A post shared by Free the Ocklawaha (@freetheocklawaha)

For several years now I have been following the news about the push to Free the Ocklawaha River from the Rodman Dam, first via the Florida Native Plant Society, and later through other entities in Florida. The idea intrigued me because the Rodman Reservoir and the Kirkpatrick Dam as well as the Cross Florida Barge Canal are all intertwined with the Florida Trail. The reservoir was created when the dam was sealed off on the Ocklawaha River in the late 1960s, thus drowning multiple springs and severely altering the ecosystem. Almost since it’s creation there has been a call to restore the system.

I invited Margaret Spontak, Chair of the Free the Ocklawaha Coalition, on to talk about the history of the project and to provide insight into the coalitions goals and hopeful timeline in restoring the Ocklawaha River system. This episode is part of my greater series highlighting managed lands that cross through or are adjacent to the Florida Trail.

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

+Reunite The Rivers

This episode originally aired in December of 2020. At that point in time it seemed as if Split Oak Forest may have some time before it was decided if a toll road would be built to split the park in two. Unfortunately that time was shorter than expected and the vote to go ahead with the plans for a toll-road has taken place despite overwhelming support to keep Split Oak Forest in-tact and continue the premise of conservation it was given in the 1990s.

http://orangeblaze.thegardenpathpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/OB_Ep70_SavingSplitOakForest_REPLAY_05042022.mp3

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

Show Notes

Lu Dodson is the Park Manager for the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. This episode is a continuation of my efforts to include land managers into the mix as they are as important and vital to the Florida Trail as hikers are. While the FKOSHT isn’t on the offical Florida Trail route, it is part of the Eastern Continental Trail and is increasingly being used by FT hikers as they begin or end an overall Eastern Continental Trail hike. The Florida Keys offer a glimpse of the tropics and habitats change drastically from tropical hardwood hammocks near Key Largo to scrubbier views further south. There’s something for everyone in the Florida Keys! Lu offers up a brief history of the FKOSHT and what can be found along the way while walking or biking the trail.

http://orangeblaze.thegardenpathpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/OB_Ep68_FKOSHT_05042022.mp3

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

Show Notes

My personal favorite stops in the Keys

A post shared by Misti Little (@orangeblazepodcast)

http://orangeblaze.thegardenpathpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/OB_BestOf2018to2021_01072022.mp3

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

Show Notes

If there ever was a podcast episode to deviate from my typical episodes, this is the one. I take a turn from our typical natural history land management episodes to bring you some cultural history, focused around Fort Pickens and the Santa Rosa Island area of Gulf Islands National Seashore. When I reached out to the park service to see if a representative would be interested in coming on the podcast I wasn’t sure what to expect and to whom I would be speaking with, but Casimer brings out so much information that I wasn’t completely aware of in the episode, that unless you specialize in Gulf Coast maritime and military history, you will learn a lot from what Casimer has to say. From the native tribes who inhabited the region to Casimer’s recent discovery that brought to light that Fort Pickens served as a component of the Underground Railroad during the American Civil War, you might find yourself wanting to jot down notes as you would in a college history class—I know I certainly did. I hope that after listening to Casimer speak to the unique depth of history in this area you will take it to heart the next time you find yourself walking down the beaches of Santa Rosa Island and certainly as you being or end your hike of the Florida Trail at Fort Pickens.

http://orangeblaze.thegardenpathpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/OB_CasimerRosiecki_08022021.mp3

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

Show Notes

http://orangeblaze.thegardenpathpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/OB_WetlandPreserve_04062021.mp3

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

Show Notes

Episodes that pair with this one:

http://orangeblaze.thegardenpathpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/OB_IntroToBigCypress_LisaAndrews_12312020.mp3

Music: “Breathing” by Lee Rosevere

Show Notes