Preserving Dixie County’s rural charm and natural heritage for future generations
The Agriculture 2040/2070 report demonstrates how the loss of as much as 2.2 million acres of agricultural land over the coming decades will impact the important contributions provided by agriculture to Florida’s economy and quality of life and threaten the conservation values that many of these lands provide. The Dixie 2040 project builds from this report for a closer look at what these findings mean for the Big Bend region.
Situated between the Suwannee and Steinhatchee Rivers, Dixie County is a place where natural beauty and rural traditions have been preserved for generations. With its expansive forests, winding rivers, and productive farmlands, Dixie offers a glimpse into Florida’s past—a landscape unspoiled and a community deeply rooted in its environment. As development pressures mount across Florida, safeguarding these unique lands becomes crucial to preserving Dixie County’s rural character. 1000 Friends of Florida works to empower local residents, landowners, and elected officials to protect Dixie’s environmental and agricultural resources, ensuring a sustainable future that honors the area’s rural heritage and natural charm.
Join us for the Dixie 2040 Project, a collaborative initiative between 1000 Friends of Florida and the University of Florida’s Center for Landscape Conservation Planning (CLCP). Our goal is to provide landowners and decision makers in DIxie County with the tools, strategies, and policy recommendations necessary to protect Florida’s vital wildlife corridor, protect Dixie’s County’s rural quality of life, and adapt to changing environmental and economic conditions.
Events
1000 Friends of Florida hosted a workshop in Cross City on November 21 sharing a presentation projecting the impacts on land use, the environment and the local economy in the future if Dixie County continues to follow its current patterns for growth and development. We reviewed how the county can aim for a more prosperous, resilient future, and maintain its rural character and high quality of life, through prudent planning, and capitalize on the opportunity to preserve environmentally and economically valuable portions of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Maps
The Florida Ecological Greenways Network (FEGN) is a statewide database that identifies and prioritizes a functionally connected statewide ecological network of public and private conservation lands. It is also the key layer providing the science foundation for the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Click the image above to view the UF Center for Landscape Conservation’s dashboard, and review Florida Wildlife Corridor lands identified in Dixie County.