Davie, FL, USA – Photo of Major William Lauderdale and The Seminole Wars memorial statue – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Felix Mizioznikov
In an effort to aid wildlife in moving north and away from the center of the Everglades, the state recently purchased a sizable portion of land close to Devil’s Garden in Hendry County.
About 17,229 acres of the Devil’s Garden Florida Forever Project were secured last week by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
According to state documents, the purchase represents one of the largest DEP acquisitions in recent years and is a part of a program that acquired 82,000 acres throughout the Sunshine State.
According to DEP documents, the cost of the properties as a whole was $141 million, though the precise sum for the Devil’s Garden plot wasn’t immediately available on Friday.
“That area is a really critical piece when you’re looking at connectivity and making sure we have a functional corridor and landscape for the Florida panther,” said Meredith Budd, director of external affairs at the Live Wildly Foundation. “At the moment the Florida panther is pretty limited to Southwest Florida.”
Big cats’ primary breeding ground is the neighboring Big Cypress National Preserve, and the panther’s recovery plans call on increasing its population north of the Caloosahatchee River.
Before an animal to be delisted, the Endangered Species Act stipulates that there must be three distinct populations in the Southeastern United States.
A population of 240 big cats would be required in places like Georgia or perhaps Missouri for the species to be deemed protected and safe from extinction under that plan, which would include two colonies outside of Florida.
Devil’s Garden, which is made up of a sizable area of former pasture and natural lands, was put on the state’s list of prospective purchases in 2002.
The Okaloacoochee Slough is right next to the property.
The land spans 18 miles from east to west and 6 miles from north to south at one point.
The Florida Wildlife Corridor: What is it?
According to Budd, the site is a component of Florida’s 18 million-acre wildlife conservation area known as the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Ten million of those acres, according to Budd, are currently protected.
“It’s a legacy for the state, and the leadership that approved that is setting the stage and future for Florida,” Budd said.
Numerous endangered plants and animals can be found on the Devil’s Garden property, which is an ideal panther habitat.
The Sam Jones Story
During the Seminole Wars, the area was known as Devil’s Garden by American troops who believed the Seminole chief at the time to be “the devil.”
The man, who was known to American leaders as Sam Jones, had a vegetable garden nearby, and his camp turned into a Seminole stronghold.
After being chased, arrested, and slain by American troops for decades, some of the last remaining native people found refuge at his camp.
Jones farmed and used land that was known as the Devil’s Garden; to this day, road signs north of the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation bear this moniker.
North of the Big Cypress National Preserve, the property will be added to the Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area under the management of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC.
“Land conservation is critical to the protection of our natural landscapes and water resources which are integral for healthy ecosystems and wildlife, outdoor public recreation, and water supply,” said DEP secretary Shawn Hamilton in a press release.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
