Keeping Florida’s Lands Working: A Future We Can Depend On by Tim L. Tetzlaff

Tim L. Tetzlaff, Director of Conservation, Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

When I was a boy in the 1970s, there were only three businesses north of Pine Ridge Road on US 41. The drive to Fort Myers was a stretch of palmettos and pines, a landscape that felt untouched. Perhaps that’s why I still prefer state routes over the interstate on my regular trips across Florida.

Driving through wild Florida while spotting a crested caracara take flight or a kingfisher perched over a canal turns a long commute into a morning well spent. And in most cases, that “wild” Florida only exists because of the families who have cared for these ranches and open landscapes for generations. Many of these vast private landscapes are part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, the network of lands that allows panthers, black bears, and countless other species to survive and thrive. They also ensure fresh food is grown close to home, keep the water flowing from our taps clean, and preserve open spaces beyond our state and federal parks. These lands play a critical role in flood prevention, water filtration, and quality of life for Florida’s rapidly growing communities. Yet, these lands that resemble the US 41 of my youth can just as easily follow the same route.

Florida’s Unseen Conservationists
We often picture conservation as something that happens in national parks or protected wetlands, but some of Florida’s best conservationists go unnoticed, wearing boots and cowboy hats. The same land that feeds us also serves as habitat for wildlife. Ranchers are not just managing cattle; they are stewards of entire ecosystems, keeping water tables healthy, maintaining tree canopies, and preserving the last open landscapes with land management practices that prevent our state from becoming one endless subdivision. Many ranchers implement Best Management Practices that help protect water quality, restore native habitats, and ensure that working lands remain environmentally sustainable.

Florida is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, and every year, more family ranches are lost to development. Ranchers face increasing development pressures, and for some families, the economic challenges make passing land down to the next generation more complex.

Losing Land Means Losing More Than We Think
The Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, passed in 2021, recognized that protecting these lands is critical not just for wildlife, but for all Floridians—and for our economy. With an annual impact exceeding $180 billion, Florida’s agriculture generates more revenue than tourism. Keeping these lands in production ensures a local food supply and reduces our dependence on outside sources. Ranchlands act as natural water filters, recharging Florida’s aquifers, while their grasslands absorb heavy rains, reducing flood risks. They also offer panthers, deer, bears, and other species space to roam and support a balanced ecosystem, ensuring diverse wildlife populations.

A New Way Forward: Supporting the Landowners Who Keep Florida Wild
There is a better solution than developing ranches—one that keeps land working while making conservation financially viable. A pilot Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) program is getting started to compensate landowners for keeping their land working. This makes conservation a financially smart choice and recognizes ranchers for what they already do: care for the land in a way that benefits all of us. Many Florida land stewards, including ranchers and Indigenous communities, have long worked to keep these landscapes intact. Supporting these efforts is essential to maintaining Florida’s natural heritage.

What Can We Do?
Programs like PES and Conservation Easements help keep these lands working for both ranchers and Florida’s future. Easements compensate landowners for permanently protecting their land and are a key tool for those who want to keep their land in agriculture while staving off the financial pressures pushing them toward development. True conservation means
standing with the people who live and work on the land every day. At the same time, smart growth planning ensures that Florida’s booming population can be accommodated without sacrificing critical landscapes. Policymakers and business leaders alike have the opportunity to invest in conservation-minded solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.

A Florida Worth Passing On
That wilderness drive to Fort Myers of my past is no longer, but as Florida’s open lands dwindle, we need to think about the future. The good news? The solution is already here. By keeping Florida’s lands working, we can ensure fresh food on our tables, clean water in our homes, and a future we can depend on.

So the next time you pass a pasture on a country drive, remember: it’s more than just open space. It’s a working landscape and a legacy that sustains Florida’s future.

To learn more or support these efforts, visit NaplesZoo.org/conserve

Together, we can create a brighter, more resilient future for people and wildlife.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit entrusted with educating families and caring for rare species in a century old historic garden. Since 2014, Naples Zoo has invested over $3.5 million saving plants and animals in the wild and fully funds the annual salary of 27 field staff in 7 countries including three wildlife veterinarians.

To learn more about how you can invest in a better future for people and wildlife, email tim@napleszoo.org.