Elysia wears many hats, but in short she’s an all-around badass. She recently stepped into the role of Team Leader for the Headwaters Ecosystem Management Team, Archbold Biological Station’s in-house prescribed fire strike team. In this position, she leads regional fire management efforts to restore and maintain critical ecosystems while reducing wildfire risk across the Everglades Headwaters and the Lake Wales Ridge.

Before joining Archbold, Elysia served as the Area Biologist for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Lake Wales Ridge sites, where she worked to conserve large habitat corridors and restore some of Florida’s most endangered plant communities.

As you might expect, Elysia has incredible fire stories and she brought that same energy, passion, and deep knowledge to our conversation on the show.

Join Us at the Lake Wales Ridge Fire Fest

Also, if you’d like to hear more from Elysia and other fire experts, join us at the Lake Wales Ridge Fire Fest on November 8th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring, Florida. We’ll be hosting a live podcast recording and expert panel featuring Elysia and other leaders in fire ecology.

About Fire Fest

Explore the essential role of fire in Florida’s ecosystems at a day-long festival filled with learning, demonstrations, and community engagement. Admission is free with the park’s $6 entrance fee.

10:00 AM — Gates Open

Grab a map, visit interactive exhibits, and explore booths and food trucks. See fire equipment up close, from helicopters to fire trucks, and chat with crews protecting Florida’s landscapes.

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM — Presentations

Hear from fire scientists, land managers, and conservation experts during a morning of talks and discussions.

1:00 PM — Main Stage: Live Panel & Podcast Recording

Join our panel of experts as they share real-world fire stories and insights, including a special live podcast taping.

1:00 PM — Burn Crew Gears Up

Watch the team prepare for ignition and learn what goes into a safe prescribed burn.

2:00 PM — Public Briefing & Walk to Burn Site

Get an overview of the upcoming demonstration and its ecological benefits.

2:30 PM — Prescribed Burn Demonstration

See fire in action! Live commentary and Q&A will accompany the burn.

~5:00 PM — Mop-Up & Wrap-Up

Watch how the crew ensures the site is safe before closing out the day.

Learn more here: https://www.archbold-station.org/events/fire-fest-2025/

Today we’re sitting down with Zach Franco, Conservation Partnership Coordinator at Archbold Biological Station, to talk about the recent 242-mile canoe trip of the Suwannee River, from source to sea, without stopping.

A lot of folks have asked for more details and the “why” of this adventure. I’m not sure if we actually answered that question, but here’s a great conversation to enjoy!

If you’re looking for more of the “how” to do your own adventures in Florida, or repeat this one, please reach out.

Follow Zach and read more about the adventure here: https://www.instagram.com/zpfranco123/

Mark your calendars for November 8th at Highlands Hammock State Park for Fire Fest, a day celebrating the role of fire in our environment.

In part three of our deep dive into Archbold Biological Station and its 10,500-acre working cattle operation, Buck Island Ranch, we sit down with assistant ranch manager, Mary Margaret Hardee, a lifelong Floridian whose path winds through ranching, conservation, and the cultural fabric of wild Florida.

Growing up on a family ranch in Chiefland, Mary is no stranger to early morning saddling horses. Her favorite way to start the day is greeting the sunrise as she helps gather cattle. In Lake Placid at Buck Island Ranch, she bridges the worlds of production and preservation, working alongside scientists, ranchers, and land managers to show that cattle country and conservation thrive together. Off the saddle, she’s the co-host of Herding Her Story with Gina Tran, a podcast spotlighting women shaping the future of ranching and land stewardship.

In our conversation Mary Margaret shares her family’s story, how her upbringing informs her role today, and the balancing act of protecting both natural resources and a way of life that has endured for generations. We also talk about the future of ranching in Florida, the pressures landowners face, and how storytelling can shape the next chapter and generation for conservation-minded agriculture.

