Florida’s Untamed Heart: The Great Florida Prairie
Pictured above: Erin Myers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist, and Lefty Durando, FCG Chairman and rancher, surveying for the Florida grasshopper sparrow in Okeechobee, Florida. The Great Florida Prairie—a region occupying much of south-central and interior southwest Florida—is an ecological gem that few Floridians or visitors know. The Prairie…
Charles Stevens: Cattle, Citrus and Conservation in the Peace River Valley
Forty-five years ago, cattleman Charles Stevens was asked by the Hardee County Commission to work with a regional planning council on preserving 35,000 acres of county land to keep it from being developed. Stevens, like other ranchers in the county, pushed back. They didn’t believe their old prairie lands and…Florida Conservation Group Awarded $2.4 Million Grant for Longleaf Pine Conservation in North Florida
Nokomis, FL – The Florida Conservation Group (FCG) has received a $2.4 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to support sustainable longleaf pine conservation efforts on private lands in North Florida's Big Bend and Springs regions.FCG, in partnership with Common Ground Ecology (CGE), will use the…Florida Conservation Group Secures Permanent Protection for 10,000 Acres in Florida’s Northern Everglades
Florida Conservation Group Partners with Florida ranchers to Protect our Agriculture, Wildlife and Waterater Resources Nokomis, FL — On December 17, the Florida Cabinet approved conservation easements protecting over 10,000 acres in Florida’s Northern Everglades and Kissimmee Valley. In collaboration with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS),…A Century of Stewardship: The Ryals Family’s Legacy of Agriculture and Conservation in Florida
Since the 1920s, generations of the Ryals family have called Florida home. They have worked hard on their land surrounding Prairie Creek and developed a deep-rooted connection to Florida’s rich agricultural heritage. This year marks a significant milestone for Ryals Citrus and Cattle, as the family’s cow-calf and watermelon operation…Florida Conservation Group Secures $21 Million in NRCS Funding for Peace River Valley Conservation
Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program Will Match NRCS Funds for Projects in the Region to Double the Investment Nokomis, FL — The Florida Conservation Group (FCG) has been awarded a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project funded by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). With…
