Join us in celebrating the 2025 Sabal Awards recipients! The Corridor Connect community submitted nominations for the following categories and a diverse committee representing seven organizations carefully reviewed the submissions with a structured rubric, and selected winners who represent a dedication to protecting, connecting, and restoring the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

The Outstanding Corridor Public Servant Award recognizes an elected official for their remarkable conservation efforts and support of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This year’s winner is Florida State Senator, Kathleen Passidomo. It is unlikely that the Florida Wildlife Corridor would be what it is today without President Passidomo. She played a crucial role in shepherding support for the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, passed in 2021, which has allowed for significant funding by formally defining the Corridor as a network of land essential to supporting both Florida’s wildlife and residents. Under her leadership, the Florida Senate has prioritized investing in land conservation, with a record-breaking 2 billion dollars to be put towards acquiring acreage within the Corridor. She proudly articulates the benefits of Corridor protection on water quality, rural economies, working lands, and public access, helping the cause to acquire unanimous bipartisan support. This forward-thinking leader shows a steadfast commitment to protecting wild Florida, now and for future generations, and for that we express our immense gratitude.

The Innovative Partnership Award honors organizations celebrating cross-sector collaborations that support the Corridor’s success. The Wolfe Creek Forest Project earned the award, highlighting the partnership between The Longleaf Alliance, Trust for Public Land, Florida Forest Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Florida Forever), Naval Air Station Whiting Field, and Santa Rosa County. The Wolfe Creek Forest is within the largest connected longleaf pine ecosystem in the world. Longleaf pine forests are one of the most ecologically diverse ecosystems on earth, providing habitats for 900 endemic plant and animal species, including 30 federally threatened or endangered species, such as the eastern indigo snake and the red cockaded woodpecker. Not only does this project conserve the forest ecosystem, it also protects numerous seepage and stream systems, supporting a variety of aquatic flora and fauna, like the endangered Gulf sturgeon. For over a decade, these collaborators have been working to preserve these priority lands, and have succeeded in protecting more than 14,000 acres across a subdivided landscape, connecting patches of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Every bit of connected habitat conserved contributes to the Corridor vision to permanently link Florida’s wild lands, and this team’s committed effort has proven to be exemplary.

The Conservation Leadership Award distinguishes Dr. Hilary Swain as an individual advancing Corridor conservation efforts. Hilary takes on many roles at Archbold Biological Station, including Executive Director & CEO and Senior Research Biologist. For over 30 years, she has led one of Florida’s leading conservation science organizations with unwavering passion and dedication. Under her direction, Archbold has compiled ground-breaking research on species movement, habitat connectivity, and responsible land management – which acted as vital scientific analysis that helped establish the foundation for the Corridor’s formation and expansion. Throughout her career she has advocated for the protection of Florida’s ranchlands, voicing the importance of conservation and working lands coexistence. Hilary is retiring in August 2025, but her legacy lives on in the generations of conservationists she mentored, as well as the valuable land areas that she had a hand in acquiring and protecting. And in her words, she’s not going far as she has big plans for her Corridor passion projects.

In addition to the committee-voted winners, Community Choice category nominees were invited to share their eligibility with their social networks, which led to more than 2700 votes across five categories.

The Landowner category acknowledges individuals demonstrating a tireless commitment to stewarding their corner of the Corridor. Ben and Louann Williams, owners of Wetland Preserve LLC, were voted as this year’s community favorite. Their 3,800 acre property is located within the Ocala to Osceola portion of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Initially purchasing their land in an effort to protect water quality and resources, the pair’s top priority has always been maintaining ecological health. They actively practice land management strategies such as silviculture, habitat restoration, soil and water conservation, and even recreation. Additionally, the Williams are devoted to sharing their knowledge, whether that be helping to guide others through land stewardship, the importance of protecting Florida’s natural resources, or how conserving the Corridor can benefit our state and its residents.

The Land Management award goes to Conservation 20/20 at Lee County Parks and Recreation. The accolade distinguishes this department as an organization going above and beyond to manage land well for increased or sustained biodiversity and connection within the Corridor. Conservation 20/20 is a land acquisition and stewardship program, established in 1996, that works to protect natural areas in Lee County for the benefit of present and future generations. The group has a staff of 11, managing more than 31,000 acres of land across 52 preserves. Staff draft and implement land management plans for each preserve, prioritizing the protection and enrichment of the environment to best support native flora and fauna.

Isabella Guttuso Browne rose to the top for the Emerging Leader title, recognizing her as a new voice for conservation action in Florida through demonstrated leadership and activity. Isabella is the Urban and Recreational Green Infrastructure Coordinator at the Center for Landscape Conservation Planning (CLCP). She leads an initiative integrating green infrastructure design and planning into broader land use and conservation strategies across the state, focusing on connecting applied research to real-world implementation. Her current work includes developing adaptation strategies for both historic and vulnerable landscapes, improving outdoor recreation access while simultaneously protecting ecological resources, as well as guiding circulation and wayfinding planning for protected lands. Furthermore, Isabella serves on a variety of advisory committees, including the Florida Wildlife Corridor’s Corridor Compatible Communities and Trails working groups.

The Grassroots award is presented to groups or individuals working from the ground up to mobilize community efforts, local initiatives, and other forms of advocacy for the protection and connection of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This year, Jerry Miller, of Jerry’s Wild Life, won the Sabal through his commitment to conservation education and habitat restoration. Jerry has a passion for preserving Florida’s unique ecosystems (such as wetlands, forests, and coastal regions) and safeguarding the wildlife that thrive in these biomes. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, contributing to statewide conservation efforts by monitoring wildlife populations or facilitating prescribed burns. By utilizing social media, Jerry’s Wild Life shares content that aims to educate the community regarding his experiences exploring the Corridor and coming face-to-face with the critters inhabiting it, as well as responsible land use and how you can personally get involved in preserving wild Florida.

The final Sabal Award winner by popular vote is Max Chesnes for Wild Florida Storyteller, known for telling impactful stories to make connections between people and the Corridor. Max is an environmental reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, illuminating the various issues facing wild Florida, informing, educating, and mobilizing people statewide. Whether communicating the threats facing wild Florida, amplifying scientists, or being on the ground as a resource for citizens through some of Florida’s most historic hurricanes, this year Chesnes rose to the top for wild Florida storytellers.

We are grateful for the Corridor Connect community who helped to recognize these individuals and organizations as trailblazers in this Florida conservation community, which is teeming with exceptional people such as these. Congratulations to the nominees and the inaugural winners of the Sabal Awards; we can’t wait to see what you do next!

Click here to see the other Community Choice Nominees