Florida Ranchlands

Florida ranches are complex systems operated within thin economic margins. Hardships often result in putting ranching operations out of business, and the ranch land being sold to development (Main, 2004). The economic, cultural, and environmental value Florida ranches offer benefits all of Florida’s citizens (Main, 2004). Population growth in Florida has resulted in increasing real estate values, making profitable ranch operations more difficult. Developers offers to purchase land become more appealing to ranch families as making a profit off the land becomes more difficult (Main, 2004). Nonetheless, ranching families have had this lifestyle instilled in them for generations, and many hope to pass on the lifestyle and land to future generations in lieu of selling out to developers (Gewin, 2020). One means of saving family land is for Florida ranchers to diversify sources of income in hopes of sustaining the ranch operation and lifestyle. The economic, cultural, and environmental value Florida ranches offer benefits all of Florida’s citizens, and avoiding the ecological degradation and cultural loss experienced when cattle ranches are lost to development enhances life throughout the state (Main, 2004). Federal, state, and local incentives, cost share, and easement programs are available to ranchers in return for the ecosystem services provided (The Florida Conservation Group, 2021). The implementation of these programs has the potential to attract and foster habitat for dozens of fish and wildlife species, improve and maintain the aesthetic value of the ranch landscape, aid in mitigating many water management issues plaguing the state, and make a lasting impact across regional landscapes and the entire state (Gewin, 2020). The process for enrollment in these conservation programs is often competitive and time consuming, making it difficult for landowners to navigate the various funding opportunities (The Florida Conservation Group, 2021). Ranchers need a guiding voice to navigate policy and funding opportunities and its application to the individualized ranch landscape. Design and management implications resulting from these programs need to be further explored so that both the rancher and environment benefit (Boughton et al, 2019). Further, how these programs translate to site scale design and benefits to the environment and rancher have been under-explored and under-documented. How can landscape architects be involved and become leaders in innovative strategies for the continued operation of working Florida cattle ranches? To address this question, I will focus on the ranch site scale, explore what these interventions look like on site, how a landscape architect’s diverse skill sets and knowledge can contribute to these projects, and examine the inherent benefits they provide toward creating an economically and environmentally sustainable ranch operation. It is my belief that Landscape Architects possess the skillset, knowledge, and thought process to identify interventions on ranch operations which may not have been identified by other disciplines or stakeholders currently involved. Identified interventions can be funded through the leveraging of public funding and payment for ecosystem services, to help plan for Florida’s ranching future. Through coordinating cross disciplinary collaborations on ranch projects and illustrating a long-term vision for ranch lands, landscape architects can maximize their potential in terms of both ranch operation profitability and ecosystem services provided by the landscape. I will begin with a literature review briefly recounting Florida’s history of cattle ranching, then explain the fundamentals of cattle ranching in the state and highlight the ecosystem services provided by ranches in Florida. I will then introduce readers to federal, state, and local programs available to ranchers to sustain their ranch operations both economically and ecologically. I will highlight landscape architects’ historic involvement in similar projects and perform case studies from relevant projects where lessons learned can inform design and management decisions on Florida ranches. This information will be used to inform a mock design, management, and planning proposal applied to an example Florida ranch. A discussion section will reflect on the lessons learned and future steps for furthering the landscape architect’s role in the design, management, and conservation of Florida’s ranchlands.

The Adams Ranch began in 1937, when Alto Adams Sr. bought several hundred head of scrub cows native to Florida. Today, Adams Ranch produces nearly 7,000 calves annually on 50,000 acres in Osceola, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie Counties. Divided into five main sections, A Florida Cattle Ranch tells the story of one cattle ranch, and also the story of one state, one way of life, and one family's stewardship. It provides readers with a brief history of Florida, recounting how early Spanish, English, and Scottish settlers brought plants and animals with them to the "Land of Flowers" and how they learned to live with the flora and fauna that already thrived here. It describes Florida's terrain and some of the fascinating and beautiful creatures that live in Florida and specifically on the Adams Ranch. It gives a history and description of Adams Ranch: how it began, how it has improved, and how it has stayed the same. And, finally, it issues a plea to all the citizens of Florida to care for this unique land and its inhabitants. Throughout, full-color photographs by Alto Adams Jr. punctuate descriptions of wildlife, terrain, and cattle--fluid shots of sandhill cranes and swallow-tailed kites in flight, an alligator showing her maternal instinct, a snowy egret's mating dance, an Osceola wild turkey roosting in a tree, and does with their fawns. A beautiful coffee table book to add to your collection.

