Florida Uncut

• Joe Howard: O2O Expedition Trekker

  Would you like to attend a live recording of Florida Uncut? Be sure to save the date of July 12, 5–9 PM for a new exhibition "Blazing the Trail: From Strand to Slough" and a live recording of "Wild Takes: Florida Uncut Podcast Live" from 5-8pm at the Wild Space Gallery in St. Pete! I’ll be there interviewing the folks behind the scenes of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation’s last expedition, and upcoming film. In this episode, we catch up with Joe Howard, one of the original trekkers on the O2O: Path to Connection expedition. Joe reflects on his journey across the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor, an ambitious, 57-mile boots-on-the-ground adventure aimed at raising awareness for one of the most critical wildlife linkages in Florida.We’re speaking with Joe, a career Florida state parks manager, nearly two years after the trek because the story didn’t end on the trail. Just last week, the Florida Cabinet approved a major land acquisition in the O2O region, securing nearly 78,000 acres of high-priority conservation land. It’s a huge victory for Florida’s Wildlife Corridor, and for the vision Joe and the O2O team helped bring to life.Tune in as we talk with Joe about the power of storytelling, what it meant to be part of the expedition, and how it feels to see real policy action happen in a place he walked to protect.Watch O2O: Path to Connection hereRead more about the approved funding for the 77,877 acres of land here. 

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• Alex Freeze: Corridor Connect Director

  Alex Freeze has been part of the movement to connect and protect wild Florida for well over a decade and now works as the Corridor Connect Director at the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. Alex brings a wealth of experience as a conservation photographer, environmental educator, and advocate for Florida's natural landscapes. Did I mention she was a field producer for the Emmy award-winning film, Path of the Panther?In this conversation, Alex shares her journey from being a 6th-generation Floridian to a leading voice in conservation, highlighting her work in visual storytelling and her role in coordinating collaborative conservation efforts across the state. We explore the challenges and triumphs of preserving Florida's unique ecosystems, the importance of community engagement, and the innovative collaborative strategies Alex employs to advance the Corridor an acre at a time. Alex is also the driving force behind the upcoming Corridor Connect summit, Florida’s premiere statewide gathering of conservation professionals happening June 3-5, 2025. It’s a powerful convening of storytellers, scientists, landowners, and policymakers to collaborate on one of the most urgent conservation efforts in the country. Be sure to follow the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation on socials to hear and see what goes on!Resources mentioned in the episode: Alex’s master’s thesis on students’ impression of conservation photography: https://www.montreat.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/exploring-student-impressions-of-conservation-photographs-a-potential-strategy-for-classroom-environmental-education.pdfDear Tampa Film: https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Waters/Gulf-Restoration/Dear-Tampa10 things you can do to help the Florida Wildlife Corridor: https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/10-things.pdfConnect with Alex Freeze:Website: alexfreeze.comInstagram: @alexofthewildLearn More About the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation:Website: floridawildlifecorridor.orgInstagram: @floridawildlifecorridorFacebook: Florida Wildlife Corridor FoundationLearn more about the summit: corridorconnect.org/page/summit-2025

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• Brent Setchell: Wildlife Crossings

  In this episode of Florida Uncut, we sit down with Brent Setchell, Drainage Design Engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 1, to talk about something most drivers rarely see—but Florida’s wildlife depends on: wildlife crossings.Brent grew up immersed in the outdoors, and now he’s helping ensure Florida’s wild places remain connected. From panthers and bears to otters and deer, these crossings save lives—animal and human alike. But what goes into building one? When and where is the right time to act? And how many crossings do we actually need?We dig into the data, the planning, and the unexpected benefits that come with making Florida’s highways a little more humane and its wild spaces more connected. Brent also shares the story behind one of the state’s standout crossings near the Hilochee Wildlife Management Area, as well as the first overpass wildlife crossing currently under construction on I-4. Resources/links from episode:Watch FDOT and fStop’s film, Building Wild Spaces, Connectivity on I-4 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3TPkSaQ4e8&t=51sMap of current and upcoming Florida wildlife crossings: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a105b26615f64b19b543eb9ab61fe197&extent=-9237486.6341%2C2933269.2122%2C-8868754.4097%2C3305670.414%2C102100Learn more about the Lakeland Mural Unveiling with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation on 4/18 at 3pm. I’ll be there! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lakeland-mural-unveiling-tickets-1308877881979Request an invitation to the Corridor Connect Summit, happening June 3-5! https://corridorconnect.org/page/summit-2025Support Florida Uncut on Patreon. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/florida-uncut/donations

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• Damon Moore: Oyster River Ecology

  Damon is a restoration ecologist and practitioner with 20 years of experience designing and implementing habitat restoration projects in southwest Florida. He played an instrumental role in local large-scale habitat restoration projects including the restoration of Perico and Robinson Preserve, among many other habitat improvement projects across Manatee County.In late 2022 Damon founded the nonprofit Oyster River Ecology to scale up local habitat restoration projects including large scale oyster restoration in the Tampa Bay & Sarasota Bay watersheds. Damon has led an effort to conduct a massive oyster restoration project in the Manatee River, once called the "Oyster River" with a goal of restoring 132 acres of oyster reefs in the river.Damon will provide a deep dive into the local history of oysters in the Manatee River and share details about work already in progress to bring oysters back to their historical abundance in the Manatee River.You can find out more about Damon and opportunities to get involved at oysterriverecology.org. You can also follow along: https://www.instagram.com/oyster_river_ecology_inc/https://www.facebook.com/OysterRiverEcologyInchttps://www.youtube.com/@oysterriverecologySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/florida-uncut/donations

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  1:29:51
• Mike Elfenbein: Protecting Big Cypress

  For this episode I'm sitting down with Mike Elfenbein, an incredibly dedicated advocate for wild Florida. You might find Mike hunting pythons barefoot in the Everglades, or dressed in a suit and tie (shoes optional) on Capitol Hill pushing for further focus and protection for Florida's wildlands.Mike now resides on Florida's southwest coast where he serves as the executive director for the Cypress Chapter of the Izaak Walton League. of America.Mike’s conservation journey started in the fishing industry and evolved after a pivotal invitation to go hunt in Big Cypress as a kid. His passion for wildlife conservation is now highlighted by his desire to show people the places and provide similar opportunities and invitations he was given. From airboats to fishing trips, Mike has learned that getting more folks to see wild Florida is the best way to protect it.“My mission is to protect the Big Cypress National Preserve and everything connected to her."Mike’s previous leadership positions include serving on the board and as executive director of the Fishing and Conservation Trust and as a delegate for the Everglades Coordinating Council. Whether you're a newcomer to Florida or have roots that run deep, Mike is sure to fire you up for protecting our precious state.Learn more about and follow Mike’s work: Mike’s Instagram: instagram.com/mike_2lf/Cypress Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America: cypressiwla.orgSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/florida-uncut/donations

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