Representatives from UCF and the Nature Conservancy signed an agreement this summer to cooperatively develop research programs in conservation and ecological sciences at the Disney Wilderness Preserve.  The 12,000 acre preserve was established in 1992 through an agreement with the Walt Disney Company and public agencies.  The Nature Conservancy owns and manages the land, and, as a result of 15 years of extensive restoration, it has become a thriving natural ecosystem, supplying food and shelter for a variety of native plants and animals.   Ross Hinkle, chair of UCF’s Department of Biology, said the agreement will formalize a longstanding working relationship with the Nature Conservancy and will give UCF students and researchers an exciting opportunity to work in one of the area’s most pristine habitats.   The Disney Wilderness Preserve is located just south of Orlando, at the headwaters of the Everglades in Osceola and Polk counties.










Return to Main Page