Although concerns over the ecological impacts of pesticides gave rise to the environmental movement of the late 1960s and 1970s, since that time, pesticide use and its effects have been largely ignored by the law and by legal scholars. This book addresses this omission by providing a unique and serious treatment of the significance of pesticide issues in environmental law and takes an ecological perspective on the legal issues. Dealing with a wide range of questions relating to pests and pesticides, the book focuses primarily on agricultural pesticide use as the largest contaminator in the US. It also examines the legacy of past pesticide use and analyzes how recent developments in ecological science can inform the law and increase our understanding of ecology. Interdisciplinary in its approach, the book will be of interest to academics, lawyers, scientists and environmental and agricultural professionals.

Emphasizes Centrality of the Ecosystem PerspectiveSustainable management of agroecosystems in the 21st century faces unprecedented challenges. Protecting the environment while feeding a burgeoning population that could reach nine billion by mid-century, preserving the world's biodiversity, and sustaining agriculture in an increasingly urban world i

Visit a Florida where sunburn is the result of honest, hard work--not an afternoon at the beach "Without its lush ranchlands, there would be precious little left to see of old Florida, and nowhere for some of our most endangered wildlife to survive. Carlton Ward's colorful tribute to this dwindling frontier is also a call to save what remains of it. The alternative is unthinkable."--Carl Hiaasen "Ward's masterful photographs go beyond pictures of cowboys and the Florida landscape to taste the life, feel the land, and appreciate the importance of the past, present, and future of ranching in the unique environment of Florida."--Todd Bertolaet "Exploring the rich history and culture of the Florida ranch, this book opens a window to a world that many Floridians are unaware of, and teaches us why we should all care about this disappearing way of life."--Jason Hahn Drive a few miles beyond Disney World, past the gaudy souvenir shops, all-you-can-eat buffets, and chain hotels, and you'll find the largest producing cattle ranch in the world. Indeed, nearly one-fifth of the state is devoted to the cattle industry, and these working ranches play a vital role in Florida's economic health. Yet even as encroaching urban sprawl threatens their way of life, photographer Carlton Ward has been documenting the often unseen world of Florida cowboys. Every day before dawn, they saddle their horses, coil their lariats and whips, and ride out to work the herds. Over 15,000 ranches raise nearly two million head of cattle--the living legacies of the longest history of ranching in North America. Florida cowboys share their land with bears, panthers, and other endangered species, along with irreplaceable wetlands that help sustain the state's strained water resources. Complemented by twenty historical, cultural, and environmental essays from Dana Ste Claire, Joe Akerman, Auduon of Florida, and the Seminole Tribe, among others, Ward's stunning photographs capture the grit and raw beauty of inland Florida, its enduring cowboys, and the land they protect.

Research Handbook on Climate Change and Agricultural Law

In this excerpt from his autobiography, Timeless Echoes: The Life and Art of Robert Butler, Robert depicts the heritage of Florida ranches by sharing his experiences with Florida ranchers while archiving their way of life on canvas. The 57 ranch paintings included in the book reveal a way of life that is quickly disappearing from the fabric of Florida, succumbing to "progress." Butler paintings are distinctive in their dramatically lit, romanticized portrayals of his beloved wild Florida. His paintings are known to be finely detailed, while exuding an ethereal light in them, giving them an almost sacred quality, the music of his heart. In addition to his story and paintings, Robert gives a separate tribute to the Cracker Cowman, as well as one to the Cracker Cowgirl.

Updated with the latest data from the field, Environmental Science: Systems and Solutions, Fifth Edition explains the concepts and teaches the skills needed to understand multi-faceted, and often very complex environmental issues. The authors present the arguments, rebuttals, evidence, and counterevidence from many sides of the debate. The Fifth Edition includes new Science in Action boxes which feature cutting-edge case studies and essays, contributed by subject matter experts, that highlight recent and ongoing research within environmental science. With an "Earth as a system" approach the text continues to emphasize Earth's intricate web of interactions among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere, and how we are central components in these four spheres. This flexible, unbiased approach highlights:1. how matter cycles over time through Earth's systems2. the importance of the input-throughput-output processes that describe the global environment3. how human activities and consumption modify Earth's systems4. and the scientific, economic, and policy solutions to environmental problemsRevised and updated to reflect current trends and statistics within Environmental Science.New content on renewable energy, solar panels, and compact fluorescent light bulbs.The latest information on Hydropower and the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric energy.The companion website includes robust learning tools that enable students to make full use of today's learning technology. Students will find practice quizzes, virtual flashcards, answers to in-text questions, and links to additional coverage regarding material discussed in the text.Instructor Resources include an instructor's manual, Test Bank, PowerPoint Lecture Outline Slides, and a PowerPoint Image Bank.

Joined together in an extraordinarily close relationship, Walt Disney World and Orlando, Florida, have become the world's most popular tourist destination. This intriguing book traces the history of the ups and downs of this "marriage" and tells the inside story of Disney's use and abuse of unparalleled governmental powers. 23 illustrations.