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The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is endemic to the south eastern United States and occurs in habitats with well-drained sandy soils with open canopies. The gopher tortoise is a keystone species and more than 350 other species rely on the extensive burrow it maintains. The species is federally listed as Threatened west of the Mobile and Tombigbee Rivers, and is a Candidate for federal listing in the eastern portion of the range. The gopher tortoise is state-listed as Threatened in Florida. Non-regulatory, voluntary incentives for private landowners to conserve the species and its habitat are a priority focus of Florida's Gopher Tortoise Management Plan. A Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) pilot program is one of the priority incentives and has recently been implemented in a test phase. The objective of this PES pilot program is to incentivize landowner participation in conserving imperiled wildlife by continuing habitat management and land use practices that provides habitat for gopher tortoises. A total of eight landowners in southwest Florida have enrolled in this initial effort. The PES protocol is currently being tested over the course of 12-18 months. During this initial phase, methods and measurements are adapted based on data and feedback collected. Landowners are compensated based on the amount of suitable gopher tortoise habitat that occurs on their land using a regionally-adapted priority habitat model in combination with field verification. There is concern that the discrepancies in soils data present a challenge in identifying priority gopher tortoise habitat. As the test phase of this pilot program continues, habitat metrics and ecosystem valuation will be refined and improved. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission anticipates building on the lessons learned and successes of this pilot effort, and further exploring the use of PES to incentivize other wildlife conservation efforts in Florida.