Florida Uncut

• 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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• 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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• Blair Updike: The Florida Gallery

  In this episode, we hear the inspiring story of a Lake Wales native, Blair Updike, who turned a childhood passion into a professional art career—and is now working to put Florida art back on the map. With no artistic background in her family—her father invented the Grove Goat, and her mother was an accountant—her journey began after an inspiring demo by Highwaymen artist Robert Butler.After years working in marketing and sales at her family’s manufacturing business, art resurfaced when she painted her youngest child. That moment sparked a full-time career and, most recently, the launch of The FL Gallery online in June with the support of AllFla.Florida art, she believes, is neglected, and its stories are vital to the state’s identity. By combining artist promotion with engaging art history, The Florida Gallery has struck a chord with Floridians, reaching over 2 million people and gaining 20k+ followers. Participating artists are seeing huge growth in awareness, and future collaborations with museums and organizations are in the works.Join us as we explore how art can tell Florida’s story and why working together is key to supporting its artists and the protection of wild Florida. All Blair’s links:Find Blair’s prints here: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/blair-updikePersonal website www.bupdikeart.comPersonal Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bupdikeart/Florida Gallery Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefloridagallery/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/florida-uncut/donations

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• Ned Hancock: Fifth-Generation Landowner

  I don’t know about you, but I am not land rich. My quarter-acre yard won’t be doing much for the conservation of wild Florida. I don’t have the opportunity or burden of the decision to put my land in conservation. I don’t know what it’s like to weight the pros and cons, go through the application process, talk with my family, etc. That’s why I was thrilled to sit down with the fifth-generation citrus grower and landowner, Ned Hancock, to hear about his family’s decision to apply to put their 2,600-acre parcel in conservation. I wanted to know the motivations behind their efforts to apply for a Rural and Family Lands Protection Program easement, the difficulty of the process and getting all stakeholders onboard, and how other nearby landowners feel about the future of Florida. Ned is passionate about his land, his county, and his state with roots going back generations. Their land is situated in the Peace River Valley, a critical economic and environmental region, as well as an important piece of the Florida Wildlife Corridor but not as well protected as other parts of the state. Read more about Ned’s story at Florida Conservation Group’s blog: https://floridaconserve.org/2024/08/20/ned-hancock-peace-river-valley/Learn more about Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Rural and Family Lands Protection Program: https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Protect-Our-Environment/Rural-and-Family-Lands-Protection-ProgramReach out to Travis Thompson or Mike Elfenbein about Amendment 2: Mike: https://www.instagram.com/mike_2lf/?hl=enTravis: https://www.instagram.com/travisthompsonSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/florida-uncut/donations

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