ABSTRACT
Florida Forever's land acquisition strategy is ultimately one of maximizing environmental benefits given available funds. The goals of Florida Forever are myriad and extend far beyond the environmental land acquisition objectives. Florida Forever is a land acquisition program with a level funding fully matched by its level of sophistication in targeting properties for purchase. The state's growth management and public land acquisition policies have attempted to address the interaction of environment and urbanization rather than focus upon overcoming environmental obstacles to development. Ultimately, stronger growth management policy, especially in regards to urban containment, would greatly complement land acquisition by allowing key natural resources to be preserved at much lower costs. Babcock Ranch represents the largest single land purchase in the history of the Florida Forever and Preservation 2000 programs. Babcock Ranch illustrates possible inefficiencies in Florida's land resource preservation regime and tensions between the state's preservation program and the state's growth management approach.
