Ward, a photojournalist and Floridian from a ranching family, documents the cattle ranches in Florida, which take up about one-fifth of the state. He combines vivid color photos of these ranches, its cowboys, and the land with 20 essays on their history, culture, and environment, written by historians, politicians, ranchers, conservationists, and others, as well as The Nature Conservancy, the Audubon of Florida, and the Seminole Tribe. The essays discuss the state's range wars, cattle trade, wildlife corridors, water management, endangered species, land conservation programs, and pioneer history. There is no index. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)