I don’t know about you, but I am not land rich. My quarter-acre yard won’t be doing much for the conservation of wild Florida. I don’t have the opportunity or burden of the decision to put my land in conservation. I don’t know what it’s like to weight the pros and cons, go through the application process, talk with my family, etc.

That’s why I was thrilled to sit down with the fifth-generation citrus grower and landowner, Ned Hancock, to hear about his family’s decision to apply to put their 2,600-acre parcel in conservation. I wanted to know the motivations behind their efforts to apply for a Rural and Family Lands Protection Program easement, the difficulty of the process and getting all stakeholders onboard, and how other nearby landowners feel about the future of Florida.

Ned is passionate about his land, his county, and his state with roots going back generations. Their land is situated in the Peace River Valley, a critical economic and environmental region, as well as an important piece of the Florida Wildlife Corridor but not as well protected as other parts of the state.

• Read more about Ned’s story at Florida Conservation Group’s blog: https://floridaconserve.org/2024/08/20/ned-hancock-peace-river-valley/
• Learn more about Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Rural and Family Lands Protection Program: https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Protect-Our-Environment/Rural-and-Family-Lands-Protection-Program

• Reach out to Travis Thompson or Mike Elfenbein about Amendment 2:
• Mike: https://www.instagram.com/mike_2lf/?hl=en
• Travis: https://www.instagram.com/travisthompson

Travis Thompson is a 5th generation Floridian from Winter Haven, Florida. He’s the Executive Director of the conservation non-profit All Florida, as well as a co-owner of Duck Ranchin’ the state’s largest waterfowl hunting operation. Through his work, he advocates for the things that make Florida special - our woods, water, wildlife, and the way of life that connects us to those things. From spraying to snook fishing, cattle to citrus, Travis and his team are in rooms every day around the state of Florida working on authentic conservation solutions.

Travis has been a huge part of Amendment 2, the Right to Fish and Hunt. I had a lot of questions about this amendment that Travis was gracious enough to answer. If you have more questions after our conversation, Travis makes the invitation to reach out directly to him.

You can learn more about Travis and his work below:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travisthompson
• All Florida: https://allfla.org/

Don’t forget to vote!

Kaylyn, a proud 10th generation Floridian, is deeply connected to the unique landscape of Southwest Florida, near the Western Everglades. Raised barefoot among oak hammocks and cypress tree domes, she inherited a legacy of pioneering ancestors who settled in this region, fueling her passion for protecting this remarkable place.

Overcoming the challenges of teen single motherhood and poverty, Kaylyn has gained invaluable experiences that have shaped her commitment to safeguarding Florida’s natural treasures.

With over a decade of hands-on experience in agriculture, land management across the Southern United States, and invasive species removal, she has become a proactive advocate and spokesperson for the state’s environmental challenges.

Outside of her professional life, Kaylyn enjoys backpacking, exploring new destinations, embarking on historical adventures with her son and family across Florida, and relishing trail rides and hikes with her beloved hound dogs.

Thank you for joining and supporting her on this journey. Together, let’s work to protect

Learn more about Kaylyn and the works she does:

• https://www.instagram.com/kaylynglenn/
• https://www.kaylyngladeswomanglenn.com/
• https://conservationfla.org/

There have been a ton of updates since the last episode about the proposed plan to develop nine Florida state parks. Namely, part of the project proposal has been withdrawn. Great news but the story isn’t over…

Places to follow for most up-to-date news and additional info:

• Max Chesnes - Environmental Reporter, Tampa Bay Times
• Florida Wildlife Federation, who broke the story
• Ryan Worthington, the Florida Excursionist
• Florida Madcaps Podcast - Crisis in the State Parks

There are not many folks more central to the idea of a “connected and protected” Florida than Dr. Tom Hoctor. He’s the director of the Center for Landscape Conservation Planning at the University of Florida and is the co-founder of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, considered one of the most ambitious landscape conservation plans in the country.

As we’ll learn, the concept of a statewide ecological corridor is not new. Decades of scientific research has led to the understanding that connected landscape-scale conservation is imperative to the survival of many species and among the best methods of preventing habitat loss and fragmentation.

Before it was called the Florida Wildlife Corridor, this idea of a connected greenspace in the Sunshine state was known as the Florida Ecological Greenways Network,

More info about Dr. Hoctor and links to topics discussed:

• Faculty page, University of Florida
• Florida Wildlife Corridor History
• University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning
• University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR)

Do you have an idea for a guest for the show? Submit guest suggestions here.

I have missed posting an episode for the last couple of months, but the good news is I’m catching up today with three guests at once!

Joining us for a talk about conservation, recreation, and education are the Florida Madcaps, made up of Chelsey and Chris Stevens and Ryan Worthington. They’re three friends who love to volunteer, guide, and educate Floridians on our best natural resources. Although they all do their own form of volunteering and advocacy, they join forces weekly to produce the Florida Madcaps podcast to talk about these topics.

I figured I’d start sharing other podcasts to listen to as they’re more consistent and do a great job sharing new places to explore in wild Florida.

Episode resources:

• Listen to the Florida Madcaps anywhere you get podcasts.
• Website: https://thefloridamadcaps.buzzsprout.com/
• Social: https://www.instagram.com/florida_madcaps_podcast/
• You can follow Chelsey and Chris, aka the Sunshine State Seekers here: https://www.instagram.com/sunshinestateseekers/
• You can follow Ryan, aka the Florida Excursionist here: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/
• Their episode about the 2024 Legislative Session and Environmentally Harmful Bills with Ryan Smart of the Florida Springs Council can be found here.
• Bradenton Herald’s recent feature of Florida Uncut can be read here: https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article289855064.html

If you have an idea for a future FU guest, please submit that to our guest suggestion form here.

Hey folks!

The show was recently featured in the Bradenton Herald and we have a lot of new listeners. You can read that article here: ‘Saved or paved.’ Palmetto-based podcast host explores Florida conservation stories

If you have an idea for a future Florida Uncut guest, please fill out this form.

Looking forward to bringing you more stories very soon!