It was inevitable that the Florida Section Society for Range Management would eventually come into being.

Cattle have existed in Florida from the early date of about 1530. From that time to the present, cattle numbers have fluctuated from only a few to nearly a million. The cattle industry was initially dependent entirely on the native resources. Much of the original resource since about the late 20’s has been converted to other land uses such as cropland, pastureland, and citrus. However, range management as we know it today was non-existent in those early years. There now remains approximately one million acres of native grazing resources. These play a vital role in the livestock industry, and also one of the largest and purest rainfall receiving and recharge areas in the state.

Management of rangelands in Florida, prior to about 1960, was a burn and graze concept. The art and science of range management as we know it today was a western concept and the American Society of Range Management was organized in Utah in 1948. Local sections were established throughout the west and membership consisted of persons who had interest in the proper use and management of rangeland resources. Soon the concept spread to countries outside the U.S.; thus a name change to the present – Society for Range Management.

Eventually, the organization moved south and east with the formation of the Southern Section in 1951, which included Florida. During the years 1959-1970 a number of Florida members were active in the Southern Section. Several members held offices, including W.G. Kirk, R.S. Rummell, J.C. McCaleb and Larry White. J.B. Hilman and Lewis Yarlett were presidents in 1965 and 1970. Other members included: Ben Hill Griffin, Jr., James F. Hentges, Elver Hodges, Ralph Hughes, John W. Hunt, E.V. Komarek, Clifford Lewis, Eldon Lucas, William H. Moore, Clyde Porter, Bayard Touissant, and William West. (From: History of Southern Section 1968).

Florida members hosted four annual meetings of the Southern Section before becoming either a chapter or a section. These meetings were well attended and were vital to introduce range management to Florida and obtain new members. These were held at the Ona Range Cattle Station (3^rd), Kissimmee (14^th), Tallahassee (10^th), and the 19^th at Gainesville. Extensive field tours were held at all locations.

Beginning about 1960 and continuing between Southern Section annual meetings, a large number of very small meetings were held. These were sponsored by local Soil Conservation Districts and SCS work units. Often the attendance may have been only 3 or 4 landowners or managers. The State Range Conservationist gave on the ground assistance or demonstrated the potential for management of the major grasses. Brush control and deferred grazing was begun on a few ranches.

The Florida Range Committee of Florida Association of Conservation Districts was organized on April 19, 1968. This committee was chaired by an early member of SRM, Lynn Harrison. Other members on that committee were John Hunt and B.T. Longino. The Range Committee greatly influenced SRM membership and sponsored field tours before and after the organization of either the Florida Chapter or Florida Section.

The organization of the Florida Chapter, SRM was feasible in view of a number of circumstances. Geographically, Florida was not conveniently located to the other states in the Southern Section. The distance for travel was too great to participate in Southern Section functions. The significant factor which emphasized the need for a Chapter and later, a Section, was a large range livestock community dependent upon and distinctly different native forage resources. A strong leadership existed in the livestock industry. In addition, for at least fifteen years a small cadre of Range Society members with expertise in Florida were effective in technical assistance, education and research.

A petition to the Officers and Council of the Southern Section was signed by 23 Florida members in good standing and was approved. Florida was a Chapter from January 1, 1977 to December 1, 1979. During that period officers and members continued to hold field tours and business meetings which were devoted to finances, membership and by-laws. It actually was an organization which was fundamental to Section status. Members quickly foresaw the need for a Florida section and a closer tie with the parent organization.

The Florida Chapter submitted a petition with the required 55 signatures to SRM, Denver, for Section status on August 15, 1979. The Council of the Southern Section voted in agreement. At the Florida Chapter meeting in Sarasota, Florida, November 30,1979 full Section status was announced by the Executive Secretary of SRM. All officers of the Chapter became officers of the Florida Section.

Florida Section hosted the 39^th annual meeting of the Society February 9-14, 1986 in Orlando, Florida. One thousand and ninety-three were registered and one thousand one hundred seventy-five attended various tours including 227 on a post convention range tour. Special awards were presented to those who had pioneered the range program in Florida. There were four ranchers: Gene Felton, Max Hammond, Lynn Harrison, Bayard Toussaint, and SCS Range Conservationist, Lewis Yarlett.

One-half of the section presidents have been ranchers, with many serving in other capacities.