We’re thrilled to announce we have selected our team of trekkers for our upcoming Longleaf to Lighthouse Expedition and documentary film! In just a few weeks, they’ll embark on a week-long journey through the critical Corridor connection between the Red Hills of north Florida and the Gulf.

The expedition brings together four local elected officials selected for their connection to wild Florida and their interest in learning more about the Corridor. Polk County Commissioner Becky Troutman, Tallahassee City Commissioner Jack Porter, Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor, and Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks will venture out of their meeting rooms and into the Corridor itself, experiencing firsthand the lands and waters they help shape through their decisions.

Along the journey, they’ll be joined by landowners, scientists, and storytellers who will help deepen their understanding of the connected land and the decisions that guide its future.

About The Longleaf to Lighthouse Expedition:

On April 21st, 2026, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation will kick off the Longleaf to Lighthouse Expedition, a week-long journey tracing the critical Corridor connection between the Red Hills of southern Georgia to the Gulf at St. Marks Lighthouse. Taking place just outside Tallahassee, the heart of Florida’s conservation decision-making, this expedition offers a rare opportunity to connect the people shaping the state’s future directly with the lands they are entrusted to protect.

The Expedition follows a connected journey from the upland Red Hills of southern Georgia through a mosaic of longleaf pine forests, quail country, hardwood hammocks, and floodplain swamps before continuing along the St. Marks River to the coastal marshes of Apalachee Bay. This route highlights one of the Southeast’s most important ecological linkages, a landscape that serves as both a wildlife and water bridge between states. Together, these working lands, public forests, and protected waters show how stewardship across an entire watershed sustains the region’s wildlife, water, and cultural heritage.

The Longleaf to Lighthouse expedition is being filmed and photographed to document and create a short film about the experience led by Cole Heilborn from Port Side Productions. Our Expeditions result in award-winning films that amplify our critical mission to Floridians and audiences worldwide. Follow along on the expedition in real time on our Instagram and Facebook @floridawildlifecorridor with #longleaftolighthouse.

History of Florida Wildlife Corridor Expeditions

Our 1,000 mile expeditions and subsequent films in 2012 and 2015 laid the foundation for this work with a robust media campaign to share the Corridor concept and vision. Since then, we’ve revisited different chokepoints along the Corridor that are in danger of severing the Corridor forever.

Each expedition we embark on has been tailored to better understand the landscape of the Corridor. We seek out scientists, land managers, ranchers, farmers, and the outdoor recreational community who know the land and depend on it. At its core, the Corridor is a story of connections, and our expeditions are the embodiment of a search to uncover the most important connections that can mean the difference between preservation or loss of the global treasure that is the Florida Wildlife Corridor. We capture the journey of each expedition through documentaries to share the stories of wild Florida with the public.

Meet the Trekkers:

Becky Troutman, Polk County Commissioner

Becky Troutman proudly serves as a Polk County Commissioner for District 1, having been sworn into office in November 2024. She serves with a focus on public safety, smart growth, economic opportunity, and conservation of natural resources.

A dedicated Lakeland resident, Becky brings to public service a diverse professional background rooted in education, psychology, business ownership, and community engagement. She manages two successful small businesses; one specializing in school psychology and the other in interior decorating. She has previously worked as an educator, school psychologist and corporate trainer.

Before her election to the Board of County Commissioners, Becky was deeply involved in community leadership and service. She served on the boards of the United Way of Central Florida and The Learning Resource Center, spent six years on the Polk County Planning Commission, and volunteered with Guardian Ad Litem, advocating for children in the court system. Becky holds multiple graduate degrees, including three Master’s degrees in Educational Leadership, Counseling and School Psychology, as well as a Specialist degree in School Psychology. She earned her undergraduate degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida.

