Who We Are
The Florida Wildlife Corridor organization champions the public and partner support needed to permanently connect, protect and restore the Florida Wildlife Corridor – a statewide network of lands and waters that supports wildlife and people. Our organization has trekked 1,000 miles across Florida – twice – to demonstrate the need and opportunity to connect wild places in Florida.
Using a science-based approach, on-the-ground knowledge of the Corridor, and the support of thousands of followers throughout the state and nation, the Florida Wildlife Corridor now embarks on its most important journey – to accelerate the rate of conservation in Florida by 10% annually in order to protect 300,000 acres within the Corridor by the end of 2020.
Film Available for Streaming
The Last Green Thread
This powerful short film unveils a tenuous thread of wild Florida woven into the fabric of theme parks and suburbia, underscoring the importance of this link that joins the green heart of Florida to the northern reaches of the Everglades. Experience The Last Green Thread here.
In 2018 three friends set out on an expedition into the most rapidly developing landscape in Central Florida, traveling the narrowest and most imperiled wildlife corridor in the state.
On a narrow path through Florida’s Everglades Headwaters, the expedition traverses a fragile wilderness corridor before it disappears forever. Against the backdrop of massive development and population growth, their expedition documents the vitality and connectedness of an ecosystem in a state of rapid transformation.
Every day 1,000 new residents move to Florida and each hour 20 acres are lost to development. The roads we build, like Interstate 4, block wildlife and water. Photograph by Carlton Ward Jr / Carlton Ward Photography / www.CarltonWard.com
The remaining wild areas between Tampa and Orlando are quickly becoming isolated. Only three natural connection points remain linking the Everglades Headwaters south of I-4 to the Green Swamp north of I-4. Mother nature may be resilient – but when the last green thread is stretched to the breaking point, can we summon the courage and resourcefulness to change course?
This exploration issued a call to action; we must protect and restore remaining wild threads within our growing urban interface.
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What We Do
Visit our shopping page for “The Forgotten Coast, Florida Wildlife Corridor Glades to Gulf Expedition” by the Expedition team, Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, Joseph Guthrie, and Carlton Ward Jr., the DVDs and other merchandise.
We combine conservation science with compelling imagery and rich storytelling to heighten the visibility of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and inspire its protection. Through education and citizen engagement, the Florida Wildlife Corridor advocates for the protection of the missing links needed to connect conservation lands in the Corridor.
Our Florida Wildlife Corridor Expeditions result in documentaries, books, videos and vivid photographic presentations that introduce these natural areas to Florida residents and visitors of all ages.
Why It Matters
A corridor is a natural, continuous swath of lands or waters that wildlife, including the Florida Black Bear and the Florida Panther, travel to access different habitats or for parts of their life cycle. These connected wild areas ensure the long-term survival of many native species, as well as the health of our waters and Florida’s rural way of life.
Without long-term protection, significant portions of the Florida Wildlife Corridor are at risk of fragmentation – either by roads or other development. Fragmenting the Corridor threatens the ability of wildlife to travel, restricts breeding opportunities and ultimately harms plant and animal communities. Breaking up the Florida Wildlife Corridor would also be detrimental to Florida’s fresh water resources.
We have a fleeting opportunity to keep natural and rural landscapes connected in order to protect the waters that sustain us, the working farms and ranches that feed us, the forests that clean our air, the coastal zones that protect us from storms and the habitat that all of these lands provide for Florida’s diverse wildlife.
The Forgotten Coast: Return to Wild Florida tells the tale of Florida’s wild lands. Purchase the DVD here.
Visit Amazon Smile and select the Florida Wildlife Corridor as your charity. As you’re shopping, be sure to check out our wishlist.
How You Can Help
Donations
All donations to the Florida Wildlife Corridor are tax-deductible and go directly to the Florida Wildlife Corridor public awareness campaign.
