Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape
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Florida
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Established 2016
About
Located in south central Florida between Orlando and Lake Okeechobee, the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape (APAFRSL) covers approximately 1,700,000 acres of land, anchored by the US Air Force’s largest primary air-to-ground training range east of the Mississippi River which is used by every branch of the Armed Forces. The region is known for its rich biodiversity, nature-dependent rural economies rooted in a culture of ranching, and the Lake Wales Ridge - a globally unique ecosystem that is home to many rare and endangered plant and animal species and one of Florida’s most productive aquifers, supplying water to more than 1 million people. As the headwaters of the Everglades, the landscape plays a crucial role in water quality, quantity, and storage capacity and houses the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, a 900-acre parcel that offers excellent public outdoor recreational and educational opportunities. The sentinel landscape also contains a sizable portion of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a state legislative and executive priority area for wildlife connectivity conservation and protection of rural economies.
In 2016, more than 30 local partners collaboratively formed the APAFRSL to protect the region’s natural resources, support agricultural working lands, strengthen military readiness, and provide educational and recreational opportunities while contributing to Florida’s economy. Within the landscape, willing landowners receive technical land management and financial assistance. Among the many options available to landowners is establishing conservation easements which enable landowners to keep their land in perpetuity for future generations, while usually continuing to maintain agricultural operations.
Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Documentary
Total Funding by Partner
| Partner | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USDA | $0.92M | $0.57M | $1.47M | $1.58M | $13.32M | $0.00M | $3.41M | $0.98M | $3.96M |
| DoD | $1.50M | $6.60M | $1.00M | $1.20M | $2.00M | $2.85M | $5.99M | $2.50M | $8.61M |
| DOI | $3.15M | $7.24M | $2.80M | $3.10M | $2.08M | $0.00M | $0.04M | $0.12M | $0.00M |
| State | $1.64M | $7.42M | $6.70M | $4.32M | $39.49M | $1.24M | $14.23M | $9.69M | $23.69M |
| Local | $0.00M | $0.00M | $0.56M | $0.60M | $0.69M | $0.50M | $0.00M | $0.00M | $0.00M |
| Private | $0.65M | $0.00M | $0.00M | $1.44M | $1.82M | $0.00M | $0.14M | $0.00M | $0.18M |
Total Acres Protected and Enrolled
| Acres Protected (Since Designation) | 74802 |
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| Acres Enrolled (During FY23) | 144893 |
Our Partners
Federal Partners
- Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area
- Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (FSA)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
- U.S. Department of Defense, Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI)
- U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
State Partners
- Central Florida Regional Planning Council
- Division of State Lands
- Enterprise Florida
- Florida Defense Alliance
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Florida Department of Commerce
- Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Florida Department of Transportation
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Florida Forest Service
- South Florida Water Management District
- Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS)
- Southwest Florida Water Management District
- The Florida Defense Support Task Force
- University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning
- University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Resources
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Avon Park Sentinel Landscape Profile
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The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow: Connecting a Sentinel Landscape
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Path of the Panther Official Trailer
Meet the Coordinator
Sheila McNamara
Sheila McNamara serves as the Coordinator for the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape working to protect continuity of military missions, working agricultural lands, and protection of wildlife and natural resources by empowering private landowners. She also serves as the Regional Resiliency Manager for the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, where she works with members of the Heartland Regional Resiliency Coalition and community partners on vulnerability assessments, nature-based solutions, and regional resiliency planning efforts.
Sheila has more than 25 years of service leadership experience in strategic planning and implementation, land and water management, agriculture and environmental stewardship, sustainability and resiliency, and education focused on proactively protecting and sustaining historical, cultural, and ecological significance while balancing economic needs. Prior to coming to CFRPC, Sheila led the Sustainability Office for Hillsborough County, FL and the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act Agricultural & Silvicultural Program in Virginia. Sheila firmly believes that sound science and education drive collaboration, leading to opportunities for collaboration and mutual gains.
Hannah Quenga (Resilience Specialist)
Hannah joined the Avon Park AFR Sentinel Landscape team in June of 2024. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Geospatial Analysis, complemented by a minor in Public Health. In her role as the APAFRSL Resilience Specialist, she supports the Sentinel Landscape Coordinator and partners by providing outreach and technical assistance and helps to identify, implement, and accelerate collaborative projects aimed at enhancing resilience. Previously, while working with the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Hannah examined historical land use and urban development practices for the Brevard Sea Grant project, using Geographic Information Systems to highlight the importance of preserving open spaces. At Volusia County Environmental Management, she identified and compiled Best Management Practices to develop a comprehensive Low Impact Development Technical Manual and an incentive matrix to encourage sustainable development practices. Hannah is passionate about crafting a future where resilience and sustainability thrive hand in hand.