Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area

Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Location	Hardee County, Highlands County, and Polk County, Florida, United States
Nearest city	Avon Park Lakes, Florida
Coordinates	27°39′N 81°31′W / 27.650°N 81.517°W / 27.650; -81.517Coordinates: 27°39′N 81°31′W / 27.650°N 81.517°W / 27.650; -81.517
Area	900 acres (3.6 km2)
Established	1991 (1991)
Governing body	United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

The Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, created in 2012, the newest addition and 556th unit of the United States National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) System, began with 10 acres (4.0 ha) donated to the conservation effort as part of the Obama administration's America's Great Outdoors Initiative.

The NWR is managed by the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge Complex that also includes the Pelican Island NWR, Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, and the Archie Carr NWR.

Ken Salazar announced the creation of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, that is, and will be, a large area of land south of Orlando and to the north of Lake Okeechobee. The original donation was 10 acres but is targeted for 50,000 acres. Florida pioneered Rural and Family Lands Protection Act provides funding for easements on thousands of acres of working ranches in the Everglades system, as part of the Everglades restoration, targeted to be 100,000 acres. Another new NWR is also planned for the area between the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge in the Southwest and the new Everglades Headwaters NWR.

On March 24, 2016, the Adams Ranch in Fort Pierce was the first set of conservation easements added to the NWR, followed the Hatchineha Ranch owned by the Nature Conservancy, Adams Ranch, Camp Lonesome, Tiger Cattle Company and the Idols Aside property, totalling more than 4,214.99 acres (1,705.75 ha) with an additional 1,502.26 acres (607.94 ha) of purchased land that includes 400 acres (160 ha) of donated land. The added land and leases were provided by a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) of $12.5 million used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These added conservation easements, fee acquisitions, and purchases will ensure protection for gopher tortoise and the endangered Florida grasshopper sparrow.