Anticipated continuing growth in Southwest Florida was the impetus for creating the Rural Lands Stewardship Program, which was created explicitly to protect agriculture, the environment, and the economic viability in nearly 200,000 undeveloped rural acres.

An incentive-based system, Rural Stewardship allows a landowner to obtain credits for protecting lands proven to support natural resources and agriculture, then to utilize those credits in areas identified as suitable for development. Importantly, the number of credits earned is commensurate with the environmental significance of the land, so property owners are more highly rewarded for protecting more valuable lands.

Approximately 17,000 acres are scheduled for protection in conjunction with Ave Maria. The Rural Stewardship program has demonstrated such dramatic promise that it has become a statewide, even nationwide, model for land planning in rural areas. It has won major recognition, including the 2003 Sustainable Florida Award.