These photographs are all of lands protected through Florida Forever. Florida Forever is Florida’s conservation and recreation lands acquisition program. They work through conservation easements and acquisitions for new state parks, wildlife management areas, and other public lands. Today, the Joint Budget Commission is meeting to decide Florida Forever’s funding. Call your Florida House Representative and Senator to let them know this program is important for conservation, wildlife, water, and people. Many landowners have waited years on the Florida Forever list for the opportunity to protect their working lands through a conservation easement, if the program loses funding those lands could be lost to development.
Currently, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program is proposed to receive funding. Rural and Family Lands is an agricultural land preservation program that works through conservation easements. Florida needs both programs.
The House proposed $0 for Florida Forever funding.
The Senate proposed $35-50 million for Florida Forever funding.
An annual $100 million commitment to fund Florida Forever was made in 2023 yet both proposals fall short.
Speak up to tell Florida legislators this funding is important. Check out my reposts to see more.
Some of my favorite shots from last August and September for @wildpath . All of the photos are of properties that were approved for protection by the State of Florida through Florida Forever and Rural and Family Lands programs.
Photo 1: Sandhill cranes in the early morning on 4G Ranch, Photo 2: A creek running through Remlap Ranch, Photo 3: Gopher tortoise on the Little Orange Creek property, Photo 4: Blazing star wildflower, Photo 5: Burrowing owl in the rain on a ranch fence post, Photo 6: Cypress swamp in Central Florida, Photo 7: Cowboys and ranchers with cow dogs on Bar B Ranch
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has secured the largest conservation easement in Florida Forever’s history, permanently protecting 61,525 acres. The Raiford to Osceola Greenway Project / Weyerhaeuser Forest Holdings property is located in the Florida Wildlife Corridor and the Ocala to Osceola Corridor.
Protection of the land will support water quality, flood protection and aquifer recharge across three major river basins, maintain forest management, and complete a vital connection gap within the O2O. The property provides habitat for gopher tortoise, black bear, red-cockaded woodpecker, eastern indigo snake, bald eagle, and many more species.
Photos by @leyoho / @wildpath . Map by @angeline.maps , @livewildlyfl
Since 2022, I have been photographing lands that are voted on to be approved for conservation at Florida cabinet meetings with @wildpath . I am currently leading this ongoing project through building media toolkits on Wildpath’s website, photo editorial work, and communications with all the impactful agencies, partners, photographers, and landowners that make this possible.
On a recent trip where I spanned Central Florida from north to south I thought about taking a look back at how many places I’ve been. Since the first property I photographed (photo 1) at Red Hills Conservation Area, I have photographed 41 properties with a total of 166,130 acres within and adjacent to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. To visit these lands that are set to be approved for permanent protection has been so important and impactful to me. With over 1,000 people moving to Florida every day we can’t break our pursuit of conservation. It has been an honor to visit these places, from ranches to citrus farms to timberlands and more and to meet the folks that strive to keep wild Florida.
Here are just some of the land I’ve photographed. I’ll be sharing more on my socials. Also check out wildpath.com/progress to see the toolkits and story map about these lands. And @wildpath for other projects and updates on the conserved properties. Thank you to all the landowners, agencies, and partners that help make this protection and these photographs possible.
When an anhinga's aim is better than Aaron's luck... 😬
Behind-the-scenes of Live Wildly's Okefenokee expedition, featuring @ajrickeljones (aka the victim of the anhinga’s artistic expression), @adventurist_sara , @georgemckenziejr , @okefenokeejones , and the iconic @leyoho , who captured this moment for all eternity.
#OkefenokeeExpedition #Okefenokee #LiveWildly
I haven’t been active on social media the last few years and have the goal to start posting more. Although I haven’t been posting, I still have been busy shooting photos and working on conservation storytelling projects.
This photo of me is from one of our @pathofthepanther camera trap sites at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge by @carltonward . To test the camera is firing properly, I did a fierce panther pose. I’m currently about to fly to New York City for the News and Doc Emmy’s where the @pathofthepanther film has been nominated for Outstanding Nature Documentary. I worked as an associate producer and camera trap technician for the film. If you haven’t seen the film, check it out on @disneyplus and @hulu and fingers crossed for the Emmy awards! 🐾
Camera trap photo by @carltonward for @pathofthepanther / @wildpath #pathofthepanther #keepflwild #floridawildlifecorridor
‘Saving the Florida Wildlife Corridor’ premieres tonight! This short documentary was produced by National Geographic Society. It will be airing tonight on WEDU PBS at 8:30pm and available to stream free on their website (link to watch in @pathofthepanther ’s bio).
It’s a honor to have worked on such an impactful film with an amazing crew and characters. I am so excited to be sharing this premiere as all the hard work has come together. This film takes you across Florida through the voices of farmers, fishermen, ranchers and conservationists sharing how we can grow Florida’s economy and protect nature.
Photo by @carltonward .
Ghost orchid blooms hang over a deeply flooded forest in southwestern Florida near the Fakahatchee Strand. I took this photo back in 2018 while assisting on the Chasing Ghosts project. The ghost orchid is a very rare flower, with only around 2,000 living in the wilderness of Florida. I love looking back on that summer where I’d walk waste deep into the beautiful waters of the swamp and assist @carltonward on camera trapping these ethereal blooms. #ghostorchid #keepflwild #wildflorida
During quarantine this past spring and summer I spent a lot of time with @carltonward ’s family. I had so much fun while watching his kids. We would often go on little adventures that inspired me to photograph their portraits each in a different part of Florida. First photo is Carlton III at Limestone Ranch picking oranges and exploring the oak hammock back in March. Second photo is Nell at the coast on Belleair Beach where we ran into the waves and watched the seabirds in July. Third photo is Eldridge in the swamp at the Panther Refuge coloring in her journal while @carltonward and @malia_byrtus work on a timelapse in June. Looking back I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my quarantine any other way. Watching these kids grow, learn, and laugh has been an absolute joy. @carltonward and @seward2010 you have such awesome kids! Thankful to have this family as my friends!
One my favorite photos from my time working on camera traps. First time I saw a wild black bear and the first time I photographed one. It’s a pretty special experience when you get to combine those two firsts as someone who’s passionate about both photography and wildlife. So often when I talk about wild Florida I get surprised reactions about panthers and bears. “Yes - Florida has panthers and bears!” - I’ll say, then go into a detailed explanation of how overdevelopment is killing them. Many living in this great state don’t know they are living with them. I’m happy whenever I talk about wild Florida though because it means more know and more can make a difference. Never stop asking questions and educating yourself about the earth and the incredible species that inhabit it.
#floridawild #blackbear #everglades #pathofthepanther #floridawildlifecorridor
Also this is my last everglades post for awhile as many have requested my new photographs (yep they’re coming) from Israel!
Back in late summer while driving out of Babcock Ranch after servicing a camera, @malia_byrtus and I see this fox squirrel standing in the road staring at us. We were too far away to see it was a squirrel yet. We threw out guesses as we stared back until we got closer and it climbed a tree. First time I’ve seen a fox squirrel. They live in long leaf pine forests and depend on the canopy environment to survive. Fox squirrels are just one more amazing species that rely on wild Florida. If any of you know this subspecies of fox squirrel comment below! #wildflorida #pathofthepanther #longleafpine #foxsquirrel #protectfloridaswildlife
