State buys 1,300-acre Polk County property in effort to conserve habitat, protect Florida panther

POINCIANA, Fla. - Acres of land in Polk County are now protected in the hands of the state, in an effort to help protect Florida’s panthers and wildlife.

The governor and Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s cabinet approved on Tuesday the purchase of Creek Ranch, a 1,342-acre property in an area that environmental advocates call a missing piece in a bigger conservation picture.

"I’ve spent quite a few years, actually more than 10 years, hiking these properties with my dogs, and I’ve spent a lot of personal time out here with family and friends," said Jason Totoiu, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity.

The Polk County resident is happy he’ll continue to enjoy the area’s wildlife, as Creek Ranch is surrounded by conservation areas.

"It really was the missing piece that was needed to connect an area as far south as Lake Kissimmee State Park all the way north to the nature conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve," said Totoiu.

The Center for Biological Diversity pushed for the conservation of Creek Ranch, and the area not only fills a missing piece, but also provides opportunity. There’s potential there to help Florida’s panthers, a critically endangered species with roughly 200 of them left worldwide.

"Recently, it was discovered that a female panther with her young was spotted north of the Caloosahatchee River. That was the first time in many years that was documented," said Totoiu.

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There’s hope that connecting the corridors can give the panthers the opportunity to increase their numbers.

"Right now, they’re kind of relegated to Everglades National Park and Big Cypress and the areas south of us," said Totoiu. "It’s fantastic that a property like this helps us get there toward recovery by enabling panthers to move north."

The acquisition of Creek Ranch came just in time.

"The property had received development approvals for nearly 2,000 homes, and this area has already received quite a bit of development pressure in recent years," said Totoiu.

At the heart of it all, advocates believe Creek Ranch will also protect all the wildlife that call the area home, like gopher tortoises, black bears, wild turkeys, and hopefully the panther.

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"I fish Lake Hatchineha from time to time. I hike the state parks. So, I know the area quite well, and so it meant a lot when I heard the news. It really hit. It was just on a personal note great news," said Totoiu.

The Center for Biological Diversity said Creek Ranch’s greatest strength is its biodiversity, especially since it’s home to several endangered and threatened species. They expect Florida Fish and Wildlife will take over managing Creek Ranch and help with restoration.

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