Florida Cabinet approves Ryals Citrus and Cattle easement, offering a conservation win for Peace River

The Florida Cabinet has approved a conservation easement for Ryals Citrus and Cattle in Charlotte County, representing what many believe to be a victory for land and water conservation in the state and, more specifically, to the Peace River area. 

The conservation easement was secured through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP).

The Ryals family’s operation, spanning nearly 6,700 acres, has faced increasing development pressure as the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical Area — the fifth-fastest-growing region in the country — experiences rapid urbanization.

“We are seeing more parking lots, solar projects and houses than ever before,” said Jay Ryals, a fourth-generation rancher and owner of Ryals Citrus and Cattle. “Everybody wants to come to Florida because it’s beautiful, but we need to work to keep it that way. The RFLPP provides us with a pathway to preserve working lands for both agricultural and ecological purposes.”

To combat the growing threat of development, the Ryals family has placed large portions of their property into conservation easements. Last year, the family conserved nearly 3,000 acres through the RFLPP, an initiative designed to safeguard agricultural lands from urbanization. Another 3,700 acres of the Ryals’ land was protected through Wednesday’s Cabinet vote.

“Agriculture is an integral part of Florida,” Ryals said. “And if you eat, you’re involved in agriculture.”

The Ryals’ property plays a significant role in the hydrology of Southwest Florida. The land borders Prairie Creek, a critical waterway that supplies drinking water to Punta Gorda and surrounding areas. The ranch also serves as vital wildlife habitat, connecting Babcock Ranch and Myakka River State Park and expanding the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Nokomis-based Florida Conservation Group (FCG) assisted the Ryals family in conserving its holdings in Charlotte County. FCG worked with the state’s RFLPP and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Land Easement Program. The partnership allows the state to stretch its dollars by leveraging federal funds to maximize landscape-scale conservation for less money.

“Protecting this land is not just important for the Ryals family or Florida’s agricultural community — lands like the Ryals’ provide us with clean water, clean air, wildlife, green space and a local food supply,” said Julie Morris, executive director for FCG. “This is an important step in protecting the water resources of the Peace River Valley region, which filters the water that flows into Charlotte Harbor and the drinking water supply for surrounding communities.”

FCG includes scientists, ranchers and conservation and policy efforts who work to establish conservation easement and other incentive programs to conserve land in ways that are both science-based and economically viable to Florida’s economy.

Morris emphasized urgency. 

“By protecting this land today, we help ensure the well-being of the region for years to come. FDACS’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program is key to safeguarding our rural lands, but we have a short window to protect them before they are lost to development,” she said. “Funding our land protection programs is essential for preserving not only our rural lands but also the well-being of all Floridians and our society as a whole.”

Since the 1920s, generations of the Ryals family have called Florida home. Their century-long commitment to stewardship and conservation underscores the importance of balancing development with land conservation to protect Florida’s natural resources. The Ryals’ ongoing work is a testament to their resilience, responsibility and profound love for the land that has sustained them for generations.

“Ultimately, it is our duty to protect the land,” Ryals said.

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