Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Everglades to Okefenokee was a 1,000 mile expedition over a 100-day period launched on January 17, 2012 to increase public awareness and generate support for the Florida Wildlife Corridor project. Bear biologist Joe Guthrie, conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus and photojournalist Carlton Ward Jr. trekked from Everglades National Park toward Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southern Georgia. The trio traversed the wildlife habitats, watersheds, working farms and ranches, that comprise the Florida Wildlife Corridor opportunity area. They traveled on foot, mountain bike, standup paddleboard, kayak, horseback, and occasionally swimming.

Ward Jr. projected that there would be 300 miles of paddling, about 500 miles of hiking, and some mountain biking and horseback riding over the course of the exploration.

The team documented the corridor through photography, video streams, radio reports, daily updates on social media and digital networks, and a host of activities for reporters, landowners, conservationists, politicians and other guests. “In a way this is a window for the rest of the world to see what we see and what’s really here in the central part of Florida,” Stoltzfus has said. The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition was intended to bring awareness and political action to ensure that the corridor is protected. The documentary film 'Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Everglades to Okefenokee by Elam Stoltzfus captures segments of the trip and stop along the way with naturalist, landowners, and tribes.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor was founded by Dr. Tom Hoctor, Director of the Center for Landscape and Conservation Planning at the University of Florida and Carlton Ward Jr, Conservation Photographer and founder of the Legacy Institute for Nature & Culture (LINC). Their vision and collaboration was inspired by the bear research of David Maehr and the commitment of his students, Wade Ulrey and Joe Guthrie, to continue his legacy.

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