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Tag: wildlife corridor conservation

  • Live Wildly Explores the Okefenokee Swamp to Discover Natural Connections Between Wildlife, Places, and People

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    TAMPA, Fla., December 9, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Explorers with Live Wildly, a non-profit dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of wildlife corridor conservation, will spend four days paddling nearly 50 miles across the Okefenokee Swamp to discover the animals, ecosystems, and people that bridge the geographic boundaries between Florida and Georgia.

    During the journey, Live Wildly explorers will look for such species as black bear, Gopher tortoise, and red-cockaded woodpeckers to demonstrate the vital importance of protecting natural corridors across Georgia and Florida.

    “Nature doesn’t recognize geo-political boundaries,” said Aaron Rickel Jones, Live Wildly’s communications director. “Wildlife doesn’t know when it crosses over state lines. Collaborative land management practices across counties and states will ensure these ecosystems remain intact and connected for generations to come.”

    Sara Sheehy, Live Wildly’s Lead Adventurist, added: “At Live Wildly, we work to connect people to the wild places around them. We can only protect what we love, and we love what we can experience and understand.”

    The Okefenokee Swamp is one of the most intact and untouched wetlands in the world. Covering nearly 700 square miles, it serves as the headwaters for the Suwannee and St. Marys rivers and provides habitat to more than 400 animal species and more than 600 plant species. The vast majority of the swamp lies within Georgia, but with Florida’s Osceola National Forest directly south of the swamp, there is a natural connection into the Florida Wildlife Corridor which stretches 18 million acres across the Panhandle and down to the Everglades.

    Established by state lawmakers in 2021, the Florida Wildlife Corridor is the nation’s largest statewide conservation effort of its kind. Many of the animals found in Florida’s Wildlife Corridor can also be found in the Okefenokee Swamp, including black bears, American alligators, gopher frogs, and barred owls, among others.

    Live Wildly’s four-day paddling journey will be guided by Okefenokee Adventures, part of the Okefenokee Swamp Park and Adventures, a non-profit conservation education organization.

    “Our mission at Okefenokee Adventures is to provide a deeper connection to nature through ecotourism,” said Kim Bednerak, Executive Director of Okefenokee Swamp Park and Adventures. “Sharing the importance of conservation with visitors ensures the Okefenokee Swamp remains an iconic part of America’s natural heritage.”

    Each day, the paddlers will venture through a mosaic of marshes, prairies, and ancient cypress forests before setting up camp to sleep under the stars, listening to the wildlife that surrounds them.

    The four-day trip will end in the Suwannee River, home to manatees, alligators, snapping turtles, bald eagles, and gopher tortoises.

    Many of the species in the Okefenokee and the Florida Wildlife Corridor face threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation. Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the country with more than 1,200 people moving to the state each day. And with this expanding population comes expanded urban development that threatens to forever erase Florida’s natural areas and working lands.

    Only about 10 million acres of the Florida Wildlife Corridor are currently conserved with another 8 million considered “opportunity areas” in need of protection.

    The paddle expedition is part of Live Wildly’s campaign to build a grassroots movement to cherish and protect wild Florida and its natural connections with other states. Live Wildly’s first conservation priority is ensuring the full protection of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

    Through partnerships with state parks, communities and other organizations – such as Okefenokee Adventures – Live Wildly wants to inspire people to get outdoors and understand the vital role nature plays in their daily lives.

    To learn more about the Live Wildly explorers who are joining the four-day paddling trip, see their bios below.

    George McKenzie Jr. is a Live Wildly Adventurist and National Geographic Explorer who uses his camera to advocate for wildlife conservation. He specializes in camera trap photography, and his work showcases natural history and conservation efforts, shining a light on human interests and wildlife narratives worldwide. His storytelling has captured the hearts of diverse audiences and inspired action. George has worked with leading commercial and editorial entities, including FjallRaven, Honda, Tribeca Film Festival, HBO, Nike, National Geographic Magazine, and National Geographic Society. Besides his photographic pursuits, George dedicates himself to education by mentoring young people in his community and beyond, nurturing the next generation of storytellers.