Becky was born in Ocala and raised in Avon Park. Becky balances her professional commitments with family life in Lakeland, where she is a proud parent to a teenage daughter. In her free time, she enjoys running, saltwater fishing, and DIY home projects

Jack Porter, Tallahassee City Commissioner

In 2020, Commissioner Porter was elected to the Tallahassee City Commission at 27 years old—making her the youngest woman to ever be elected in Tallahassee. Since then, she has spent her tenure in public service advocating for economic, environmental, and racial justice. As a longtime community builder, Commissioner Porter has worked tirelessly to advance progress on the issues that matter to our neighborhoods.

Like most Floridians, Jacqueline “Jack” Porter isn’t originally from Florida. Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, Jack moved to the Fort Lauderdale area when she was twelve years old. She received her bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion and holds master’s degrees in Urban & Regional Planning and in Public Administration & Policy, all from the Florida State University.

She serves as a Board Director of the Leon County’s local infrastructure sales tax agency, the City of Tallahassee’s Community Redevelopment Agency, and member of the Apalachee Regional Planning Council.

Jack knows the names of all the counties of Florida and knows some other things, too. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her bike, watching Bravo, and being a proud Virgo.

Rick Minor, Leon County Commissioner

Elected in 2018 to the Leon County Commission, Rick Minor represents District 3 and is focused on growing the local economy, creating quality jobs, improving neighborhoods and infrastructure, protecting the environment, reducing crime, and ensuring the highest ethical standards in government.

Prior to serving full-time on the Commission, Rick was the CEO of the Big Bend’s nonprofit food bank, where he led an 86% increase in food distribution and helped provide more than 12.7 million pounds of food annually to families in need through a network of 135 community partners. Before that, he served as a public policy consultant at the state and local levels and also managed the financial operations of a small business. In addition, Rick has nearly a decade of experience as a business and IT consultant, working on projects throughout the United States and internationally.

Rick is a native Floridian with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. He has also earned a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Rick’s favorite pastimes are taking strolls with his wife and two daughters around Leon County’s parks, kayaking with the family on Lake Jackson and the Wakulla River, and listening to music – especially the Beatles.

Sean Parks, Lake County Commissioner

Commissioner Sean M. Parks is a Central Florida native who enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He and his wife, Ivy, are active in the community and attend and serve at the Church at South Lake, and their three children attend Lake County public schools. Commissioner Parks owns and operates a small consulting business.

An Eagle Scout, Commissioner Parks serves Scouting volunteering and teaching merit badges. He also serves education in Lake County as an ex-officio Board member to Educational Foundation of Lake County. Commissioner Parks is a member of the Board of Directors for the Buses and Backpacks Program, serving Lake County children in need and volunteers for civic organizations around Lake County. He has served in Rotary and Kiwanis and is an active member of the South Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Commissioner Parks has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s degree in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is certified as an urban and regional planner by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP). Commissioner Parks was elected in 2004 to the Lake County Water Authority.

Commissioner Parks strongly believes in exercising servant leadership and in actively listening to residents’ concerns. He holds at least one open outreach meeting a month called Coffee and Conversations in south Lake County providing an opportunity for residents to meet one-on-one in the casual setting of a local restaurant and leads a bi-weekly podcast called “Lake Rising”, presenting positive stories and news from around Lake County and the Central Florida region.

An ardent leader and supporter of economic development and business friendly initiatives, Commissioner Parks’ interest in serving the citizens of Lake County also focuses on public safety, parks and recreation and water resources. Commissioner Parks championed the cause to bring competitive rowing to Lake County and is passionate about the Wellness Way Plan for bringing high wage jobs to Lake County while protecting quality of life.

About Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation
The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation champions a collaborative campaign to permanently connect, protect and restore the Florida Wildlife Corridor – a statewide network of connected lands and waters that supports wildlife and people. As the champion and the guidepost for the Corridor movement, they unite leaders and changemakers to elevate the Corridor and accelerate protection for its most urgent, vulnerable, and irreplaceable connections. To learn more, visit floridawildlifecorridor.org or connect on social media @floridawildlifecorridor.