Celebrating Working Ag Lands and the Florida Wildlife Corridor
Thank you for joining us at the Corridor Connect+ event held in partnership with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation on Wednesday, May 20 at the Circle Square Cultural Center!
More than 300 people joined us for the evening Keynote by filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer Ben Masters. While Ben shared his deep love of Mustangs, wildlife and the importance of protecting working farms and ranches, his authentic Texan drawl, humor and cowboy swagger had guests laughing while he gave credit to Texas cougars for “fixing your kinky tails.”
Keynote speaker Ben Masters speaks at the Corridor Connect+ LIVE: Working Lands, Working Solutions event in Ocala. Photo courtesy of Avera Visuals.
Texas cougars were introduced in Florida in 1995 to fix the “kinks” in the endangered Florida panther’s tails. The panthers had become so inbred that they had kinks in their tails. Since then, the Florida panther population has rebounded to about 230 adults and subadults.
“I hope in 100 years that you can still ride from Mexico to Canada,” said Ben.
Excerpts from Ben’s upcoming documentary about Ocelots also illustrated the importance of protecting working ranches and a connected wildlife corridor. With fewer than 120 Ocelots, the film highlighted the efforts of ranchers, scientists, and government agencies to restore Ocelots to south Texas.
A Special Thank You to Presenting Sponsors:
& the Saint Bernard Foundation
Alex Freeze, Corridor Connect Director, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. Photo courtesy of Russell Crowder
Sara Fennessy, Executive Director, Horse Farms Forever speaks at the Corridor Connect+ LIVE: Working Lands, Working Solutions event in Ocala. Photo courtesy of Avera Visuals.
Connecting Landowners with Conservation Resources at the Landowner Expo
At the Landowner Expo, over a dozen organizations, ranging from Conservation Florida to the Tall Timbers Land Conservancy, provided information about land conservation programs.
Representatives from the conservation easement program, the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP), also attended the Expo. The RFLPP purchases development rights through conservation easements to help protect farms and ranches. In total, the RFLPP program has protected around 225,000 acres since its inception.
“Horse farms also qualify for the program,” said John Paul Fraites, Director of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. “This program has protected farms and ranches, from 80 acres to thousands of acres.”
Landowners interested in selling their development rights to preserve their land can submit applications during the annual cycle.
Conversations about Conservation
Horse Farms Forever thanks the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation for the opportunity to co-host the Corridor Connect+ LIVE: Working Lands, Working Solutions event in Ocala.
While our mission is focused on inspiring the conservation of horse farms through education and awareness, this new partnership is focused on connecting landowners with practical tools and information about the “how to” of land conservation.
“Marion County is such an important part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor story and I can’t think of a better place to bring people together for this conversation,” Corridor Connect Director for the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Alex Freeze said. “Horse farms and working lands are preserving Ocala’s rural character and helping keep one of the most connected landscapes in Florida intact.”
We hope that you were not only inspired by Ben Master’s Keynote, but that you also gained valuable information about land protection resources to help move conservation forward in Marion County.
Gaylen Holloway, Government and Community Relations, Duke Energy. Thank you to Duke Energy and the Saint Bernard Foundation for the generous support of the Corridor Connect+ LIVE: Working Lands, Working Solutions event! Photo courtesy of Avera Visuals.
A panel discussion with Pegeen Hanrahan, Trust for Public Land and Holland Drake. The panel was moderated by Jason Lauritsen, Chief Conservation Officer for the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. Photo courtesy of Avera Visuals.
Busy Shires, Director of Conservation, Horse Farms Forever and Nancy DiMaggio, HFF Volunteer
Chad Johnson, member of the Florida House of Representatives speaks with a guest at the Corridor Connect+ event.
Gretchen Hoke, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation and Fran Perchick, Resound Communications
Ben Naselius, Red Hills Planner of the Tall Timbers Land Conservancy speaks with a guest.
Natasha Rattray, is a Natural Resource Management Intern at the Alachua Conservation Trust.
Representatives from the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program speak with a guest.
Sine Murray, Florida Forever program; John Paul Fraites, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program; Marcus Shorter, USDA-NRCS, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Alan Hitchcock, former owner of the Hitchcock grocery stores and owner of the Santa Fe Ranch. About 2,300 acres of the ranch has been protect with a conservation easement.
The Landowner Expo included over a dozen organizations, ranging from Conservation Florida to the Tall Timbers Land Conservancy, that provided information about land conservation programs.
Sine Murray from the Florida Forever program speaks with Paul Saunders.
Michelle Grald and Barb Stanley, HFF Volunteers speak with Doug Shearer.
Photos courtesy of Russell Crowder.
Justin Alsedek, Gypsea Arts, painted the stunning mural to celebrate the wild working lands of Central Florida. The piece was unveiled at the Corridor Connect+ LIVE: Working Lands, Working Solutions event in Ocala. Photo courtesy of Avera Visuals.
A Powerful Network of Partners
These partners represent some of the most trusted voices in conservation, agriculture, and land stewardship, and they are ready to share programs, funding pathways, and practical tools for landowners and communities.
Photo courtesy Unbranded The Film