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Abstract
Florida is home to two dueling landscapes, the developed and the rural. Historically, Florida has held many of the US’ top agricultural lands. According to the 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture, Florida ranked second in the US for citrus acreage and fourth for vegetable production. However, Florida’s agricultural land is amongst the highest under threat of development. Between 2001-2016, 298,400 acres of agricultural land were developed or compromised (American Farmland Trust, n.d.). Due to the threat of development, many Florida counties have adopted tax and bond referendums dedicated to land conservation. On the November 2020 ballot, Manatee County, Florida residents approved a land conservation acquisition tax. This paper looks at how the conservation of one Manatee County property in particular, Whisenant Farms, would achieve the county’s aspiration to protect significant open lands. A three-part analysis will examine the historical, environmental, and community assets that Whisenant Farms contains.