge

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is creating a 4 million-acre conservation area in western Florida.

The Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area was announced Monday Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.

The 4 million-acre conservation area extends across 12 counties west of Lake Okeechobee between Lakeland and Naples. It includes the Peace River, Myakka River, Fisheating Creek and Caloosahatchee River watersheds and borders the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area.

Protecting endangered, threatened species

Everglades to Gulf is home to Florida black bears, Everglade snail kites, Florida panthers, sand skinks and more than 100 other threatened or endangered species.

The announcement came during a celebration commemorating the 121st anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System — a collection of 571 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetlandmanagement districts.

“I can think of no better way to celebrate the national wildlife system’s 121st birthday than right here at Pelican Island, and commemorate the newest addition to our special network of lands and waters,” said Haaland. “The national wildlife refuge system plays an invaluable role in providing vital habitat for wildlife, offering outdoor recreation and bolstering climate resilience.”

Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area is the fourth refuge established under Haaland after Wyoming Toad Conservation Area in Wyoming, Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee and Lost Trail Conservation Area in Montana.

Pelican Island was first refuge

Pelican Island is the nation’s first wildlife refuge — established in 1903 under President Theodore Roosevelt for the protection of birds from overhunting for the plume industry.

“The National Wildlife Refuge System plays an invaluable role in providing vital habitat for wildlife species, offering outdoor recreation access to the public, and bolstering climate resilience across the country,” Haland said. “Today, we celebrate the effort to preserve this working rural landscape, provide wildlife linkages, address the biodiversity crisis, and build resilience in the face of climate change, not just for our kids and grandkids, but for all future generations to come.”

The Everglades to Gulf Conservation

Area is a collaborative effort among members of the public, Tribes and private landowners, the Fish & Wildlife Service said in a news release. It will help conserve important habitat to support recreation and working lands, protect species, address the biodiversity crisis and build resilience in the face of climate change, Assistant Secretary for Fish & Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz said in the news release.

Nick Slater is TCPalm’s Indian River County Watchdog reporter. You can reach him at Nick.Slater@tcpalm.com and 224-830-2875.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, front left, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams celebrate after adding a plank to the walkway introducing three new wildlife refuges – in Wyoming, Montana and Tennessee – at Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge on March 11 in Indian River County.