We call on Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Senate to remove and replace current members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) who have strong financial ties to the real estate and development industry.

Our state's wildlife, natural spaces, and rural lands are under threat—not just from environmental pressures, but from a commission stacked with business interests that directly conflict with conservation.

Florida’s natural resources are not for sale.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is meant to protect our ecosystems, wildlife, and public lands, but instead it is being run by individuals whose primary interests are in land development, real estate, and private profit.

This is a clear conflict of interest.

Commissioners like Rodney Barreto, Gary Lester, Steven Hudson, and others come from backgrounds in development, automotive expansion, and private investment—industries that benefit from relaxed environmental protections.

Meanwhile, rural boundaries passed by over 70% of voters are being threatened by legislation (SB 1118, HB 1209) that aligns disturbingly well with these commissioners' business goals.

We, the undersigned, demand:

1. Immediate removal or non-reappointment of FWC commissioners with clear conflicts

of interest.

2. Their replacement with qualified ecologists, wildlife experts, conservationists, Indigenous leaders, or community representatives without financial ties to development.

3. Full transparency in future appointments, including public vetting of nominees’ business interests.

4. A public commitment from the Governor to protect Florida’s rural lands and ecosystems over private profits.

Florida belongs to its people, its wildlife, and future generations—not to developers disguised as conservationists.