Seminar: Conservation Opportunities for Agricultural Lands
Friday, September 28, 2007
Putnam County Extension Office, East Palatka
8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Conservation Trust for Florida is one of the primary sponsors for the upcoming seminar, Conservation Opportunities for Agricultural Lands. Lunch will be provided.
To RSVP call (386) 329-0318 Putnam County Extension
Sponsors:
Putnam, St Johns and Flagler County Extension Service
Putnam Land Conservancy (PLC)
Conservation Trust for Florida, Inc. CTF)
Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT)
Seminar Program
8:30 a.m. Coffee/Arrival
9:00 a.m. Seminar Introduction — Conservation Easements —Moderator Tommy Clay, Jr.
9:15 a.m. Tools for Permanently Protecting Ag Lands — Panel #1
- Frank Yong PA — Conservation Easements:
- Easement Basics
- Tax Consequences of Easements
- Ernie Cox — Creative Tools:
- Purchase of Development Rights
- Transfer of Development Rights
- Rural Lands Stewardship
- Other Innovative Thinking
- Mike Candler MAI — Appraising Conservation Easements
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Voluntary Programs for Conserving Agricultural Lands — Panel #2
- Sarah Owen — Florida Wildlife Federation
- Stephen Gran – Hillsborough County
- Ed Kuester — Florida Rural and Family Lands Protection Program
12:00 p.m. Lunch —
1:00 p.m. Agricultural Landowner Experiences — Panel #3
- Sean Sexton — Treasure Hammock Ranch, Indian River County
- Freddie Wood – Evinston, Alachua County
1:45 p.m. Seminar Wrap-Up — Moderator Tommy Clay, Jr.
Speakers’ Experience
Tommy Clay, Jr. is president of the Putnam Land Conservancy and past president of the Florida Cattleman’s Association (FCA). The family farms and ranches 3000 acres in West Putnam County. They are creating a conservation easement through the Florida Forever Program.
Frank Yong has been practicing in the areas of Income Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Probate and Partnership Law for 19 years. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida in accounting where he graduated magna cum laude and his law degree from the University of Florida with honors and his Masters in taxation in 1988. His interests include ranching and he is an avid hunter. His clients include large landowners in the North Florida area.
Ernie Cox, Esq. is President of Family Lands Remembered, LLC, which focuses on protecting Florida’s environmental, cultural and agricultural resources using creative land planning and market-based incentive strategies. Formerly the chair of the Gunster Yoakley law firm’s Conservation, Stewardship and Rural Development group, Ernie previously served on the Rural Lands Subcommittee of the Governor’s Committee for a Sustainable Treasure Coast.
Michael Candler is co-owner of Candler Appraisal Services, a commercial real estate appraisal firm in Lake City. Mr. Candler has been appraising real estate in Florida for 33 years. Over the past ten years a large portion of this work has concentrated on environmentally sensitive lands including Conservation Easements and other partial interest valuations. For these assignments his clients consist of local, state and federal governmental agencies and not-for-profit land conservation entities.
Sarah Owen, a 3rd generation Floridian, is the Planning Advocate for the Florida Wildlife Federation Northeast office. She is a certified land use planner with a masters degree from the University of Florida. She works on growth management issues involving comprehensive plan amendments and advocates for programs which will protect the integrity of our agricultural and natural heritage.
Stephen Gran as the Manager of the Agriculture Industry Development Hillsborough County Economic Development Department assists in efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses. He serves as a liaison between County Government and the agriculture community. Stephen earned his B.S. and M.S. Degrees in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Florida.
Edward F. Kuester III is the Program Administrator for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Forestry and is the State Coordinator for Forest Legacy. He has spent over 35 years in state and local governmental land acquisition and was the Chief of the Bureau of Land Acquisition (DEP) throughout the Florida Preservation 2000 years.
Sean Sexton is the manager of the Treasure Hammock Ranch, a cow/calf operation in Vero Beach owned and run by the Sexton family for nearly 65 years. Sean also is a locally renowned artist who has inspired many with his paintings and etchings of Florida’s natural and agricultural environment.
Freddie Wood and his family have farmed and ranched in Evinston, Florida since the 1880’s. He operates the oldest working post office in Florida with this wife. He is creating a conservation easement on 170 of his property with Alachua County Forever, Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Many Thanks to:
- Edsel Redden, Putnam County Extension Service
- David Dinkins, St. Johns County Extension Service
- Mark Warren, Flagler County Extension Service
About Sponsoring Land Trusts
Putnam Land Conservancy (PLC) is a regional, nonprofit Florida land trust dedicated to working cooperatively with landowners and public and private conservation partners to preserve and protect important natural areas and open spaces-- including wetlands and waters, forests and farmlands, and environmentally significant habitats--for this and future generations. PLC focuses on Putnam County, but our range of activity comprises the tri-county (Putnam-Alachua-Clay) region.
PO Box 8
Palatka, Florida 32178
(386) 336-5400
plc@putnamlandconservancy.org
Conservation Trust for Florida, Inc. (CTF) is a nonprofit that protects rural lands throughout Florida that are vital to the state's character and economy through conservation easements and land purchases, and by helping rural landowners retain their traditional and productive land-use activities. Its mission is to protect the rural landscapes of Florida. It focuses on farms, ranches, working forests, and natural areas that provide landscape connections. CTF has assisted in protecting more than 5000 acres since it started in 1999.
PO Box 134
Micanopy, Florida 32667
(352)466-1178
info@conserveflorida.org
Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) is a local, non-profit land trust that works with landowners to protect our great places. The mission of Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) is to protect the natural, historic, scenic and recreational resources in and around Alachua County, Florida. ACT protects land through purchase, donation, conservation easement and bargain sale. Since its incorporation in 1988, ACT has facilitated more than 13,000 acres of public land purchases and private conservation easements.
12 West University Avenue Suite 201
Gainesville, Florida 32601
(352) 373-1078
info@alachuaconservationtrust.org
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