    “Embarking on a 4-day, 3-night expedition across the Okefenokee Swamp to the Suwannee River is a dream come true for a wildlife photographer. The swamp is alive with stories-ancient cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, the silent glide of an alligator at sunrise, and the haunting calls of sandhill cranes echoing through the mist. Every corner of the Okefenokee offers the chance to capture moments that connect us to the raw, untamed beauty of this unique ecosystem. It’s not just photography; it’s a journey into the soul of the wild.”

    George McKenzie Jr.

    Lauren Yoho is a photographer and conservationist, primarily working in her home state of Florida. She has worked in Florida’s swamps for years and is excited about expanding her exploration to Georgia, and for the opportunity to take her first expedition in North America’s largest blackwater swamp. Lauren is looking forward to seeing wildlife and the abundant plant species native to the Okefenokee. She is most interested in learning more about the threats to the Okefenokee Swamp through water and the surrounding lands.

    Aaron Rickel Jones is a documentary filmmaker and the communications director at Live Wildly. He’s been telling stories from the mountains and forests for over a decade, focusing his last year of work on exploring Florida’s wild lands and natural ecosystems. He is thrilled for the opportunity to bring cameras into one of America’s most iconic ecological treasures and explore ways that the Okefenokee Swamp connects to the greater natural landscape of the Southeast.

    Sara Sheehy is an adventurer and storyteller with a passion for wild places. As Live Wildly’s Lead Adventurist and storytelling director, she crafts stories that help people fall in love with the world around them. Sara’s work has supported conservation outcomes for 20 years, including contributing to impact-driven projects with National Geographic Society, The Nature Conservancy, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. Sara is excited to experience the beauty of the Okefenokee Swamp and especially the serenity of sunrises and sunsets from our expedition campsites.

    ABOUT LIVE WILDLY FOUNDATION

    Founded in 2022, the Live Wildly Foundation applies an entrepreneurial approach to protecting wild Florida while seeking to balance smart growth, a robust economy, and a connected, resilient landscape. Through creating diverse coalitions, fostering collaboration, and empowering stakeholders to advance conservation efforts, Live Wildly strives to achieve a harmonious and sustainable future in which economic prosperity coexists with a thriving and resilient ecological landscape. Their first priority is the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This 18-million-acre wildlife superhighway is a model for public-private partnership, citizen advocacy, and grassroots support. Live Wildly encourages people to ‘Join the Movement’ to protect wild Florida. For more information, please visit www.livewildly.com.

    Contact Information

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

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  • As Florida Rebuilds From Devastating Hurricanes, Nature Offers Solutions for the Future

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    Healthy natural systems can buffer communities from growing threats of climate change 


    TAMPA, Fla., November 13, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    As communities recover from back-to-back hurricanes – and as policy leaders look to shield Florida from future disasters – a new study funded by Live Wildly, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of wildlife corridor conservation, finds that conserving the state’s wetlands, forests, and other natural areas can provide cost-effective solutions. 

    Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused billions of dollars in damage across Florida, with insurance claims alone amounting to more than $4.6 billion. That doesn’t include costs of flood damage often not covered by homeowner insurance, lost revenue from businesses hurt by the hurricanes, or the repair of destroyed bridges, roads and other public structures.

    But a recent scientific study gives hope for the future, outlining how protecting Florida’s 18-million-acre Wildlife Corridor – a superhighway of connected lands and waters stretching from the Panhandle to the Everglades – can shield against increasing floods, rising temperatures and other climate threats.

    “Science tells us the threats of climate change are growing,” said Meredith Budd, Director of Strategic Initiatives with the Live Wildly Foundation, which funded the study. “This report offers hope that there are actions we can take to help keep Florida’s communities and economies safe from the worst impacts of climate change.” 

