The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has completed its first enrollment period for the Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Pilot Program.

According to FWC, this program aims to reward private landowners with per-acre payments for providing habitat conditions that support panther conservation and landscape connectivity, benefiting both landowners and panthers.

The announcement on Monday said the program received 69 applications covering over 172,000 acres in 14 counties; however, only 59 applications met eligibility criteria.

Participating landowners will receive annual payments over 3 years to maintain or improve habitat conditions that benefit panthers. The FWC will pay out $519,012 to enrolled landowners, as this will be the agency’s first year conducting this initiative.

The FWC offers the ” Protect the Panther “ license plate for those who wish to participate in conservation efforts separate from the PES program. 

Nicholas Karsen is a Digital Specialist and has been with WINK News since May 2023.