If you’ve ever wondered how science and tradition meet on the open range, or what it means to love and fight for a place you call home, this episode will resonate.

Follow Mary Margaret’s work at the links below:

• https://www.instagram.com/mary_hardee/
• https://herding-her-story.blubrry.net/
• https://www.archbold-station.org/buck-island-ranch/

Thank you to Tahlia Warrick and Zach Franco for setting this series up.

On this episode of Florida Uncut, we sit down with Gene Lollis, Ranch Manager for the past 30 years at Buck Island Ranch, one of Florida’s most unique places where cattle ranching meets conservation science. 

Raised in St. Cloud, Florida, Gene’s journey began hoeing orange trees as a kid and working cattle, carrying forward a philosophy summed up in the phrase: “Open gates, open minds.” His deep roots in land and cattle shaped not only his career but also the way he approaches leadership and stewardship today.

At Buck Island Ranch, Gene oversees nearly 10,500 acres that operate as both a working cattle ranch and a living laboratory run by Archbold Biological Station. In our conversation, he shares how he balances production with conservation, the lessons he’s learned managing both ranch hands and scientists, and the role ranchlands play in protecting the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

We dive into:

• Gene’s personal story and the mentors who shaped his philosophy of land management
• How Buck Island Ranch integrates day-to-day cattle operations with groundbreaking conservation research
• The vital but often overlooked role of ranchlands in Florida’s conservation future
• Leadership lessons learned from bridging the ranching and scientific communities
• What Florida would lose if working lands like Buck Island disappeared

Gene also reflects on moments that capture the magic of the land, the legacy he hopes to leave, and his advice for future generations of landowners and conservationists.

This episode offers a rare, inside look at one of Florida’s most important working landscapes and the people dedicated to keeping it thriving for cattle, for wildlife, and for all of us.

Gene is a graduate of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Department of Animal Sciences and has served as the Florida Cattlemen’s Association President.

Learn more about Archbold’s Buck Island Ranch here: archbold-station.org/buck-island-ranch

Since 1995, Dr. Hilary Swain has served as the Executive Director of Archbold Biological Station in Venus, Florida, leading one of the nation’s premier field stations dedicated to science, conservation, and education. In her role she oversees two flagship properties: the 8,800-acre Archbold Biological Station on the ancient Lake Wales Ridge, and the 10,500-acre Buck Island Ranch, a fully working cattle ranch and living laboratory within the headwaters of the Everglades.

Over the past 30 years she has played a pivotal role in advancing land conservation and the understanding of prescribed fire, as well as the role of agricultural lands on the environment across Florida. Through those decades of leadership at Archbold, she has championed science as a foundation for conservation action, ensuring that Florida’s life, lands, and waters remain connected for generations to come. Evidence of her impact can be seen through the fact that under her leadership and regional impact, Archbold’s network of contiguous acres of conservation grow from 8,000 acres to 157,000 acres.

As Hilary prepares for her upcoming retirement, this conversation was a special opportunity to reflect on a remarkable career and lasting legacy in Florida conservation.

In this episode we discuss:

• How long-term science at Archbold informs the survival of threatened species, ecosystem resilience, and the protection of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
• Why balancing working lands, water, and fire management is vital to large landscape conservation.
• Hilary’s role in building collaborations across agencies, nonprofits, and landowners—and why these partnerships matter for Florida’s future.
• What it takes to lead a team of more than 60 staff, students, and visiting scientists in one of the most ecologically important—and rapidly changing—states in the country.
• How early career roadblocks led to open doors elsewhere. 
• How she’s reflecting on her 30 years of leadership and what she hopes for the future of Archbold.

You can learn more about Archbold and all their fantastic work at archbold-station.org. 

This episode is part one of a four part series on the work of Archbold Biological Station and Buck Island Ranch. More to come! Thank you to Zach Franco and Tahlia Warrick for making these happen. 

