South Florida Wildlands Association

Protecting South Florida's Wildlife and Habitats since 2010

Founded in 2010, South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA) works to protect wildlife and natural habitats throughout the Greater Everglades. For sixteen years, we've fought to preserve the extraordinary natural heritage of South Florida - from its national parks and wetlands to the remaining wilderness that endangered species depend on for survival.

Our work has helped achieve important conservation victories:

Protecting National Parks and other public lands: Working with NPS  and FWC staff, SFWA has played an active role in developing management plans for Everglades, Biscayne, and Big Cypress National Preserve. Our efforts helped strengthen protections for Florida Bay's fragile seagrass beds, safeguard sensitive wetlands and wildlife habitats from damaging off-road vehicle use in the Big Cyprerss, and advanced the creation of a 10,000-acre marine reserve to protect Biscayne National Park's coral reefs. SFWA also serves on the Management Advisory Groups for South Florida's state Wildlife Management Areas.

Defending Florida's Black Bears: SFWA helped lead the successful effort to halt Florida's controversial black bear hunts following the disastrous 2015 hunt. With bear hunting in Florida recently resumed, we continue advocating for solutions that address the real threats to bears: habitat destruction and access to human food sources.

Stopping a Destructive Highway: SFWA helped defeat the massive M-CORES toll road proposal, which threatened to carve through some of Florida's most important remaining wildlife habitats. Our public records investigation uncovered a federal wildlife biologist's warning about the highway's devastating consequences for the endangered Florida panther and other wildlife which was instrumental in the Florida Legislature's cancellation.

Fighting Oil Drilling in the Everglades: Through lawsuits, public advocacy, and organizing, SFWA challenged oil drilling and seismic exploration across the Greater Everglades. Our efforts contributed to stopping four proposed projects, protecting tens of thousands of acres of sensitive habitat, and advancing stronger safeguards against future drilling.

Our Greatest Challenge Lies Ahead

Today, much of SFWA's work focuses on the accelerating destruction of wildlife habitat in Southwest Florida. Thousands of acres of forests, wetlands, and open lands are being targeted for residential and commercial development - including core habitat for the endangered Florida panther, the last surviving puma population in the eastern United States.

With government agencies continuing to approve development in the panther's shrinking habitat, the future of this iconic species is increasingly uncertain. SFWA is fighting back through public advocacy, scientific research, government oversight. In April 2026, SFWA and allied conservation organizations filed a federal lawsuit targeting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its approval of a major development known as Rural Lands West/Town of Big Cypress. A successful outcome of our lawsuit will be a game-changer in terms of how Florida panther habitat is protected into the future.

This Give Miami Day, your support can help us continue the fight. Protecting the Greater Everglades and the remarkable wildlife that call it home is a responsibility we share - and one we cannot afford to abandon.