Welcome to Florida

This week's episode begins with Craig throwing his hat in the ring for a new job! Don't worry about him leaving the podcast, the chances of him landing this job are low.

Our guest is Calvin Branche, a leading historian on Florida author John D. MacDonald whose 21 Travis McGee novels captivated readers for decades. His novels have been turned into successful movies including "A Flash of Green" and "Cape Fear." MacDonald is also likely America's first environmental novelist, incorporating conservation themes into his work as far back as the 1960s.

"Welcome to Florida" is presented by Eco-Pathways, a Florida company which has developed a long-lasting, environmentally friendly, engineered material to replace wood and pressurized lumber in dune walkovers, boardwalks, docks and piers. Learn more at Eco-Pathways.com. 

This week's episode begins by discussing a puzzling decision by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to recommend opening a fishing season on goliath grouper.

Our guest is Jono Miller, author of "The Palmetto Book: Histories and Mysteries of the Cabbage Palm." The Cabbage Palm is Florida's state tree and essential to understanding its history. What makes this tree unique? How has it influenced Florida history? What does it have to do with Elvis and gangsters? We get the lowdown from Jono who you can find online, here.

At the end of the episode, Craig mentioned the Gizella Kopsick Arboretum in St. Petersburg which has examples of every palm species growing on Earth. You can learn more about them here.

This week's episode is presented by Eco-Pathways.com, a Florida company that has developed an engineered material for use in dune walkovers, boardwalks, docks and piers that will stand up to our harsh conditions for decades longer than plain wood or pressurized lumber. Eco-Pathways modular design makes it easy to install and the engineered material doesn't splinter or fade like wood, there are no rusty nails sticking up like wood has, and it doesn't contain the toxic chemicals of pressurized lumber.

This week's episode features Buck Island Ranch manager Gene Lollis. Buck Island Ranch is unlike any cattle ranch you've heard of. Buck Island Ranch is working in part to protect the environment and wildlife.

Take a look for yourself.

Ranching and agriculture are both major causes of and solutions for climate change, biodiversity collapse, clean water and clean air. If you'd like to learn more about this connection, regenerative agriculture and our national food production system, listen to "The Doctor's Farmacy Podcast" with Dr. Mark Hyman.

Want to buy more sustainably and ethically raised beef? Look into the Audubon Society's conservation ranching and certified beef program.

This episode is again brought to you by Eco-Pathways. Eco-Pathways creates dune and beach walkovers, boardwalks, docks and piers that are longer lasting than pressurized lumber, require a fraction of the maintenance and don't contain any of the many toxic chemicals pressurized wood does. Learn more at Eco-Pathways.com. 

This week's episode begins with Craig's latest "Washington Post" article where he writes about Miami making history in hiring the nation's first Chief Heat Officer.

Our guests are Susan Fernandez and Bob Ingalls, authors of "Sunshine in the Dark: Florida in the Movies." We'll trace Florida's history in film from the silent area when Jacksonville was Hollywood, all the way through 2016's "Moonlight" which won the Academy Award for best picture.

We'd like to welcome Eco-Pathways as our latest sponsor. Eco-Pathways is a Florida company that designs and constructs beach walkovers, boardwalks, trail bridges, docks and piers out of a proprietary engineered material which lasts longer and requires none of the maintenance of wood while not containing any of the chemicals found in pressurized lumber. Visit eco-pathways.com to learn more.

This week's episode begins with a takedown of the Florida Legislature (both parties), Ron DeSantis and Agriculture Secretary Nikki Fried, all of who bowed down to BIG SUGAR in allowing them to continue poisoning residents of western Palm County through pre-harvest sugar cane field burning.

Our guest is New College of Florida anthropologist and archaeologist Uzi Baram. We discuss Florida's surprisingly robust history of ancient inhabitants along with the emerging researching shining more light on the maroons of Angola and Florida's connection to the Underground Railroad.

If you find these conversations interesting, our previous episodes on the Everglades and BIG Sugar, along with our episode on Florida's forgotten cemeteries should be on your play list.

This week's episode begins with Craig's concerns Florida could be facing another "Summer of Slime" due to blue green algae and red tide (cow tide) outbreaks. We also talk about corruption in the state legislature and the death - mostly - of M-CORES (Roads to Ruin).

Our guest is author Mike Grunwald who wrote "The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida and the Politics of Paradise." Our conversation focuses on the worst idea ever in Florida: the Everglades Jetport.

If these topics interest you, be sure to listen to back episodes on the Floridan Aquifer, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Everglades and Big Sugar.

To order a signed copy of "Cat Tale" in paperback from Tombolo Books in St. Pete, go here.

"Welcome to Florida" thanks Hipcamp for its ongoing support. Hipcamp is a growing community of outdoor enthusiasts looking for authentic connections to Florida's natural environment. That's where you come in. If you own property anywhere around Florida that connects people to nature, Hipcamp would like to hear from you about paying you to open your property to Hipcamp members for camping, glamping and RV stays. You don't need much land and Hipcamp handles all the details. Visit Hipcamp.com/land for more details.

