PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 5, 1999 - "The dollar sign," a voice boomed from the back of the room. "That’s what interests me most."

The professional facilitators running the workshop had spent the morning posting more than 60 yellow 4x6 cards to a large "Idea Map" taped to the wall as five speakers had described ways in which cattlemen could profit from the natural resources on their properties. The lead facilitator, Margaret C. Runchey of CS3 Consulting Services in North Palm Beach, then asked the audience: "Which of these ideas interests you the most?"

There was no argument. Of the six headings under which the idea cards had been grouped, the one labeled Big $ Ideas had everyone’s attention.

The ideas were broken down into Traditional Agriculture, Niche Agriculture, Hunting, Sports & Hobbies, Financial & Incentive Programs, Attractive Amenities and Tours. The five other headings played supporting roles: Things We Need to Know, Things We Need to Do, Resources Needed, Stumbling Blocks and Marketing Tips.

"There’s real value in coming to something like this," one participant said to another. "Hearing yours and others’ situations, I don’t feel so alone myself. I’ve heard some good ideas, too, some of which might even fit for me."

The two-day workshop had begun with a focus on agri-tourism. More than 60 people had gathered on the morning of February 4 in the auditorium of the Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce. Welcomes were given by Bert Tucker, president of Florida Cattlemen’s Association; Dr. Calvin Arnold, the Research and Education Center Director; and Bud Adams, the workshop’s honorary host. An overview of the growth potential of nature-based tourism was provided by Dr. Taylor Stein, Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida.

Dr. Stein shared an impressive array of statistics. The fastest-growing recreational activity in the nation is birdwatching, followed closely by hiking and camping. Some of the features visitors seek, in addition to being able to enjoy nature and view wildlife, are learning new things, spending time with family and an opportunity to reduce tension and escape stress.

Stephen D. Tutko, Tour Director for Babcock Ranch in Charlotte County, summed up the feelings in the audience when he said: "Dr. Stein has just explained why there’s room in this business for all of us." Tutko went on to say that each property is unique. Each has something different to offer, a different story to tell, a different history. You may drive past something everyday and hardly notice it — an old turpentine pot, for instance — yet many people will pay good money to see the same thing and hear the story behind it.

He explained that the late Fred Babcock had started the tours of his ranch to tell the private landowner’s story, to let people see how well he took care of his land. Now the tours draw 40,000 visitors a year.

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Mark Harrison, President of Florida Ranch Tours at Adams Ranch, agreed with Tutko. We don’t mind telling you what we have done, why we have done it and how it has worked for us, he said. We are happy to share all we know if it will help you get started. And share he did: how Florida Ranch Tours got started (small, with an old school bus that was converted into a swamp buggy for about $4,000), how they got the word out, how they handled different types of tour groups, what they did about liability insurance, what they did to minimize risk and what problems they’d had (none of any major consequence).

After lunch, Harrison treated the audience to a slide show containing the hallmark wildlife photos of Bud Adams. Then everyone boarded vans provided by the Research and Education Center. The next stop was Adams Ranch for a two-hour tour through pastures and hammocks, with glimpses of deer and — a rare and special treat — four whooping cranes taking wing. The tour was followed by a barbecue with thick slabs of juicy red steak, mixed greens, deep red tomatoes and swamp cabbage, freshly prepared from the heart of one of the ranch’s cabbage palms.

The workshop resumed on February 5 in a pool side meeting room at Fairfield Suites in Port St. Lucie. The workshop’s second professional facilitator, Cynthia Vance of Strategics International, Inc. in Miami, summarized the salient points made by each of the morning’s five speakers as Runchey posted the cards on the "Idea Map" at the front of the room. Dr. William Broussard was the first to speak. He explained how he had been moved to acquire the natural lands south of his ranch in St. Cloud as a memorial to his son, who had loved to view its wildlife, and to begin offering tours as a means of keeping the 3,200-acre area in its natural state. His tours will begin this spring, operating under the name Forever Florida.

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Broussard was followed by Rhonda Robinson. She was attending the workshop on behalf of J.B. Starkey’s Flatwoods Adventures outside Odessa in Pasco County, whose tours also will begin this spring. Robinson had shown her expertise in marketing the previous day and had been asked to speak by the workshop organizers, Florida Stewardship Foundation and Florida Center for Environmental Studies. She stressed the importance of telling one’s story at every opportunity — attending meetings, networking and building partnerships with local merchants to feed each other business.

Bert Tucker provided a detailed and candid description of how his quail and turkey hunts are organized and how they add revenue to his operation. B.T. Longino described the traditional agricultural activities he and his wife have pursued on their ranch near Sarasota, the ideas they’ve had for generating additional revenues and the obstacles they face in trying new ventures with limited revenues and conflicting views between family members.

Craig Evans, president of Florida Stewardship Foundation, presented a list of 20 ways natural resources can be turned into profits — ranging from harvesting palmetto berries to selling conservation easements and mitigation banking. He also described a new program that will pay landowners to take care of the natural resources on their property that society cherishes — such as wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, and habitats that support threatened and endangered species — through a service contract that would last for 20 years.

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The program, called a Resource Conservation Agreement, is being established in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, one of the workshop’s sponsors.

The Resource Conservation Agreement concept would provide compensation in the form of federal tax incentives and annual per acre fees. Efforts are presently underway to establish the program in Florida, using state funds, an effort supported by Florida Cattlemen’s Association, another workshop sponsor.

More information on the Resource Conservation Agreement concept is contained in a Resource Conservation Agreement Briefing Book, available for $20, and a 13-minute video, Private Lands: Partners in Conserving America’s Resources, that contains a compelling explanation of why private landowners are often such excellent stewards of the state’s natural habitats. The video is $15. Both are available from Florida Stewardship Foundation, One Park Place, Suite 240, 621 N.W. 53^rd Street, Boca Raton, Florida 33487.

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The workshop concluded with an review of the money-making opportunities that had been discussed, feedback from the audience to add to the idea list and an opportunity for participants to spend time talking in more detail with each of the speakers. Patrick Gostel, Director of Field Operations Research for South Florida Water Management District, which helps to support Florida Center for Environmental Studies, closed the meeting. The enthusiasm shown by participants had convinced him that more workshops on agri-tourism should be held in different parts of the state. He also saw a need for one-on-one assistance, to help a cattle operation assess its amenities and develop a plan to harness opportunities for generating additional revenues.

"We need to find a way to help you take full advantage of every dollar sign you can see on your property," he said, "and help you find those you might not see." Gostel pledged to work jointly with Florida Stewardship Foundation and Florida Center for Environmental Studies to organize additional workshops and develop a service to help ag operations expand their revenues through agri-tourism and other venues. Announcements of these workshops and services will be mailed to workshop participants and made in Florida Cattleman Magazine as more information is known.

Sponsors of the workshop included United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Florida Center for Environmental Studies; Florida Cattlemen’s Association; Florida Farm Bureau Federation; Farm Credit of Central Florida; University of Florida, Institute of Flood and Agricultural Sciences; Adams Ranch; and Strategics International.