Citrus is Florida's largest and best known crop. Most years, Polk is the largest citrus producing county in the state and Highlands is in the top five.
	The Ridge means many things to different people. To the citrus grower and rancher, the Ridge supports a disappearing way of life. To the urban dweller, the Ridge provides opportunities to understand nature. To the ecologist, the Ridge is home to plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. No one perspective is complete. Each perspective is dependent on the fragile Ridge itself. The long-term conservation of the Ridge requires finding the right balance to accommodate both people and species.
	HABITAT LOSS Approximately 85 percent of the dry uplands on the Lake Wales Ridge have been converted to cultivation, residential, and commercial development. Only a few large tracts remain; the rest occurs in small scattered parcels. Almost all remaining Ridge habitat is under the imminent threat of development. Because of habitat loss, many of the Ridge's unique plants and animals are threatened with extinction. THE PUSH TO DEVELOP While many landowners value the inherent beauty of untouched native habitat, preserving the land sometimes cannot compete with the profit from developing it. To help prevent native systems from falling prey to unbridled development, government agencies have long regulated development of private land. Landowners often find these restrictions confusing and frustrating. To remedy this, regulators are beginning to explore innovative ways to motivate conservation economically.