Florida Uncut

In this episode we sit down with Matt Caldwell, a 7th-generation Floridian whose life and career are deeply rooted in the state’s land, history, and future. From his early days as a real estate appraiser to serving in the Florida House of Representatives and now as Lee County Property Appraiser, Caldwell brings a unique perspective on growth, property rights, and conservation. He also serves as President of the Florida State Parks Foundation Board of Directors, where he helps lead efforts to preserve, protect, and expand Florida’s award-winning and record-holding state park system.
Caldwell reflects on his time in public office, including his work on natural resources, extensive travel through the state's backroads and small towns, involvement in the 2015 Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition, as well as his run for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. The conversation dives into the real-world tension between growth and conservation in Florida and how land is valued, what gets protected, and what’s at stake for future generations. Grounded in both professional and personal experience, this episode offers an inside look at the decisions shaping Florida’s landscape and the role institutions like the Florida State Parks Foundation play in safeguarding it.
If you’re interested in learning more about Matt and the Florida State Parks Foundation please visit https://floridastateparksfoundation.org/
Join the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation at the launch of our next Expedition on April 21st in Thomasville, GA here: Longleaf to Lighthouse Expedition Launch & Community Cycle Tickets, Tuesday, Apr 21 from 7:30 am to 8:30 am and follow the journey on Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation's socials!

Senior Ranger Jerry Miller has spent most of his life in the landscapes he now helps protect. Growing up just outside what is now Duette Preserve in Manatee County, Jerry developed an early connection to Florida’s ranchlands, forests, and wildlife. Today, he serves as a Senior Ranger with Manatee County Natural Resources, helping manage the county’s largest preserve while sharing the wonders of wild Florida with the public.
Many people know Jerry through Jerry’s Wild Life page on Instagram, where he regularly shares photos and videos of animals encountered during his work in the field, from deer, bobcats to the occasional rare sightings of panthers and bears, which reminds us just how wild Florida can still be. His posts, often captured during routine patrols across Duette Preserve, have connected millions of people to the wildlife that lives right here in Manatee County.
In this episode of Florida Uncut, Jerry talks about what it was like growing up near Duette, how those early experiences with his dad shaped his love for the land, and what it means to now help manage and protect the same connected landscape. He also shares stories from years of working outdoors, documenting wildlife, and helping visitors experience Florida’s natural areas.
Beyond his work as a ranger, Jerry also volunteers with turtle watch programs along the Gulf Coast, helping monitor and protect nesting sea turtles. It’s another way he stays connected to the wildlife and ecosystems that make Florida unique.
This conversation is full of classic Florida stories, wildlife encounters, land stewardship, and the perspective of someone who has watched this landscape change over a lifetime.
Learn more about Jerry and other resources discussed:
Jerry’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrys_wild_life/
Turtle Watch: https://islandturtlewatch.com/
Duette Preserve: https://www.mymanatee.org/connect/locations/location-details/duette-preserve

Since its release in 1984, A Land Remembered has been described as a lightning bolt on Florida’s culture, becoming required reading in Florida classrooms for years, not just as historical fiction, but as an inheritance of a way of life that once was. The story of the MacIvey family’s rise from poverty to prominence spans 150 years of Florida history, tracing the tension between survival, ambition, stewardship, and loss. 
It has captured the hearts and minds of those who identify with “old Florida”, and in no small part has inspired countless individuals, even a generation, to protect the land in which these stories take place. In fact, go look on the bookshelf of anyone remotely associated with old Florida and you’re guaranteed to find a copy of the iconic book. 
In this episode, I sit down with Todd Wiseman Jr. and Christa Boarini, the director and producer spearheading the television adaptation of A Land Remembered. This isn’t just a conversation about the mechanics of filmmaking. It’s about why this story, right now, matters for how Floridians see their land, their heritage, and the wild places still worth protecting.
The conversation moves beyond filmmaking and storytelling to conservation itself. If policy protects land on paper, storytelling protects it in our hearts and identity. And storytelling, as we discuss, is one of our most powerful conservation tools.
Filming for this series is slated to start this spring. Follow along with all the updates at https://www.alandremembered.org
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In this episode of Florida Uncut, we’re joined by avian ecologist Mary Marine, who is part of a team leading recovery efforts for one of North America’s most endangered birds, the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow, in the Everglades Headwaters. 
Mary shares how she codified her passion for this “little brown bird” and went from seasonal technician to an instrumental part of the recovery efforts with Archbold Biological Station. We’ll also discuss what endangered species recovery actually looks like on the ground, and why working lands and ranchers are essential partners in conservation (and why you should buy Florida beef!). We talk about translocation work, collaboration across divides, and why the Everglades Headwaters is one of the most important landscapes in Florida’s future.
Despite the challenges the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow faces, Mary’s hope for the future is relentlessly grounded in science, people, and the long game of conservation.
And just to keep things interesting, when Mary isn’t matchmaking between endangered birds, she’s doing it for humans too as a certified wedding planner.
Topics include:
Florida Grasshopper Sparrow recovery and fieldwork realities
Translocation and reintroduction of endangered birds
Ranching, working lands, and conservation collaboration
Storytelling as a tool for long-term conservation success

Follow Mary on Instagram @_marymarine_
You can watch the award-winning documentary of the FGS The Little Brown Bird for free here: http://thelittlebrownbird.film/
Check out Jeff Corwin’s episode of Wildlife Nation featuring Mary and the FGS here.

Last month I had the incredible pleasure of not only attending the inaugural Lake Wales Ridge Fire Festival, but sitting down on stage with three leaders in local, state, and regional fire management efforts to learn more about what they do and why the role of fire is important to the story of protecting and connecting wild Florida.
It was a great day of learning, engaging, great food, and being with the conservation community in central Florida. I ended up bringing my whole family, who all had a wonderful time. 
The panel included:
Adam Peterson - Florida's Fire Manager for The Nature Conservancy
Elysia Dytrych - Headwaters Ecosystem Management Team for Archbold Biological Station
Joe Bruner - Wildland Fire Program Manager, Avon Park Air Force Range

I hope you enjoy this conversation! The audio quality will sound different as we recorded outside and in front of a live audience. 
Thanks again, Zach Franco, and the Archbold Biological Station crew for the opportunity!
Check out the new film from Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Patchwork Wild.