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Land costs squeeze Florida conservation programme |
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Florida's conservation programme, Florida Forever, is being squeezed by the state's sizzling real estate market.
 The escalating land values are also hurting the ability of local governments to buy property considered vital to wildlife preservation, watershed protection and recreation. "Real estate has gone completely out of control in Florida. It's really a speculatively driven market,'' said Mark Glisson, staff director of the state's Acquisition and Restoration Council, which selects land that Florida Forever buys.
While land values are rising at rates double and triple inflation, the money the state sets aside for conservation remains at $300 million a year. About a third of that, $96 million, goes to the Florida Forever land acquisition program to buy larger tracts totaling tens of thousands of acres.
Full story at TBO.com.
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