Advocates warn Florida Forever, restoration programs face tight funding as budgets lag

Speakers at a 1000 Friends of Florida webinar emphasized that conservation programs face an uncertain funding outlook as the Legislature reaches the midpoint of its 2026 session.

"The governor proposed a $115,000,000 in his budget," Paul Owens said when framing the administration's conservation priorities, adding that the final appropriation last year amounted to $18,000,000. Owens warned that the Florida Forever program is "all but out of money."

Panelists highlighted other budget proposals aimed at land protection and resilience: the governor proposed $200,000,000 for the Roland Family Lands Protection Program and $15,000,000 each for the Florida Communities Trust and the Florida Recreational Development Assistance Programs. Presenters said last year's legislature allocated $250,000,000 to the Roland program.

Speakers advised advocates to watch house‑and‑senate budget drafts closely as differences in allocations become clear. "We may know the totals in the House and Senate budgets as soon as tomorrow," Owens said, urging conservation supporters to monitor committee activity and floor calendars.

Panelists also discussed restoration and resilience buckets in the governor's plan, including a proposed $1.4 billion for restoration and water‑quality projects and a proposed $208 million for community resilience grants. They said water‑quality and Everglades restoration funding varied by program and department priorities.

Presenters said the magnitude of state spending on these programs is small relative to the overall state budget but meaningful for land conservation and restoration projects. The webinar closed with a reminder that 1000 Friends will post slides and additional details on its website.