A small Florida town has gone head-to-head with big developers attempting to destroy their stunning and protected rural pastureland with housing estates. 

The town of Ferndale in Lake County, Florida, is known for its vast oasis of rolling pastureland, serving as a sanctuary for wildlife and protected natural resources. 

Sitting on the western shore of Lake Apopka, it is home to just over 600 people, many of whom inherited 'generational land.'

It's remained a rare piece of untouched land offering a glimpse into the beauty of 'old Florida,' up until now - as residents are beginning to confront the very scenario which they've long-dread and tried to avoid for generations: developers. 

'In my eyes it's off limits,' one long-time resident, Lynn Riffle, who owns a 245-acre family-owned property in the town, told News 6. 

Her property, which she refers to as the 'heart of Ferndale' is facing ongoing development in nearby Minneola, changing the 'landscape' and 'ambiance' of her neighborhood. 

'I'll do everything I can and voice as much as I can to keep it that way,' she said. 

'The growth is happening so fast that it's spinning everybody's heads,' Riffle said to News 6. 'We have 40 acres that back up to the preserve that we don't want to see anything happen to.'