Five years ago, Florida made history by enacting landmark legislation that brings us closer to a future where people and nature can thrive together. The unamious and bipartisan passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act marked a turning point for conservation in our state, transforming a shared vision into something real and recognized by law.

Since the passage of the act, the state of Florida and many partner organizations have collectively accelerated conservation efforts, permantely protecting nearly half a million acres within and adjacent to the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

As we celebrate this major milestone, I’m reminded that our greatest achievement isn’t the law itself, but the incredible community that has come together to bring this idea to life and keep it going.

To our Corridor community, thank you for believing in this mission and for your continued support. Together, we’re making a connected Florida a reality.

In the rest of this month’s newsletter, you’ll find updates on:

• Four new properties approved for conservation at the June 2026 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.
• A new partnership and grant program that aims to expand access to outdoor recreation in the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
• A collaboration with artist Kathy Stark that brings the beauty of the Florida Wildlife Corridor into your home.
• Information on our Fall 2026 internship opportunities.
• Two stories from the field focusing on family land stewardship and the importance habitat connectivity.
• An upcoming Wild Space Gallery conversation inspired by Benjamin Dimmitt’s photographic exploration of the Chassahowitzka River

Enjoy the news and celebrations below, and I hope you have a wonderful Independence Day spent outdoors with family and friends.

Governor & Cabinet Approve Permanent Conservation of Over 6,000 Acres of Working Land:

On June 9, the Florida Governor and Cabinet approved funding for the permanent conservation of 6,237.46acres across four properties within and adjacent to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The newly approved conservation lands are located across Highlands, Manatee and Okeechobee counties, advancing the state’s commitment to connecting and safeguarding Florida’s natural landscapes for future generations.   

Dixie Ranch West, Syfrett Farm & Ranch, Thundercloud Ranch, and LFW Farms are all to be protected through conservation easements funded through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. 

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation celebrates the collaboration and leadership of the landowners, FDACS, U.S. Air Force REPI program, Manatee County, Saunders Real Estate, Brown Land Team and additional partners who played essential roles in making these opportunities possible. 

Learn more about the newly conserved properties and see photos of the workind lands courtsey of Wildpath at the links below.

Link to Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Press Release

Link to Wildpath Media Kit, Maps, & Photos

Florida Wildlife Corridor Access Improvement Grant Program:

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Trust For Public Land, Florida Trail Association, and the Disney Conservation Fund are proud to announce a new partnership focused on expanding public access and closing critical connectivity gaps along the Florida Wildlife Corridor and the Florida National Scenic Trail.
⁠⁠
The new Florida Wildlife Corridor Access Improvement program aims to fund one award totaling $150,000 to an applicant within the Florida Wildlife Corridor for capital improvements that address expanding access to outdoor recreation assets. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, local governments, and Tribal and Indigenous communities or governments that have a project to create or improve access on land they own in or directly connected to the Florida Wildlife Corridor.⁠
⁠
The application process is now open, learn more about the opportunity and apply at the link here.

Kathy Stark “Keep Florida Wild” Poster Collaboration:

Bring a piece of the Florida Wildlife Corridor into your home with the new Keep Florida Wild poster collection, created in collaboration with Jacksonville artist Kathy Stark.

Inspired by the iconic 1930s WPA National Park posters, these prints celebrate the wildlife, wild places, and working lands that keep the 18-million-acre Florida Wildlife Corridor connected from the Everglades to the Georgia-Alabama borders.

Available in 14″ x 20″ and 24″ x 36″ on fine art paper or 24″ x 36″ on canvas, using archival inks.

Purchase online from Kathy’s website at the link here or shop limited quantities in-person at our Wild Space St. Pete shop.

Fall 2026 Internship Opportunities:

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation’s paid Internship Program offers hands-on experience in conservation through flexible, part-time roles with our Conservation, Impact Campaigns, Convenings, Communications, and Wild Space Gallery teams.

Applications open July 1st and close July 20th. Click the link here to view all the exciting opportunities.

Stories From The Field:

Summer 2026 Photography & Storytelling Intern Abigail Nelson looks at the importance of habitat connectivity and how sprawling development patterns can create ecological islands if not planned carefully.

Read the full story “Island in a Concrete Sea: the Importance of Habitat Connectivity” at the link here.

7th generation Floridian and landowner Gretchen Hoke shares a personal story about family land stewardship and what it means to be an advocate for the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Read the full story “Rain Frog Ranch: How a Family’s Land Led to a Voice for the Corridor” at the link here.

In The Presence Of Water – A Conversation with Rick Lanese & Jason Lauritsen:

Join Wild Space Gallery on July 11th for In the Presence of Water, a conversation with Santa Fe River Conservationist Rick Lanese and Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation’s Chief Conservation Officer Jason Lauritsen.

Inspired by Benjamin Dimmitt’s photographic exhibition An Unflinching Look: Elegy for a Landscape, Lanese and Lauritsen will explore advocacy for the Chassahowitzka River as well as the biodiversity and health of Florida’s unique waterways, with hope that awareness and action can have restorative effects on Florida’s shifting wetlands that are constantly seeking to renew themselves.

Conversation 6-7pm. Refreshments will be served. Click the link here to RSVP.

An Unflinching Look Photos By Benjamin Dimmitt At Wild Space:

Benjamin Dimmitt has been photographing the Chassahowitzka River and National Wildlife Refuge for over forty-five years. Using film and a medium format camera, An Unflinching Look: Elegy for a Landscape presents thirty-seven photographs documenting how climate change, saltwater intrusion, and development have altered the area over time.

In exquisite detail, Dimmitt’s classic black and white images show us beauty, change, and loss. Once pristine wetlands and hardwood forests are now a wasteland of denuded palm trees. Previously clear, meandering creeks are clogged with fallen trunks and stumps. But the photographs also give us the hope that awareness and action can have restorative effects on a landscape constantly seeking to renew itself.

The exhibit is on display at Wild Space Gallery until July 25th.

Wild Space Gallery is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 2-6pm and is located at 2606 Fairfield Ave S, BLDG 7C, St. Petersburg, FL 33712