Amelia Island would like "Welcome to Florida" listeners to consider visiting for your next long weekend or family vacation. From the natural beauty of our beaches, dunes, salt marsh and maritime hammock, to Civil Rights and Civil War history, and the magnificent Victorian Downtown, Amelia Island makes for a perfect Florida getaway mixing small town charm with Southern Hospitality and Florida beach life. Visit AmeliaIsland.com to see more.

This week's episode started with BIG news from the Everglades and a look at a VERY important Florida woman whose job it will be to protect the state's environment.

Our guest is author Ann McCutchan who has written a new biography of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, a Florida transplant and author of "The Yearling." The book is titled "The Life She Wished to Lead" and details Rawlings' time spent in Cross Creek, Florida.

This week's show also mentioned Bok Tower Gardens conservation efforts, Craig's book "The Scent of Scandal," and Marie Selby Gardens.

"Welcome to Florida" is presented by Amelia Island. Learn more about the four state parks in the Amelia Island area and the world class outdoor recreation, dune system, tree canopy, the boutiques along Centre Street, bed and breakfasts, Southern cuisine and why Amelia Island is the perfect destination for your next long weekend or family vacation by visiting AmeliaIsland.com.

And by Hipcamp. Hipcamp is a growing community of respectful people looking to get outside for camping, glamping and RV stays on private land. Anyone with a property that helps people connect with nature can be a Hipamp host. Learn more by visiting Hipcamp.com/land. 

This week's episode begins with discussion of Craig's latest Florida Phoenix column and the "solution" for what to do with all of the toxic waste from the Piney Point phosphorus plant.

Our guest is Nancy Klingener, Florida Keys reporter for WLRN - South Florida's Public Radio - and a 30 year Key West resident. We dig into the history, culture and weirdness that is Key West with stops along the way talking about Conchs, Earnest Hemmingway, Bum Farto, Jimmy Buffett, cats, chickens and Fantasy Fest.

Consider Amelia Island for your next long weekend or family vacation. The picturesque barrier island in the northeast corner of Florida with the state's best protected natural dune system, miles of uncrowded beaches and a historic Victorian downtown welcomes you for beachcombing, fishing, camping at Fort Clinch State Park (one of four state parks in the area), birdwatching, Southern food and hospitality and relaxation from the mania often associated with Florida vacations. Learn more at www.AmeliaIsland.com.

Property owners across Florida are earning up to $1,000 a month listing their spots with Hipcamp. Hipcamp is a growing community of members looking to enjoy outdoor experiences and Hipcamp wants to help connect them to those experiences, but they need property owners willing to share their places. If you own land - even a little - anywhere in Florida that helps people connect with nature, Hipcamp wants to hear from you. Visit Hipcamp.com/land to get started.

This week's episode begins with Craig's ongoing reporting of the environmental disaster at the Piney Point phosphate plant where hundreds of millions of gallons of toxic wastewater has been diverted into the Tampa Bay estuary to avoid a collapse of the gypsum stack there. Craig has reported on this coming apocalypse for decades, highlighting how the Florida Department of Environmental "Protection's" history of favoring industry over the environment and its lack of serious regulation put us here.

This week's guest is Florida's state climatologist David Zierden. We talk about our state's climate, how it's changing, what can be done to protect the state from climate change, hurricanes and... machetes?

"Welcome to Florida" welcomes our newest sponsor, Amelia Island! Located in the very northeast corner of the state, Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach is a nature lover's paradise with miles of beaches, four easily accessible state parks, the state's best protected natural dune system and an extraordinary tree canopy of Live Oaks. Amelia Island makes for the perfect destination for you next family vacation. Learn more at AmeliaIsland.com.

"Welcome to Florida" is also sponsored by Hipcamp, the growing community of respectful people looking to get outside for camping, glamping and RV stays on private land. Anyone with a property that helps people connect with nature can be a Hipcamp host. Learn more by visiting Hipcamp.com/land. 

This week's episode begins with Craig Pittman's latest Florida Phoenix column highlighting the disastrous environmental impacts of the widely used herbicide/poison glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup.

Our guest is author, veterinarian and professor Mark Jerome Walters whose latest book, "Florida Scrub-Jay: Field Notes on a Vanishing Bird" was released in March of 2021. Mark has also authored "Six Modern Plagues and How We Are Causing Them" and "A Shadow and a Song: The Struggle to Save an Endangered Species," both of which are referenced in the episode.

For more information about the effort to save birds in Florida and what you can do to help, visit Audubon Florida.

"Welcome to Florida" is presented by Hipcamp. Consider Hipcamp Airbnb for campers. If you have a piece of land in Florida that would be good for pitching a tent or parking an RV, then Hipcamp wants to hear from you. They take care of all the details, you collect side income. Learn more by visiting Hipcamp.com/land.

If you or your business would like to sponsor "Welcome to Florida," email Craig and Chadd Scott at [email protected].