Dear Commissioners, 

I’m unable to attend this important update of work on the Ag Land Protection Strategy today, and want to express my strong support for this strategy to be an integral part of our conservation and land management policies.  


As noted in the presentation, this affects viability of all corridors, water quality and recharge, and local food production. 
It is essential in dealing with climate destabilization, protecting and increasing practices that provide for, and increase, biodiversity,  restore  communities' social and economic viability— both rural and urban, and build resilience in these interconnected areas we all care about!  

Making good stewardship and management economically viable is an important way to reach not just 30x30 goals, but could reach 50x 50 goals. 
That a majority of our ag in the county are grazing lands, gives us tremendous opportunity to promote the stewardship practices of adaptive grazing, silvopasture and others that have amazing results in just a few years time, for water, biodiversity and wildlife as well as economic benefits to the land stewards. 
I was glad to see recognition of the value of local production and local purchasing and use. Local and regional focus, coupled with diversity are important. 

I urge your support for this work, the vision it creates, and the practical positive effects it will have on our entire county and beyond. 

Thank you 
Nancy Deren 

The recent 4 part webinar series by 1000 Friends of Fl is excellent in ideas and examples, following the film Path of the Panther showing that ranches are essential to the Fl Wildlife Corridor. 
In addition, filmmaker Peter Byck has recently released his  years of research and filming in the Southeast,  on the importance of grazing and farming practices called Roots So Deep You Can See the Devil Down there — here is the trailer: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PpPmkSAiEw&t=1s__;!!KOmxaIYkRmNA0A!XTIoK7Gf0jbeGbgLIi-bsZWhO8GFa3Be2iaXTPT7sCwnB6ptcCREpIoEC-d3uhsOXyJRUGmnfjvFVgyGWT_v$  

And the trailer for the film  Regenerating Life on the importance of our water systems https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d98Yzq-Lns__;!!KOmxaIYkRmNA0A!XTIoK7Gf0jbeGbgLIi-bsZWhO8GFa3Be2iaXTPT7sCwnB6ptcCREpIoEC-d3uhsOXyJRUGmnfjvFVi9xB_jJ$ 

I know we need to fit this into our existing Alachua County Forever / Wild Spaces parameters, but encourage also keeping in mind how valuable additional aspects of agriculture can be, if we find ways to  build or take advantage of program for long term habitat leases, and to educate and engage the public in recognizing and supporting agriculture as conservation  through programs like Homegrown National Parks, Bee city, etc 

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