This year we recognize the owners and managers of Young Family Farm as our 2026 Florida Land Stewards of the Year. Young Family Farm is located in southwestern Putnam County and jointly owned by Cory, Robert, and Devony Young. The siblings inherited the land from their parents, Robert and Almeda Young, who purchased the property in 1958. At the time of purchase, the property was wooded and used primarily for grazing cattle. Soon after buying the property, they cleared the existing trees on part of the land and planted pine trees. This initial planting was all done by hand by their parents with a little help from the three very young children. Later, in 1985, Cory acquired two smaller adjacent parcels that, combined with the original 70-acre parcel, total 85 acres.

Finding Assistance and Initiating Planning and Management

Cory began managing the planted pine tree stands when he was in high school by initiating the first harvest. That experience introduced him to many people and organizations involved in forestry. One of these people was Ned Neenan, who was the Putnam County Forester at that time. Ned introduced Cory to the American Tree Farm System and prepared the first forest management plan for the property in 1988. The plan was updated in 2008 by Kurt Stoughton, then Putnam County Forester. The most recent update to the plan was in 2024 by Brian Cobble, Regional Cooperative Assistance Coordinator for the Florida Forest Service; Blake Josephson, Putnam County Forester; and Jason Ballard with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Landowner Assistance Program. Cory has been a member of the American Tree Farm System for over 25 years.

Prescribed Fire and the Prescribed Burn Association

Over the years Cory utilized cost sharing programs to help pay for site prep and plantings. Recently a USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract provided cost shares for prescribed fire, brush management, thinning, and firebreak improvements. In 2021, Cory joined the North Florida Prescribed Burn Association (PBA) and was introduced to many people knowledgeable in managing land for improved wildlife habitat as well as forestry. This was also about the time that he retired, and he was able to focus more time on land stewardship with the help of the PBA. Since joining the PBA, Cory has participated in many prescribed burns and has completed the Florida Forest Service training to become a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager.

Current Forest Conditions

As a result of the planning efforts and active management, much of the property has been restored to upland sandhill habitat well suited to longleaf pine. Approximately 33 acres of the property contains mature planted longleaf pine and the associated sandhill plant community. The remaining portions of the property are natural, undisturbed mixed forest of oaks, pines, and palmetto. The property includes parts of two ponds along the west side, a blackwater creek adjacent hardwood swamp on the north side that is a tributary to Cabbage Creek, and a small ephemeral pond near the south part of the property. The sandhill uplands and associated ponds are aquifer recharge areas.

Wildlife and Vegetation

Wildlife species either observed on the property or known to reside in the area include coyote, white-tailed deer, turkey, black bear, sand-hill crane, various songbirds, hawks, owls, woodpeckers, a variety of snakes, gopher tortoise, fox squirrel, otter, fox, and bobcat. Aquatic and amphibian species are typical of those known to occur in regional ponds and creeks. Plants primarily include longleaf pine (planted and natural), loblolly pine, turkey oak, sand live oak, saw palmetto, and many other species common to sandhill and lowland creek areas.

Habitat Restoration

Restoring the native grasses, forbs, and shrubs in the planted pine stands is a priority to create a more sustainable and natural upland longleaf pine ecosystem, improving wildlife habitat and the condition of these stands. Prescribed burns in previously undisturbed, natural stands of longleaf pine have released patches of wiregrass that were hiding under vegetation. Practices such as prescribed fire and mechanical and chemical brush management are used to encourage the release, growth, and spread of wiregrass and other fire-adapted plants on the property. Cory has created a network of firebreaks that makes it possible to create a mosaic of ground cover conditions by burning different individual units in different years, as burning smaller units is easier to plan for and manage.

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges in owning and managing the land include having the time and energy to do everything the family wants to do. This is where belonging to the PBA is a tremendous benefit. PBA members help fellow members/landowners manage their land. Restoring native grass ground cover is very challenging because of cost and availability of seed and grass plugs as there is a huge demand for both.

Young Family Farm is centrally located within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a statewide network of contiguous wild and working lands that are crucial to the survival of many of Florida’s imperiled animals. In order protect the property’s forest and conservation value and permanently prevent the land from being developed, Cory is currently in the process of putting the property in a conservation easement. He sees this as essential to carry forward the stewardship of the property and neighboring lands. Cory has come a long way from when he dismissed the idea of a conservation easement. It can be difficult to come around to the idea of a conservation easement when you are deeply rooted in the idea that this is your land and you want to remain 100% in control. We all need to work together toward the management and conservation of this property and other lands into the future and a conservation easement can do that. Cory has successfully introduced the conservation easement idea to his siblings, and their children are now excited about continuing the stewardship of the property.

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