Expedition DVD and Book Now Available
The Florida Wildlife Corridor project is a collaborative vision to connect remaining natural lands, waters, working farms, forests and ranches from the Everglades to Georgia, protecting a functional ecological corridor for the health of people, wildlife and watersheds.
In 2012, four explorers traveled 1,000 miles in 100 days on the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition. They traveled through the heart of Florida, which is still wild – and can still be saved. You can now experience the lessons learned on the expedition from the comfort of your own home.
The DVD features a collection of stories and experiences woven together in a documentary format. It includes extra video stories and a music video. Produced by Elam Stoltzfus, featured on PBS TV.
The book shares stunning photographs by Carlton Ward Jr and essays by fellow explorers to bring the story to life in vivid detail. Travel with them to discover the rivers, swamps, prairies, springs and forests, cattle ranchers and timberlands. The book will sell for $25 and the DVD for $20. Get yours today!
Public Service Announcement Connects Timberlands to Wildlife
This PSA, now available for airing, was created to raise awareness about the beneficial role of working timberlands in Florida, and their importance to the Florida Wildlife Corridor, much of which is made up of working timberlands. Timberlands provide crucial habitat for wildlife, as well as clean air and water. As a communications partner for the Florida Wildlife Corridor, Conservation Trust for Florida and the Legacy Institute for Nature and Culture (LINC) are working with artists and storytellers to inspire the public to learn about the Florida Wildlife Corridor and engage in its permanent protection.
Listen to the 30 second audio version
View the VideoBarr Hammock Levy Prairie Preserve Grand Opening
The Grand Opening of the Barr Hammock Levy Prairie Preserve was a Grand Success! It was a gorgeous day and over 150 people attended the event on Saturday. Thank you to Ramesh Buch, Kelly McPherson and Sandra Vardaman of the Alachua County Forever program for all of their hard work in preparing for the opening of the preserve.
The opening featured a ribbon-cutting by County Commissioner Mike Byerly and Ramesh Buch, Alachua County Forever program manager, at the trailhead at Southeast 11th Drive off Wacahoota Road in Micanopy. This trailhead provides access to 6½ miles of trails open for both hiking and biking.
Overall, there are 5,719 acres to the preserve, making it the largest of the county's conservation acquisitions. The majority of its landscape is marsh and wet prairie that is hydrologically tied to Paynes Prairie; all part of a larger greenway system that connects conservation areas together throughout Florida. The Barr Hammock Levy Prairie Preserve is part of the greenway that connects the Ocala National Forest to the Goethe State Forest. The Conservation Trust was a partner in the grant applications and has agreed to assist Alachua County with field trips and educational programs at the Preserve.
Attendees at the Grand Opening learned all about the preserve at information exhibits and then went off on foot, bicycle, or on a hayride to see the lands and their flora and fauna firsthand.
Terri Mashour, Gator Glob Nature Contributor, shared highlights from the event on-line: "The comissioners described the property and it's karst characteristics, very thin limestone that allows rain water to seep directly into the Floridan Aquifer, our drinking water. They explained the greenway connection that Barr Hammock Preserve fills in, allowing linkages for our Florida black bears (YES! There are black bears in our county!), our deer, our birds to move about the area without being blocked by development. They explained the importance of the partnerships that gathered to find funding to purchase this great expanse of open space, in a time when funding for purchasing conservation lands is scarce."
Read her whole article at http://www.gatorglob.com/en/staff-articles/item/2230-barr-hammock-preserve-gainesviles-miniature-everglades
Terri also operates Gainesville Ecotours, which hosted a hike during the event. Gainesville Ecotours will be working with CTF to bring 12 hikes to the public in the coming year. Thanks to Terri for sharing the photos from the event.
The grand opening was covered by TV 20. Watch the news clip here:
http://www.wcjb.com/local-news/2013/02/huge-addition-alachua-countys-public-lands-levy-prairie
The Gainesville Sun also covered the event too:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130131/ARTICLES/130139892
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130202/ARTICLES/130209935
CTS Sponsors Pony Club Gala
CTF sponsored the Sunshine Region Pony Club Winter Gala to help promote our "Protecting Horse Country" project to help conserve horse farms. Click here to learn more about the project. As you can tell from this article, the Gala was a big success.
Special thanks to Susan Woods for volunteering at the CTF booth at the Gala! Click here for a link to the photos of the event. CTF's logo is on the main banner where the photos were taken.
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View this inspiring and informative video by Former Florida Governor Buddy MacKay, who is also a member of CTF's Advisory Board. He talks about the importance of protecting wildlife corridors and protecting land for conservation. Video is by the University of Florida, IFAS as part of the Springs Protection Workshop in May 2012 (11 minutes).
