I sat down with non-fiction author (and one of my favorites) Mary Roach to talk about her new book FUZZ: WHEN NATURE BREAKS THE LAW as well as how she got her start as a writer, the ways she finds interesting people to chat with, and the animals of Florida that dazzle us both.

The lines between human and animal spaces are constantly blurred. That's exactly what the new book, FUZZ: WHEN NATURE BREAKS THE LAW by Mary Roach, is all about. Our guest this week is Mary Roach as we discuss pests, invasive species, and the complicated ways we manage our animals.

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Read more about the peacocks of Tampa from Gabrielle Calise!

Read more about python hunting in Florida from Craig Pittman!

Read more about feral hog hunting here!

Listen to our episode about python hunting and Hurricane Andrew here!

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It's suspected that nearly a thousand manatees will have died in Florida by the end of this year. That is already the largest number of manatees deaths in a year in Florida history. This week, we chat with Max Chesnes of the TCPalm about the manatees, the Indian River Lagoon, and the fight to protect our seagrass. 

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Thank you to the Florida Oceanographic Society for having us! Plan your visit to their Coastal Center right here!

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In the early days of East Florida, the new British governor and his lieutenant were set the task to create a public road for those living along the east coast. Fighting back Florida's nature proved a task no one was ready to face.

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Read more about the King's Road right here!

Listen to more about 18th century Florida here!

The Fourteenth Colony

Ambassador of the Keys

Florida's Historic Tolomato Cemetery

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In the 1930s, as part of the New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt started a program called the Civilian Conservation Corps. It brought new jobs to young working men, but also changed the way Americans looked at the nature around them. 

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Thank you to Neil Maher for his assistance in the creation of this episode! Read more about Neil's work and pick up a copy of his books here!

Listen to the story of another CCC park in this previous episode!

The Shape of Florida

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Along the Chipola River in northern Florida, a spectral bride wanders the swamps. She is part of a grand tradition of ghost stories, one that stretches around the world, one that can tell us a lot about our histories.

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Thank you Elizabeth Randall for taking the time to chat. Check out her book about the Women in White right here!

Read more about the Bride of Bellamy Bridge right here!

Read about the true story of Elizabeth Bellamy here!

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The Carolina Parakeet was on the brink of extinction when the father of ornithology went hunting for them in Florida.

This week, we chat with Michelle Nijhuis, author of Beloved Beasts, about conservation through history, the complexity of those leading the cause, and how we carry the ideas from the past into our future.

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Explore more about birds in Florida at Audubon Florida!

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Today, to kick off our Conservation Season, we chat with Toni Westland, Supervisory Refuge Ranger for J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. We discuss birds, manatees, viewfinders, Aldo Leopold, duck stamps, cute rats and the importance of getting out in nature. 

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Plan your visit to Ding Refuge right here!

Read the Island Sun newspaper right here!

Hear more about the history of Sanibel in our previous episode!

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This is the prologue to the Conservation Season, where we'll spend all autumn talking about the nature of Florida and the experts fighting to protect it. 

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Featuring clips from:

Michelle Nijhuis, Author

Neil Maher, Professor

Max Chesnes, Journalist

Toni Westland, Ranger

The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow was Walt Disney's greatest dream: a city focused on innovation and problem-solving. When the Magic Kingdom opened in Orlando, Florida, EPCOT was part of that original design -- until it wasn't.

Thank you to A Trombo Creative for sponsoring this season of Wait Five Minutes! Book your first appointment here!

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Thank you to Melissa Procko from the Orange County Regional History Center for all of your help. Plan your visit to the History Center here! 

All of the music used in this episode was originally composed.