(1) The Orlando/Kissimmee area of central Florida is one of the fastest growing new housing   markets in the United States and the head waters to the world renowned Osceola Plain/ Kissimmee River / Everglades watershed. The project site contains a high concentration of nesting bald eagles, as well as Florida scrub-120jay, wood stork, indigo snake, gopher tortoise and 35 other state and federally listed species.  In 1992 a partnership between The Walt Disney Company, The Nature Conservancy and five regulatory government agencies created The Disney Wilderness Preserve as the first large-scale, off-site mitigation project dedicated to restoring and protecting wetlands and 40 threatened/endangered species of flora and fauna in an intact ecosystem. The partnership set aside 8,350 acres of what was the former Walker Ranch.  That same year The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority joined the innovative partnership of public and private entities by funding the purchase, restoration and management of an additional 3,000 acres.  In 1997 Universal Studios Florida joined the collaboration bringing the total project size to 12,000 acres. The project is now considered a model and landmark partnership between regulators, the environmental community and corporate leaders.

(2) Rehabilitate damaged areas by restoring natural water fluctuation and introducing prescribed fire to the entire upland portions of the preserve. Success is monitored using more than 100 vegetation transects, several hundred ground water wells, photo points comparisons and historical photographs. Future development pressures and proposed land use changes, just outside of the current project boundaries, will undoubtedly have a long-term negative effect on some of the hydrological restoration work completed within the preserve. Partner plans will address future land conservation easements/acquisition and water protection in this growing region.

Non-Governmental Organizations:

·        Walt Disney World Company

·        Universal Studios Florida

·        The Nature Conservancy

Local Governmental Agencies:

·        Greater Orlando Aviation Authority

State of Florida Agencies:

·        Florida Department of Environmental Protection

·        South Florida Water Management District

·        Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Federal Agencies:

·        U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

·        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

·        The project plays a key role in restoring and protecting more than 4,000 acres of wetland along the headwaters of the Everglades .

·        The project provides a model for innovative public-private partnerships for wetland mitigation.

·        Partners continue to work to make the site one of the largest and most successful mitigation projects of its kind in the United States .