The Lightsey family has been running cattle in central Florida since the 1850s, but with 1,000 people moving to Florida daily, development encroaches on their legacy and the natural resources that support it. Cary Lightsey and his brother Layne have put 90 percent of their land on 10 ranches into conservation easements with the help of USDA and other groups. These …
Scott, Cabinet Approve Conserving Former Mission Site
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet agreed Wednesday to spend $660,060 to conserve 772 acres of ranchland in Madison County that four centuries ago included a Spanish mission. The Cabinet vote came without comment. The deal, which involves purchasing a “conservation easement,” would allow the Koblegard family to continue operating a cow and calf ranch on land it has …
Scott, Cabinet to Consider Conservation Deal
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet this week will consider a proposed deal that would help preserve more than 400 acres of rural land in Marion County and fill a gap in a greenway across part of the state. The deal would involve the state paying $742,424 for a 412-acre conservation easement on land within what is known as …