    The study, conducted by scientists at Florida Atlantic University, Archbold Biological Station and other collaborators, found that about two-thirds of the state’s floodplains – covering 10 million acres – lie within the Wildlife Corridor. These floodplains serve as Florida’s natural drainage system, soaking up water during storms and providing billions of dollars of flood hazard protection.

    The study also found that the Wildlife Corridor’s dense forests, grasslands, and other green areas can help mitigate heat waves and droughts driven by climate change, bringing benefits to outdoor workers and recreational visitors as well as providing safe habitat to native wildlife.

    And the Wildlife Corridor can reduce the risk of dangerous wildfires in Florida, the study found. By protecting large areas of open space, fire crews can more effectively conduct controlled burns and other land management practices that keep natural areas healthy and less fire-prone. 

    While the Wildlife Corridor is primarily inland, it does contain areas of coastal mangroves and marshes that can shield communities from storm surges and reduce erosion from waves. The study cited findings that every hectare of healthy mangroves provides an average of $7,500 in risk reduction benefits.

    The Wildlife Corridor was established in 2021 with unanimous support from the Florida state legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis. It not only provides habitat for almost 2,000 different species — including the Florida panther, manatees, and the Gopher tortoise — but also supports at least 114,000 jobs and generates $30 billion in annual revenue through recreation, tourism, agriculture, forestry, and other industries. 

    Only about 10 million acres of the Corridor are currently conserved with another 8 million considered “opportunity areas” in need of protection. But as Florida’s population grows by more than 1,200 people every day, rapidly expanding urban development threatens to forever erase these natural areas and working lands. 

    “State leadership has demonstrated its understanding of the deep link between clean water, healthy lands and a strong economy by supporting the creation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and ongoing efforts,” said Colin Polsky, Ph.D., lead author of the study and founding director of the Florida Atlantic University School of Environmental, Coastal and Ocean Sustainability. “In the three years since its creation, the corridor has already produced economic, social and environmental benefits. Based on findings from our report, we expect future benefits to grow exponentially if we conserve the corridor’s remaining opportunity areas.”

    Other findings of the climate study – titled “Florida’s Wildlife Corridor and Climate Change: Managing Florida’s Natural and Human Landscapes for Prosperity and Resilience” – include:

    • The Wildlife Corridor helps reduce greenhouse gases and offers the potential for carbon markets. 
    • Properties within the Corridor may increase in value due to the various ecosystem services and recreational opportunities that natural areas and working lands provide.
    • Since the Corridor was established in 2021, private property owners, with the support of state funding, have voluntarily placed conservation easements on more than 170,000 acres of their lands within the corridor.  
    • Florida’s Wildlife Corridor can serve as a model for other states experiencing growing populations and climate risks. 

    “The Florida Wildlife Corridor provides a leading example of ambitious landscape conservation planning on a regional scale. Florida has long been a leader in habitat connectivity planning, and the state should be proud that its efforts inspire others around the world,” said Joshua Daskin, Ph.D., project manager and director of conservation at Archbold Biological Station. “The corridor is an example of how public and private partners can come together to achieve mutual economic, social and environmental goals at the local and state levels.” 

    ABOUT LIVE WILDLY FOUNDATION  

    Founded in 2022, the Live Wildly Foundation applies an entrepreneurial approach to protecting wild Florida while seeking to balance smart growth, a robust economy, and a connected, resilient landscape. Through creating diverse coalitions, fostering collaboration, and empowering stakeholders to advance conservation efforts, Live Wildly strives to achieve a harmonious and sustainable future in which economic prosperity coexists with a thriving and resilient ecological landscape. Their first priority is the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This 18-million-acre wildlife superhighway is a model for public-private partnership, citizen advocacy, and grassroots support. Live Wildly encourages people to ‘Join the Movement’ to protect wild Florida. For more information, please visit www.livewildly.com.   

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

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