Natural Resources of Orlando, Florida: Water, Forests, Minerals & Sunshine

Seven Key Resource Categories

1. Water: Lakes (Eola, Ivanhoe, Conway), Floridan Aquifer—drinking, irrigation, recreation.
2. Forests: Ocala & Seminole State Forests—timber, biodiversity, hiking/camping.
3. Minerals: Limestone, sand, clay—construction aggregate, cement, glass.
4. Solar Energy: 230+ sunny days/yr; utility-scale solar farms (e.g., Duke Energy).
5. Wind Potential: Gulf proximity; emerging wind farms in central FL.
6. Agriculture: Citrus, vegetables, nurseries, sod—historically dominant, now suburbanizing.
7. Tourism Assets: Lakes, climate, proximity to theme parks drive $80B+ regional economy.

Orlando's resource base has shifted from extractive (citrus, phosphate) to amenity-based (sun, water, lifestyle).