Don’t forget to join us at Tampa Theater on September 18th! Buy tickets here: https://tampatheatre.org/movie/voices-of-the-corridor/

The best shirts for folks who love Florida: Okihasi - Florida's Coastal Shirt

Trails are one of the most powerful tools we have for connecting people to nature and fostering a lasting sense of place. By providing direct, immersive access to the outdoors, trails invite us to build personal relationships with the landscapes around us. Whether it’s a shaded stretch of pine flatwood on a rail trail, a sandy path along a coastal estuary or a boardwalk hovering above a cypress swamp, these experiences deepen appreciation and often plant the seed for stewardship. When people fall in love with the places they explore, they’re far more likely to protect them. Trails don’t just lead us through nature, they anchor us to it, transforming passive admiration into active care.

This week we’re joined by Charles Hines, who knows a thing or two about trails. He’s the Florida Gulf Coast Trail Program Director for Trust for Public Land and former Sarasota County Commissioner. Charles shares the bold vision behind the 420-mile trail spanning seven counties across Southwest Florida, and how projects like this are reshaping how Floridians connect with nature, recreation, and each other. We’ll dive into the progress of the Gulf Coast Trail vision, how it will connect with other trail networks, and the vast community benefits of such infrastructure investments. 

A native of Florida, Hines has a background in law and has played an active role with many community nonprofits and civic organizations, including the Bay Park Conservancy, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Charlotte Harbor Estuary Program, Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, West Coast Inland Navigation District, and Florida Association of Counties.

Resources:

• https://www.tpl.org/our-work/florida-gulf-coast-trail
• https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/03/bikers-new-legacy-trail-bridge/

Subscribe to Florida Uncut to hear from more voices shaping wild Florida.

In this special episode of Florida Uncut, we’re bringing you our first-ever live recording, captured this past weekend at the Wild Space Gallery in St. Pete.

The conversation centers around the behind-the-scenes efforts that brought the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation’s 2024 expedition film to life. Every two years, the Foundation leads a week-long journey, on foot, bike, and water, through a region of the Corridor that needs greater public awareness and protection.

This year’s expedition took place in Southwest Florida, tracing a route from the Western Everglades to the Caloosahatchee River, an infamously challenging crossing point for the endangered Florida Panther.

Our panel features several team members (Ethan Coyle, Alex Freeze, and Joe Whalen) who helped make the expedition possible. You'll hear untold stories from the trail, hilarious moments of gear failure, and candid reflections on the logistics, challenges, and triumphs that didn’t make it into the final film.

If you're near St. Pete, be sure to check out the companion gallery exhibit, “Blazing the Trail: From Strand to Slough,” on display at the Wild Space Gallery through August 30. The exhibit dives deeper into the people, process, and wild beauty behind the making of this year’s expedition film. 

I want to give an enormous thank you to Ethan, Alex, and Joe for the amazing conversation. I love working with them. I want to also especially thank Leslie Elsasser, Noel Smith, Kat Duval, and Tony Palms for opening up the Wild Space Gallery to tell these stories and for the opportunity to host our first live podcast. I am so thankful and still buzzing from the experience! 

Wild Space Gallery on Google Maps. Don't miss it! Be sure to come check out the exhibit by August 30th. The gallery is open Wed-Sat 2-6pm.

Also, mark you calendars for the film premiere of our expedition on September 18th at the Tampa Theater.

Would you like to attend a live recording of Florida Uncut? Be sure to save the date of July 12, 5–9 PM for a new exhibition "Blazing the Trail: From Strand to Slough" and a live recording of "Wild Takes: Florida Uncut Podcast Live" from 5-8pm at the Wild Space Gallery in St. Pete! I’ll be there interviewing the folks behind the scenes of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation’s last expedition, and upcoming film. 

In this episode, we catch up with Joe Howard, one of the original trekkers on the O2O: Path to Connection expedition. Joe reflects on his journey across the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor, an ambitious, 57-mile boots-on-the-ground adventure aimed at raising awareness for one of the most critical wildlife linkages in Florida.

