1. Alachua County Forever Cattle Grazing Business Plan January 24, 2012

2. Articulate principles that guide grazing and leasing cattle grazing range Develop criteria to evaluate which lands would benefit from grazing Describe principles to be followed in contracting out grazing rights Recommend sound business practices that will guide cattle grazing on these lands Purpose of the Plan

3. Part of a Stewardship Strategy Larry Korhnak Mac Stone Kristin Grace

4. Non-native Invasive Control Planting Natives Forestry Prescribed Fire Solid Waste Removal Map Making Coordinating Volunteers Grant Writing Infrastructure Development Timber Harvesting Hunting Agreements Part of a Stewardship Strategy

5. Basic Ingredients Required: People Materials Partnerships Part of a Stewardship Strategy Results (since FY08) $380,049 offset $610,648 partner $990,697 total

6. People

10. Maintain the current ecological quality and conservation values Cost reduction Generate revenue or offset resource management costs Reducing wildfire risk Provide site security Preserve the County's rural heritage Benefits of Grazing

12. Metzger Preserve

13. Estimated Offsets Size: 635 acres Pasture:585 acres Improvements $2,500Informational Kiosk (County/Bond) $150Regulatory Signs (County/Bond) $2,650Total Average Annual Management Costs $875*Exotic Plant Control (County/GF) $7,140*Security (County/GF) $34,200*Pasture Maintenance (County/GF) $500*Fence, Gate, Boundary Maintenance (County/GF) $4,325*Road/Fire Break Maintenance (County/GF) $300*Trail Maintenance (County/GF) $933Monitoring (County/GF) $7,125Prescribed Fire (County/GF) $55,398* Total *cost may be offset with a cattle grazing lease ($47,340/yr)

14. The Board of County Commissioners recognizes that: 1.…well-managed nature preserves contribute to the community’s quality of life by protecting water resources, protecting and enhancing wildlife habitats, and providing natural areas suitable for resource-based recreation. 2.… grazing appropriate areas of a preserve can be a valuable stewardship tool and directs that cattle grazing on these Alachua County Forever preserves shall be allowed when the following conditions can be met: only on improved or semi-improved (rough) pasture only where grazing has recently occurred only on an interim basis until habitat restoration activities can occur only as a prescribed management tool consistent with the goals of the adopted preserve management plan only where the preserve’s conservation values will not be degraded Policy Directives

15. The Board of County Commissioners recognizes that: 3.… conversion of natural areas to grazing range is not consistent with Alachua County Forever and Wild Spaces & Public Places referenda. 4.… grazing rights are a commodity, with economic value subject to market forces, and directs that they should be leased at market value. The Board also recognizes that offsetting County property management expenses can be a valuable substitute for cash proceeds. 5.… it is beneficial for the County to re-invest any grazing revenues in the stewardship of the Alachua County Forever portfolio of preserves and directs that these funds supplement existing stewardship funding. Policy Directives