We’re speaking with Joe, a career Florida state parks manager, nearly two years after the trek because the story didn’t end on the trail. Just last week, the Florida Cabinet approved a major land acquisition in the O2O region, securing nearly 78,000 acres of high-priority conservation land. It’s a huge victory for Florida’s Wildlife Corridor, and for the vision Joe and the O2O team helped bring to life.

Tune in as we talk with Joe about the power of storytelling, what it meant to be part of the expedition, and how it feels to see real policy action happen in a place he walked to protect.

Watch O2O: Path to Connection here

Read more about the approved funding for the 77,877 acres of land here. 

Alex Freeze has been part of the movement to connect and protect wild Florida for well over a decade and now works as the Corridor Connect Director at the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation. Alex brings a wealth of experience as a conservation photographer, environmental educator, and advocate for Florida's natural landscapes. Did I mention she was a field producer for the Emmy award-winning film, Path of the Panther?

In this conversation, Alex shares her journey from being a 6th-generation Floridian to a leading voice in conservation, highlighting her work in visual storytelling and her role in coordinating collaborative conservation efforts across the state. We explore the challenges and triumphs of preserving Florida's unique ecosystems, the importance of community engagement, and the innovative collaborative strategies Alex employs to advance the Corridor an acre at a time. 

Alex is also the driving force behind the upcoming Corridor Connect summit, Florida’s premiere statewide gathering of conservation professionals happening June 3-5, 2025. It’s a powerful convening of storytellers, scientists, landowners, and policymakers to collaborate on one of the most urgent conservation efforts in the country. Be sure to follow the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation on socials to hear and see what goes on!

Resources mentioned in the episode: 

• Alex’s master’s thesis on students’ impression of conservation photography: https://www.montreat.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/exploring-student-impressions-of-conservation-photographs-a-potential-strategy-for-classroom-environmental-education.pdf
• Dear Tampa Film: https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Waters/Gulf-Restoration/Dear-Tampa
• 10 things you can do to help the Florida Wildlife Corridor: https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/10-things.pdf

Connect with Alex Freeze:

• Website: alexfreeze.com
• Instagram: @alexofthewild

Learn More About the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation:

• Website: floridawildlifecorridor.org
• Instagram: @floridawildlifecorridor
• Facebook: Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation

Learn more about the summit: corridorconnect.org/page/summit-2025

In this episode of Florida Uncut, we sit down with Brent Setchell, Drainage Design Engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 1, to talk about something most drivers rarely see—but Florida’s wildlife depends on: wildlife crossings.

Brent grew up immersed in the outdoors, and now he’s helping ensure Florida’s wild places remain connected. From panthers and bears to otters and deer, these crossings save lives—animal and human alike. But what goes into building one? When and where is the right time to act? And how many crossings do we actually need?

We dig into the data, the planning, and the unexpected benefits that come with making Florida’s highways a little more humane and its wild spaces more connected. Brent also shares the story behind one of the state’s standout crossings near the Hilochee Wildlife Management Area, as well as the first overpass wildlife crossing currently under construction on I-4. 

Resources/links from episode:

• Watch FDOT and fStop’s film, Building Wild Spaces, Connectivity on I-4 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3TPkSaQ4e8&t=51s
• Map of current and upcoming Florida wildlife crossings: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a105b26615f64b19b543eb9ab61fe197&extent=-9237486.6341%2C2933269.2122%2C-8868754.4097%2C3305670.414%2C102100
• Learn more about the Lakeland Mural Unveiling with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation on 4/18 at 3pm. I’ll be there! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lakeland-mural-unveiling-tickets-1308877881979
• Request an invitation to the Corridor Connect Summit, happening June 3-5! https://corridorconnect.org/page/summit-2025

Support Florida Uncut on Patreon.